The Opposition assailed non-responses to a raft of parliamentary questions over “how Government has approached its Caricom decision-making process” ended up largely unanswered, with queries referred to the Green Paper on the topic.

Douglas De Couto, the Shadow Minister of Finance, said the 63-page document, published in March by Alexa Lightbourne, the Minister of Home Affairs, had left “a variety of topics that have not been explained well, or even at all”, but was instead used to brush off questions on Friday in the House of Assembly from 11 One Bermuda Alliance MPs.

The array of questions covered every OBA Member in the House.

Responses to Dr De Couto referenced the “published process”, noting that consultation on the Green Paper had ended on May 31 — with the White Paper to include feedback from Britain as well as consultation summaries and “the outcomes of the Government’s meetings with the Caricom Secretariat”.

The replies said the White Paper would “answer questions raised during the consultation, all raised against a clear standard: whether they benefit Bermudians, strengthen Bermuda and protect Bermuda’s ability to determine its own future”.

Dr De Couto told The Royal Gazette yesterday it had been “pretty much a cut-and-paste response”.

“Unfortunately for Bermudians, the Government chose not to provide any meaningful information,” Dr De Couto said, after posing questions to David Burt, the Premier, on business consultation and risk assessment.

Other questions from opposition MPs ranged from education to judicial, policing and corrections matters, followed by tourism, food security and the environment.

Dr De Couto said MPs were repeatedly stonewalled with the reply of: “See the Green Paper”.

He added: “Most people who have read the Green Paper and attended the town halls know that none of these questions were addressed.

“Bermudians should know the answers to these questions because most of Bermuda’s economic activity, as measured by Gross Domestic Product, is driven by international business. Most of Government’s income comes from the corporate income tax on international businesses and payroll tax on their employees.

“This income is critical for funding basic services for Bermudians, like fixing roads, paying public officers and supporting healthcare. On top of all that, Bermuda is relying on the CIT to start to pay down our $3.3 billion national debt, which costs us $125 million per year in interest payments alone.”

Dr De Couto questioned whether there had been a detailed assessment on the risk to international business presented by the island becoming a full member of Caricom.

He added: “And if you have, why can’t you share that with all of us?”

Ms Lightbourne said last month that the next step, a White Paper, would lay out “the Government’s settled position” when it came to full membership in the Caribbean Community, where Bermuda has held an associate membership position since 2003.

Opposition questions included queries to Zane DeSilva, the Minister of Housing and Municipalities, on construction and housing. Three OBA MPs put questions to Dennis Lister III, Junior Minister of Justice and spokesman for education, covering education, justice and prisons programmes.

Questions were also put to Owen Darrell, the Minister of Tourism, Transport, Culture and Sport; Ms Lightbourne, on food costs; Jason Hayward, the Minister of Economy and Labour, on advantages to Bermudian businesses; Michael Weeks, the Minister of National Security, on gang intervention and policing; Tinée Furbert, the Minister of Youth, Social Development and Seniors; and Jaché Adams, the Minister of Public Works and Environment.