Government needed the support of independent MP Wayne Furbert to win a tight vote on a bill to force those entering the tow truck business to pay for a $50,000 annual permit.

Several Progressive Labour Party MPs, present earlier in the morning, were absent from the Chamber during the crucial roll call which Government won 13-11.

Wayne Perinchief, Randy Horton, Patrice Minors and Dennis Lister were all missing but Mr. Furbert, a former leader of the Opposition, backed the bill.

If he had voted the other way the vote would have been tied, although at that point debate chairman Walter Lister could have exercised a casting vote.

The Motor Car Amendment Act (No.2) 2009 allows Bermuda's current 12 independent tow truck operators to carry on without forking out the $50,000 permit fee but new entrants to the business would need to cough up.

United Bermuda Party MPs, including John Barritt, said it would gift a valuable permit to those in the business which they could sell on at vast profit while impeding entrepreneurs trying to enter the business.

However, Mr. Furbert argued his former colleagues were playing politics with the bill as he reeled off a list of similar licenses for other vehicles such as $65,000 for a lunch wagon, water truck and sanitation truck, $80,000 for a dumper truck and $50,000 for boat trailers.

This drew an angry response from Mr. Barritt who threw down the Government defensive briefing paper Mr. Furbert had been reading from as he continued to raise concerns about a cartel restricting new entrepreneurs.

If Government was serious about widening opportunity it should not continue to do things the old way, said Mr. Barritt.

He said: "$50,000 is not an insubstantial cost for those who operate this business, who want to be entrepreneurs, they have to pay up front. Is that really fair?"

And those who had been in the business now had a license they could sell off for $50,000 or slightly less. "Every dollar is profit," argued Mr. Barritt.

Health Minister Nelson Bascome argued that with some tow trucks attached to garages and another 12 independent tow truck operators, Bermuda had about 20 trucks for just 21 square miles.He said: "I don't think there is a need for any more."

To which Mr. Barritt responded: "He's confirmed what this is all about, it's protectionist."

UBP Deputy Leader Trevor Moniz said there should have been an overview about where Government was going with additions to those subject to transport fee licenses, but Transport Minister and Premier Dr. Ewart Brown was not there to explain it.

Instead he had left it to Acting Premier Elvin James to introduce the bill.

As the debate raged Walter Lister, who was chairing the committee stage of the bill, grew impatient, saying: "This legislation is a mere sandwich, we are not going to make it a banquet."

Health Minister Mr. Bascome then tried to hurry proceedings to a vote, but this drew a sharp response from the Opposition benches.

UBP leader Kim Swan accused Government of trying to stifle debate while Mr. Barritt said the rules only allowed that if it was not an abuse of the House or likely to infringe the rights of the minority.

He said hurrying to a vote would also be an abuse of the Minister as Mr. James had not been given the chance to answer questions about the bill. Mr. Bascome withdrew his motion.

Mr. James said such fees had not inhibited lunch wagon operators who had to pay $65,000 for a license, to which UBP MP Grant Gibbons interjected: "How do you know?"

Opposition MP Trevor Moniz had to battle with chairman Mr. Lister to get the roll call vote, which are rarely done, which led to a narrow 13-11 victory for Government.

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