Government's new budget during just completed debates this week in the House of Assembly.

Despite verbal opposition to the $379 million spending plan, the Party passed up possible no votes on more than ten pieces of legislation and regulations enacting the plan.

And the party did not vote against any Ministry spending plan, including budget cuts it said would "exert a stranglehold on the economy''.

No negative votes were recorded on the controversial Education Ministry despite a plea from a 5,000-strong petition for MPs "to vote against the proposed cuts when they are presented in Parliament''.

The 42-hour budget debate saw MPs address the spending plans for 12 Ministries.

PLP MPs spoke against ferry service cutbacks at Transport, social service and probation service cutbacks at Health and Social Services and Police cutbacks at Home Affairs.

Last night, Shadow Finance Minister Mr. Eugene Cox said his party was not inconsistent in its handling of the marathon debate.

"We were being consistent by saying the Government had not put enough into spending,'' he said.

"But we couldn't vote against things because the (budget allocation) was too small. We were arguing that there should have been more money spent.

"In general, we did allow the votes to go through. The bottom line is we can't vote against the Budget if it's sparing people unnecessary taxes.'' The Opposition differed from the Government in its assessment of the appropriate spending plan for the country this year.

Its freer spending plans were based on more optimistic forecasts for the economy. Where Finance Minister the Hon. David Saul saw visitor arrivals increasing three percent, the PLP said they would increase as much as seven percent.

Where the Government predicted a one percent increase in foreign currency generated by the international business sector, the PLP thought foreign exchange earnings would grow 5-7 percent.

The forecasts, the PLP said, would have generated $14 million more -- enough revenue to avoid Ministry cuts and to get Education restructuring underway.

The Budget, Mr. Cox said in his formal reply, demonstrated Government's "utter ruthlessness''.

But when asked why the PLP did not mount even a symbolic note during the Budget debate, he replied that Opposition settled for criticism "in principle''.

Finance Minister Dr. Saul said the Opposition could not vote against the Budget because it was a well-crafted document.

"They did not even vote against the Education budget,'' he said. "It means basically, I suspect, that they agreed with the budget.

"I think they understand the budget cuts were necessary and saw no reason to vote against them.''