Premier Ewart Brown never flies first class at taxpayers' expense and only has Bermuda's best interests in mind when abroad, his press secretary insisted last night.

Dr. Brown's spokesman Arnold Minors said a $265,000 bill run up in the past nine months on foreign trips was necessary as the Premier was drumming up business for the Island, never took a day off while overseas and was often in expensive places.

Opposition parties slammed the figure, with UBP leader Kim Swan describing Dr. Brown as being on a continual "world tour" and BDA member Michael Fahy claiming the travel costs were "nonsensical".

Dr. Brown's airfare between May 1 last year and January 31 this year cost $36,500, according to figures released in the House of Assembly on Friday. The flights for one trip alone last September — taking in Washington DC and London — came to $11,900.

Civil servants were ordered two months later to implement "austere cost savings" — including banning first and business class travel. "He hasn't flown first class where it has been paid for by the taxpayer to my knowledge," said Mr. Minors. "For the very long trips he would travel in business class to be able to rest properly. You can't do that easily in economy."

The press secretary said the Premier "hits the ground running" on every foreign trip, never taking personal time and packing in as much business as possible.

He said he was usually wearing two hats — that of leader of the country and Minister of Tourism. "He is doing two jobs and he's efficient at it. The cost is as low as possible."

The Premier's personal ground transportation bill came to $33,300 for the nine-month period — another unavoidable cost, according to Mr. Minors.

"The reality is that the cities that we go to are expensive. We have rental cars in order to get from one place to another. Sometimes they have to stay and wait.

"But I know that on the trip to London for the Labour Party conference, instead of taking a car from London to Brighton, we took a train because it made sense."

Mr. Minors said the train ride was the Premier's idea. "He is attentive to cost, not only because of what people might write, but because it makes sense to do that."

He said the value to Bermuda of the trips taken by the Premier and his team was often way above the cost of the travel.

"That's not to say he should be profligate with the people's money and he is not. But if the return on the investment is higher than the investment, then it's good for Bermuda. He has only got Bermuda's interests in mind."

Mr. Minors cited Dr. Brown's recent India trip, when he met with Bollywood producers, as just such an example. "It looks like there are going to be people coming here very soon, people looking to do film shoots." He said such exposure could boost tourism in the long-term.

But Mr. Swan claimed the benefits to Bermuda of the Premier's overseas trips were often unclear.

"The figures released speak for themselves," said the Opposition leader. "They need to be explained by the Government.

"In terms of the Premier's travel habit, it is clear to us he will do what he wants, spend what he wants and travel where he wants regardless of any order by the Finance Minister to cut back non-essential travel.

"The Premier's behaviour indicates he is accountable to no one in his Cabinet, clearly not the Finance Minister, and so it is no surprise his travels cost Bermuda taxpayers an average of $30,000 a month.

"We believe the Premier feels a pressing need to get off the Island often and that he is not willing to cut back for any reason."

He added: "Bermuda can expect his world tour to continue as the year wears on, the Government's cash shortages notwithstanding."

Mr. Fahy said: "The Alliance is disappointed and indeed stunned at the figures released by the Government in respect of travel costs.

"At the risk of stating the obvious, it is absolutely bizarre that at a time when Bermudians are tightening their belts Government travel costs continue to be nonsensical.

"There should be a strategic plan in terms of travel expenses and we have to query whether the best value for money was received for the taxpayer."

He added: "The Head of the Civil Service issued an edict advising that travel had to be cut back. It would seem that some people in Government did not get that memo."