United Bermuda Party leader Kim Swan yesterday dismissed Premier Paula Cox's claims Bermuda is in post-recession — telling her thousands of Bermudians remain unemployed.

Delivering the official Opposition's Reply to the Throne Speech, Mr. Swan blamed Government for creating a reliance on foreigners before leaving an estimated 2,000 Bermudian construction workers out of work.

And he cast doubt over the Premier's new Procurement Office — a department under her personal watch which will ensure a consistent and fair bidding process for contracts.

While he didn't question Ms Cox's integrity, Mr. Swan argued such an office should not come under the personal responsibility of any single politician.

"Our system of governance should not have to depend on the honesty of its Ministers," he told the House of Assembly.

Mrs. Cox said last night the "one thing" she would never run away from was the Progressive Labour Party's record. "The PLP government is a government I am proud to be a member of," she said, adding that while the party was not perfect, nothing on this earth was without its flaws.

Meanwhile Mark Pettingill, giving Bermuda Democratic Alliance's response, criticised Government for using the global economic crisis as an excuse for the Island's problems. Mr. Pettingill likened Government's tactics to the Titanic approaching the iceberg — claiming it should have seen what was coming and prepared accordingly.

Kicking off a lengthy debate yesterday morning, Mr. Swan welcomed many of the new Premier's plans outlined in her first Throne Speech last week; in a press conference he later stressed his willingness to work with Ms Cox and praised her non-aggressive tone.

But he repeated long-standing UBP concerns over rising violent crime, slow education reform, soaring debt, loss of family values and Government's lack of transparency, all of which he said the PLP has failed to get to grips with in its 12 years of power.

He said fewer Bermudians hold jobs today than in 1998, despite a growth in the Island's economy, with an estimated 3,000 now out of work, including 2,000 in the construction industry.

Responding to Ms Cox's description that Bermuda is in "a post-recessionary climate", Mr. Swan said: "We see it as strangely detached from local realities.

"Bermuda is not in a post-recessionary climate. On the contrary, Bermuda is still in recession. The Government may not know it, but people do.

"Imagine how that 'post-recession' statement would be received by the estimated 2,000 Bermudians who used to work in construction.

"Imagine how it would go over with the 700-plus clients of one employment agency, which routinely submits up to 30 applicants for one job.

"Imagine how it would strike Bermuda's retail industry, which is reeling from 16 straight months of declining sales.

"Government's own policies and actions have contributed and worsened recession's impact, particularly job losses.

"For example, the Government allowed the construction sector to overheat and overbuild — a boom that was sustained by a steady stream of foreign construction workers.

"We're not sure why the Government opened the construction floodgates, creating a massive surplus of jobs that went to outside workers. It could have controlled the pace and intensity of construction through immigration and planning controls, but it didn't.

"The boom has ended and construction is now at a near standstill. Workers who could still be working today if the industry had been better governed are out of luck."

Mr. Swan acknowledged setting up a Procurement, Contracts and Project Management Office — after numerous complaints over contract tendering under former Premier Ewart Brown's administration — has won widespread praise.

"We think the praise reflects the public's desire do something — anything — to put the stench of past practices behind us," he said.

"But there is something fundamentally wrong in the set-up of the office. We cannot move to a system of governance where the credibility of an office hangs on the character of the office holder. But this is exactly what the Premier has done by appointing herself to head up the Procurement Office."

He said instead of depending on the honesty of Ministers, the system of governance should "stand on its own".

Launching the BDA's response in the absence of indisposed House leader Shawn Crockwell, Mr. Pettingill said: "With the Throne Speech you would have thought it was a new Government taking over, but it is the same Government.

"Positions change and things have been moved around but we are where we are because they have brought the ship here and there has to be some accountability of how we got here."

He said it was "untenable" that crime has increased by 130 percent under the PLP Government and debt has risen to $1 billion.

"The facts are difficult to spin away from just like the [Titanic's] iceberg was," he said. "The facts are what they are and I am so glad to see it was set out in the Reply."

Ms Cox and Government have repeatedly pointed to the world's economic downturn as a reason for Bermuda's financial difficulties.

But Mr. Pettingill said: "With all due respect some people were yelling about the iceberg before we hit it so it should not fly with a majority of the public. Everybody and their mother with any sense saw that it was coming."

On gang violence, the defence lawyer said: "Do not blame the world economy and do not blame the Governor, do not blame the Civil Service now. Our Civil Service needs to improve, you are in charge of the Civil Service.

"Government needs to stop spitting excuses out. Violent crime has increased by 100 percent since 1998.

"There have been 193 firearm incidents, seven died and another 25 injured. I am talking about Bermuda.

"With the statistics I am hoping Bermuda is listening to the facts. People happen to know I have a lot of experience in that particular area and a criminalist and a lawyer."

Mr. Pettingill also said he hoped new Tourism Minister Patrice Minors would push for a relaxing of the Island's gambling laws, a move he supported during Dr. Brown's tenure.