for what it contains but for what it does not contain.

The claim came from Opposition Senate Leader Maxwell Burgess yesterday as the Upper House kicked off its debate of the document.

The Shadow Minister Without Portfolio pointed to the threats Bermuda's offshore businesses were facing from external sources and asked how the Government planned to deal with these.

He said these businesses had to be protected to provide the money to pay for the social future promised by the PLP.

Government had to get up to speed on the threats posed by the European and US financial communities, as well as the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).

The same went for the war on drugs, continued Sen. Burgess.

War had to be declared on drugs and the new Government had to take up arms against the scourge in the community so it did not have to live in fear.

Drugs in the community caused prostitution and crime as people endeavoured to finance their addictions, continued the Senator, so the eradication of drugs and dependency on them had to be a key mission for the PLP.

Senate vice-president Walwyn Hughes said he found the Throne Speech short on specifics but did not think that this was unreasonable because of the short time the Government had to work on it.

It was better to see the Government taking its time with things instead of rushing to implement quick fixes, he noted.

Senator David Burch countered by pointing out the difference between the PLP's platform and the Throne Speech.

"Let me just give a definition as to where this Government is coming from,'' he said.

"One deals with what we intend to do during the course of this Government and the Throne Speech deals with this session.

"While we have had criticisms about the lack of content I am reminded about the glass being half full rather than half empty. Most people in this country and this chamber would have been encouraged by the efficiency and speed by which it produced a Cabinet and Government and Throne Speech.'' But Sen. Burch apparently went on to shoot himself in the foot by revealing that the new Government's policies had been devised five years ago.

"This wasn't thrown together at the last minute,'' he said.

"This party has had a plan since 1993 to win Government and it is one we have infrequently veered from.''