Opposition MPs claim they have not had enough notice to debate two tough new bills aimed at tackling gun crime today.

But Attorney General Kim Wilson insisted last night: "We are going through extraordinary times and therefore we have to make haste."

The proposed amendments to the Firearms and Bail Acts — prompted by the spate of gun murders in the last year — were tabled on her behalf by Junior Justice Minister Michael Scott in the House of Assembly a week ago.

If approved, the legislation will give Police the power to hold firearms suspects for up to 28 days without charge and impose conditions of bail, such as a curfew or surrender of a passport.

The United Bermuda Party and the Bermuda Democratic Alliance were told by the Government Chief Whip yesterday morning that both bills would get a second reading today.

BDA MP Shawn Crockwell said: "Although we don't object in principle to these bills, we would have preferred more time to consider them."

Deputy UBP leader Trevor Moniz said: "It's poor; it's pathetic.

"Normally, these things sit two weeks on the order paper so they wouldn't be eligible for debate until next Friday.

"Occasionally, we agree to change that order of procedure but I only found out this morning. We have got 24 hours notice. If they were intending to deal with these two as a matter of urgency, they should have told us last Friday."

Senator Wilson said new House of Assembly rules meant there only had to be seven clear days between a bill being tabled and it getting its second reading.

"I'm a little bit surprised that there is this discussion that we should have given notice, because [Opposition MP] John Barritt was part of the committee that drafted the new rules," she said. "Everybody should be aware that bills could be taken up the following week."

Sen. Wilson added: "In light of what's going on in our community, even if those new standing orders hadn't been passed, this might have warranted, given the current circumstances and the climate, an application to suspend the rules."

The Justice Minister said she had no desire to "scurry through" the legislation, especially as the extended detention time under the Firearms Amendment Act 2010 was an "extraordinary occurrence".

But she said: "These are extraordinary times. These are things that need to be done without delay."

Mr. Moniz said the Opposition supported the bills but would have appreciated the "good courtesy and good practice" of more notice.

"We are mindful of the fact that we are in such a bad situation with crime and gun crime," he said. "We'd like to be helpful for the sake of society."

Also to be debated today — against the UBP's wishes — is the Bermuda Plan 2008, which was tabled on Friday and includes hundreds of maps, a 200-page planning statement and a three-volume report from the recent Development and Planning Tribunal.

Shadow Environment Minister Cole Simons said a week was not long enough for MPs or constituents to have read and digested the development blueprint.

"One has to ask: what is the urgency? It was supposed to be out around six or seven years ago. What the hell is another week going to do?"

He added: "This just shows a lack of respect for the parliamentary process and a lack of respect for the people of this Country and a lack of respect for the parliamentarians who may wish to discuss it with their constituents."

Environment Minister Glenn Blakeney told The Royal Gazette the plan had to be approved by Parliament before June 30 and he would be away on Government business from Sunday until June 14.

He said the plan had taken far longer to prepare than expected and time was running out. "We are prepared to go with it because we have to make it happen," he said.

"They have had it for a week and they don't have the kind of pressures that ministers in government have on them. Lord have mercy if they can't go through it in a week."