of a new waiters programme with suspicion yesterday.

Labour Minister Quinton Edness earlier this week announced that a new training scheme, designed to slash the number of expatriate waiters, was to be set up to train Bermudians to fill the jobs.

He also disclosed that an orientation programme for people who want to work their way up to the full course will be introduced.

And he noted that waitering had become a closed category at the end of May for foreign employment, except in special circumstances where every effort had been made to employ a Bermudian.

But Mr. Burgess called on Bermudians to look at Government's history in dealing with its workers.

And he questioned whether the announcement of the waiters programme was just a way of gaining favour with voters in light of a pending election.

"In the 1960's, 70's, and 80's waiters always came by route of busboy and they were always Bermudian...,'' Mr. Burgess told The Royal Gazette .

"This Government doesn't do anything to favour the Bermudian worker. I think it is an election ploy.'' Mr. Burgess also blasted former Pink Beach Club general manager W.A. (Toppy) Cowen for suggesting that employing reformed criminals and "wall sitters'' in hotels could be detrimental to the tourism industry.

But Mr. Burgess said: "Those type of negative comments are not encouraging to Bermudians or anyone aspiring to enter that field.''