Trevor Moniz demands answers on alleged clash in House of Assembly
The One Bermuda Alliance has called on the Premier to explain reports of a physical clash between two senior Government ministers in the House of Assembly.Witnesses informed The Royal Gazette that Progressive Labour Party Deputy Premier Derrick Burgess and Estates Minister Michael Scott had to be separated by National Security Minister Wayne Perinchief on May 25.The two were said to have come to blows in the Lower House’s kitchen area during that day’s sitting.Party sources told this newspaper the altercation was believed to have come about over an implied power struggle. Neither Minister answered requests for comment.Shadow Attorney General Trevor Moniz last night said Bermuda’s people “deserve to know why”.Noting that the scuffle reportedly occurred after Mr Scott accused Mr Burgess of “trying to oust Premier Paula Cox as PLP Leader”, Mr Moniz said: “No one has denied the report, and so we call on the Premier to explain what is going on.”He added: “As things stand, the public is left to wonder if the Government is divided and whether a plot is in the making, similar to that which saw former Premier Dame Jennifer Smith dumped after the 2003 election.“Bermuda needs to know who is running the show or, more to the point, who is going to be running the show.”Asked if there was a response, a Progressive Labour Party spokesman said: “There will be no statement from us on this matter.”