Acting Opposition Leader Derrick Burgess has accused Premier Craig Cannonier of endorsing “politics of personal destruction and political payback” during a speech in the House of Assembly.

Referencing a speech made in the early hours of December 14, Mr Burgess said the Premier appeared to be crumbling under pressure.

“With his inexperience, and lack of political maturity, one can easily expect or excuse the Premier’s breakdown in the House of Assembly,” Mr Burgess said. “Yet we shouldn’t expect or excuse the use of threatening and dangerous words.”

In the final minutes of the House of Assembly session, Premier Cannonier spoke briefly about the much-debated move to abandon a proposed referendum on gaming.

During his speech, he said: “As we move forward, I take no issue of the fact that some want to chuckle, but I also recognise that many of those in this House who do chuckle I could speak about doing some pretty crass things, so while I’m attempting to have a balance here, I would ward off any foolishness because I could say a lot.

“Because as the Premier of the country, I’m privileged to a whole lot and I could say a lot about many things that are going on and have gone on, but yes, you’re right, we let it go because this is going to be a new Bermuda in 2014 and we are going to get things done.”

He later added: “No one’s gotten any one, brother, but if you want to be gotten and I could let it happen for sure. For sure. For sure. That’s all right, that’s all right.

“As I said before, the Premier of this country, I’m privy to a lot. So, just hold it, okay.”

In a statement yesterday, Mr Burgess said: “It appears as if the Premier is now endorsing the politics of personal destruction and political payback. Threatening to use his privileged position to damage reputations and ruin livelihoods. Forgetting the adage that people in glass houses should not throw stones.

“This seems to hearken back to the days of the UBP. When persons who expressed views that differed from them suffered; sudden job loss, business contracts cancelled and home mortgages pulled.”

He called on the Premier to conduct himself in a “more statesmanlike manner,” focusing on issues rather than individuals.

“It is vital that every citizen of this nation is allowed to express themselves without fear of ‘Big Brother’ watching them or threatening them,” he said.

“These dictator and bully-like statements have been read and heard globally. Coupled with revoking Bermudian’s right to a referendum, this will no doubt cast the image of Bermudian democracy in a negative light. Many Bermudians are rightfully concerned.”

A spokeswoman for Mr Cannonier was contacted last night, but said the Premier would not be commenting on the matter.