The Premier has denied that the Government wanted to clip the wings of the island's tourism authority.

He was speaking after Kevin Dallas, the Bermuda Tourism Authority chief, stood down last month just after Zane DeSilva, the tourism minister, warned that he would make changes at the organisation.

Mr Dallas posted on Twitter on February 29, just after he quit: “I have no doubt this team, allowed to do their jobs, will take us to the next level by implementing the National Tourism Plan.”

Mr Burt said last Friday: “I'm not going to get into what someone's tweets mean.

“The board has made their decision, we will move forward, and my hope is that there will be a replacement found.”

He added the BTA was not an independent agency. Mr Burt said: “It's created by an Act of Parliament, with a board appointed by the minister, who receive directions on policy from the minister.

“It's no more independent than the Bermuda Monetary Authority.

Mr Burt concluded: “I think it is a red herring, when people go with this line, of some form of independence. It's not correct.”

Mr Burt added: “The fact is, all of these bodies work in conjunction with the Government and everyone is accountable to the taxpayers of this country, including myself.”