Michael Dunkley remained adamant that the One Bermuda Alliance Government was “trying to save Bermuda”, as Opposition MPs maintained that the Government’s “intransigence” was pushing the island into turmoil.

While the Premier said he was open to listen, and supported the peoples’ right to freely express their views, he called the work stoppage by the People’s Campaign irresponsible and disruptive.

His statement came as about 1,200 people gathered outside Sessions House after opponents of the Government’s immigration policies marched through Hamilton from the Bermuda Industrial Union Headquarters.

“Children will not be able to get transport to school. Parents will be forced to remain home from work to care for them. The list of disruptions goes on. The call for withdrawal of labour threatens Bermuda’s work to rebuild the economy — work that produces the jobs and opportunity Bermudians sorely need to provide for their families.

“It will impact us far beyond our shores, and far beyond today.”

Opposition leader Marc Bean asked if the Government had changed its position on the unpopular Pathways to Status.

Mr Dunkley said it remained the same. Amendments to the island’s immigration laws are set to proceed on Monday.

Asked by Progressive Labour Party MP Walton Brown if he would accepted that “greater and greater social unrest” was likely to follow, Mr Dunkley said he did not support those who stoked tensions, and that the Government has been “swamped by people who support this proposal”.

While he said that “everyone’s opinion matters”, the Premier said that tough decisions would “please some people and make some people unhappy”. Questioned by MPs on “disrespectful” and inflammatory comments online, he called on people from all sides to “cease and desist” from provocative remarks. While Mr Dunkley repeatedly told Parliament that he and the OBA were open to discussions, the Premier said later during a press conference at the Cabinet office that booing and chanting prevented talk.

“This Government is always keen to speak to as many people as possible, but we realise after the meeting held a couple of weeks ago in the Cathedral Hall that there were certain people who don’t want to hear the message.”

In a partial compromise on Thursday, the Government had announced that Pathways to Status would not be implemented until the summer to allow time for discussions with labour leaders on work issues. Asked if he might delay it further, Mr Dunkley said that when people were “entrenched in their position and not listening to the dialogue that’s going on, it’s very difficult for anyone to kick the can down the road”.

Flanked by his Cabinet as well as OBA senators, Mr Dunkley grew more heated as he told the press that “this process is not about taking jobs”.

“This is a mosaic of Bermuda; this is a diverse political party — why would we want to disenfranchise Bermudians?”

Saying the Government would “not allow Bermuda to go backwards”, the Premier said people had to “come to the table and understand that they have to discuss things in a respectful and tolerant manner”.