Bank of Butterfield's top brass Michael Collier and Stephen Kempe, who earlier this week said the Island needed to send out more positive signals and show greater flexibility in attracting tourism investment.

Charging the comments were out of line with the very nature of Bermuda's tourism industry, SOS, in a press release, wrote: "For these bankers to essentially demand that the Island become more flexible is to ask us to condone lawbreaking, the destruction of delicate endemic species, and the destruction of Bermuda's ecology''.

The group also demanded clarification of the Bank of Bermuda's position as it relates to business relations with Bermuda Property Limited, (BPL).

Contacted by The Royal Gazette Mr. Kempe said SOS's attitude was exactly what he and Mr. Collier had in mind when they called for people to rise above petty politics and think about the greater good of Bermuda.

He categorically denied the suggestion that the Bank of Butterfield has a business interest in BPL and that interest was behind the call for greater flexibility.

"That's a bloody insult,'' he told The Royal Gazette , before launching into more colourful comments on the SOS insinuations.