Government's desire to discuss race in the "Big Conversation" initiative was not intended to be divisive, Deputy Premier Derrick Burgess told the House of Assembly last night.

The Public Works Minister, during a debate on this year's Throne Speech, said: "Some people seem to think that because we wanted to talk about the Big Conversation, anybody that wants to talk about it is labelled as racist or talking racist rhetoric."

He said that wasn't true and that different people had different ways of reacting to the "atrocities" of Bermuda's past.

"If we keep dwelling on how someone talked or how someone acted then we are never going to move on," he said. "Not only blacks were treated badly; Portuguese and others were. But it's OK. I think the Throne Speech is in a good tone and we want to keep it there and move forward."

Mr. Burgess was responding to Bermuda Democratic Alliance MP Donte Hunt, who said a line near the end of Government's Throne Speech — "That which divides us cannot be allowed to trump that which unites us" — made him emotional.

"I remember, and I know Bermuda remembers, election upon election upon election that did the exact opposite of what I read right here," he said. Pointing to the Government benches, he added: "It was done by individuals that are still on this side, the new administration,

"I find it hard to buy this sentence. Are you kidding me?" He said history had already recorded the "straight up divisiveness" of successive PLP election campaigns.

"I have to call this sentence out because I want to scratch this thing from here, because what divides us has been allowed to trump what united us," said Mr. Hunt. "The public know and they are tired; they want change."

Mr. Hunt claimed the Throne Speech contained some good ideas and lots of "sweet nothings" i.e. promises the electorate could expect to come to nothing.

John Barritt, Shadow Minister of Public Information Services, Public Administrative Reform and Constitutional Affairs, spoke about the lack of control over public spending and the Auditor General's recent highly critical special report on the new TCD building.

He said: "The Auditor General has picked up where the previous one left off and is expressing serious concerns about how money is being spent."

The Opposition MP said it was all very well creating a Procurement Office to oversee government contracts — as Premier Paula Cox is doing — but it wouldn't give the independent oversight that was needed.

"We need greater checks and balances," he said. "This has happened because the executive has allowed it to happen."

Mr. Barritt said he had no problem with the promised review of the civil service but did object to civil servants being blamed for massive overspends on capital projects.

He said some civil servants may be guilty of not standing up to the ministerial interference uncovered by the Auditor General. But he pointed out that Bermuda has no whistle-blower legislation to protect those who expose wrongdoing.

After Mr Barritt spoke, Mr. Burgess insisted Government had no problem with the Auditor General, Government's independent fiscal watchdog.

"This Government will not get in the way of the Auditor [General]," said the Minister, adding that the Auditor General had a job to do and Government was supportive of it.

Shadow Attorney General Trevor Moniz seized on those remarks during his contribution to the debate, when he reminded MPs of a February 2009 report which said Mr. Burgess told civil servants to "withdraw support for the Auditor General".

"It's quite rich for him to come up here and say how much the Government supports the Auditor General when the Auditor General can put the lie to that."

He urged Government to review the state of the Department of Corrections and brought up several high profile court cases, including one where a prison officer attempted to smuggle drugs into Westgate Correctional Facility in his shoe.

He said the service was "below the efficiency it needs to be and failing the public of Bermuda".

PLP backbencher Wayne Furbert spoke about international business and the fact that some exempt firms have left the Island to relocate elsewhere.

He said some would do so for tax reasons and some for other reasons but that was just part of natural shifts in the economy. "Time changes, the economy changes," he said. "Business will continue to look at how they make adjustments going forward."

He congratulated Government for its Throne Speech and admitted he was convinced the PLP was living in a season of excitement and change and not uncertainty.

Minister of Health Zane DeSilva, of the Progressive Labour Party, thanked the people of Bermuda for their continued support throughout the PLP's tenure.

He said: "I am stopped almost at every turn and get nothing but thanks for where we have been and where we have said we are going. I want to thank the people of Bermuda for the kind words and their faith for the government to which they elected."

He agreed that while opposing political parties wouldn't always see eye to eye, they could walk arm to arm.

However disagreed with statements in the Reply to Throne Speech that Government had taken a break from the previous leader Ewart Brown's "temperament of calculation (which) simply did not foster unity or common purpose".

Mr. DeSilva praised the party's former leader and said the PLP started unifying initiatives like 'The Big Conversation', which the party will continue to push.

But everyone must participate and some people are not getting that, he added: "We remain divided and will until all segments of our society make a general effort."

Commenting on the $1 billion in national debt, he questioned why did not bring up the fact that 20 percent of that figure was to bail Bank of Butterfield out of financial trouble.

It also went to other projects like building Heritage Wharf and the Dame Louise Building, which will allow Government to stop renting office space of $12M each year, he said.

"Think about what we have done and if the previous government, the UBP, had taken up a few of these initiatives they wouldn't have had a deficit like they did."

Shadow Finance Minister Bob Richards was critical of the fact that Premier Paula Cox had continued her post as Finance Minister. He said a Premier being in control of the public purse went against the Bermuda Constitution.

According to Mr. Richards the Government had taken part in too much finger pointing: "They blame when things go wrong and get credit when things succeed," he said.

He claimed the recession was not over in Bermuda and said that was evident by continued reports of unemployment and people unable to pay their mortgage. Budget planning should be dealt with like it would in a family, with everyone sitting down at the kitchen table and discussing what they could afford. Still, Government was more complex than a family unit, he said.

Mr. Richards applauded Government's plan to expand the EEZ to other parts of the Island, but said Government must also focus on the main pillar of the economy international business.

If international business fails and less money is pumping into the economy, then people will have less money to spend, he said.

Education Minister Dame Jennifer Smith said the opposition party had made a "docile" and "feeble" attempt to Reply to the Throne Speech. She said only one of their ten points about on the education system was valid and called the rest all "fluff".

She admitted some promises made in the 2009 Throne Speech went unfulfilled by her Government, including a pledge to expand skills of councillors to better prepare students for the work force and another to provide special instruction for young people with special needs.

However, the Government did introduce the Cambridge curriculum and begin to incorporate Portuguese language programmes into schools, she said.

"I am not going to over promise and under deliver so those that think they are going to hear a lot of promises — not happening."

She did however agree to release test scores on an annual basis, adopt the Cambridge curriculum in math, science and English and continue to improve quality of teaching in the class room.

Shadow Education Minister Grant Gibbons said improving the education system was essential to ensuring the success of the Island's young people and in sustaining Bermuda's future.

He said the UBP had been generally "quite supportive" of Government's path in education. The Opposition Party agreed with implementing the Cambridge curriculum and understood past Ministers had to "move heaven and earth to get it done".

Mr. Gibbons said he did not doubt the commitment of the Government, but said they must go beyond words and actually work to make it happen.

He supported the Bermuda Union of Teacher's plan to get principles qualified at the master level, but said there should also be master teachers. This qualification would put the reverence and honour back into the teaching profession and dramatically raise the quality of teaching on the Island, he said.

He said he was in support of an integrated technical curriculum that would get children exposed to vocational programmes. And said he was advocate for longer school days so that children could take art, music and remedial classes during school hours.

Shadow Health Minister Louise Jackson applauded Bermuda Hospitals Board's attempts to build a new hospital, but questioned why there was no extended care section allocated for seniors.

She said older people needed a doctor that could understand their unique medical needs and said seniors were being excluded from the new project.

According to Mrs. Jackson, health care is not affordable for many Bermudians and some people are refusing to see a doctor because of the upfront fees.

While the Bermuda Health Council is working to reduce the number of doctors offices that request upfront payments, she hoped Government would fulfil its promise to give all people access to affordable health care.

"I want to see this Minister succeed. People think I do not want this Government to succeed, but it's for the good of everyone. You have got to get these things done. I am hoping I can see this Health Minister stay here long enough to do something."