An Opposition Senator has raised doubts over the innovative Daniel's Head eco-resort.

United Bermuda Party Senate Leader Maxwell Burgess sparked a furious protest from the Government when he claimed yesterday in the Upper House that the scheme could be "at risk'', along with a further $100 million of potential tourism investment.

But the Bermuda agents for the $8-million-plus project said they remained optimistic that the 125-tent village would begin construction next month. A spokesman said although the Senator's comments were understandable, he disagreed with his statement.

Sen. Burgess launched a scathing broadside at the Government, claiming $100 million in tourism investment had probably disappeared since the Progressive Labour Party came to power.

He said concerns had been voiced about both Daniel's Head and the Morgan's Point golf and holiday development, in addition to questions over the Club Med-Camberley plan, DeVille city centre hotel and Belmont rejuvenation.

And he levelled criticism at the PLP over what he described as a possible rift in the Cabinet over whether sustainable development could be accomplished in Bermuda.

"The Camberley deal is dead. The city hotel is on hold and Belmont has run away. That is more than $100 million of business either dead in the water or has walked away,'' Sen. Burgess said.

And he slammed Tourism Minister David Allen's overseas travel, claiming: "Government cannot close a deal.'' "The Tourism Minister is burning up $6,000 a day to say we are back in business and come to us,'' he claimed.

Resort `on line', developers say But Senate Leader Milton Scott rebuked the remark, saying that Sen. Burgess could not substantiate it. Mr. Burgess then called on the Government to disclose how much the recent North American tourism roadshow, to which he was referring, had actually cost.

"Anybody who knows about tourism, knows to revitalise it, you need to get a couple of new hotels going,'' Sen. Burgess added. "I am not in the industry of seeing the PLP fail. I am not in the industry of failing Bermuda. I am going to make sure they succeed. I owe it to myself.'' Sen. Scott said public arguments between Senators over tourism could affect investors who were currently in tricky negotiations over $160 million of investment.

"Government is currently in the midst of delicate talks with hotel investors,'' he said. "They don't need to see either party clearly trying to gain points on the issue of tourism.'' He warned that adverse publicity could stifle plans.

And Government Sen. Calvin Smith said the blame lay with the previous Government because people had stopped coming to Bermuda long before the PLP assumed power.

He commended Mr. Allen for selling the Island and bringing together tourism partners in a new product.

Last night John Gardner of Daniel's Head architects and project managers, Cooper & Gardner, said the project was still on line but the actual final details were undergoing some fine tuning.

Following the initial budget, it was acknowledged that some of the costs were higher than anticipated, he said.

The budget was readjusted and the final set up would be more than the original $8 million estimate.

Changes have been made, including reducing the number of expensive walkways, altering the central plumbing system -- but he added the project remained "fundamentally the same''.

"His (Maxwell Burgess') comments are probably understandable given the way rumours and conversations happen in Bermuda,'' Mr. Gardner said. "This is a complex project and it is not the easiest environment to put this together.'' Sen. Maxwell Burgess