An all-out Opposition attack on Government's new five-year plan was yesterday dismissed by a top Minister as "insubstantial rhetoric.'' Finance Minister Grant Gibbons -- who came under fire during the PLP blitz -- said: "They haven't addressed the how, the why, the what and the when.

"All they have done is come back with criticism and a lot of insubstantial rhetoric.'' During a PLP press conference, Ms Smith referred to an on-going assault on dodgy offshore jurisdictions by several international bodies.

And she criticised Dr. Gibbons for attending the recent Commonwealth Finance Minister's meeting in Ottawa "where he promotes Bermuda's concerns by `having a few words''' with his UK equivalent, Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown "in a social setting.'' But Dr. Gibbons repeated that the probes -- by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development and others -- were not on the official agenda for the Canada conference.

And he said: "It's very important for the Opposition to realise there has been criticism of perceived tax havens.

"Myself and the Premier have to take every opportunity we can to talk about Bermuda and where we are -- we have a very good story to get across and we make no apology for doing that, under any circumstances we can.

"Even if it's informal, to speak to other world leaders to make sure Bermuda is differentiated from other places where criticism may be valid, is worthwhile.'' Shadow Finance Minister Eugene Cox added that Dr. Gibbons had not discussed the cost of a host of new plans in the Keys to Partnership document.

He said: "The Finance Minister has not given any indication of what the cost of these proposals will be to the tax payers.'' Mr. Cox added: "All he has said is it will be `responsible and affordable'.'' But Dr. Gibbons hit back: "A lot of these initiatives have been carefully costed and we have the ability to be able to afford them within the context of our current Budget.'' And he added: "All he has to do is look at the Blueprint accomplishments, which also identified a five-year series of initiatives, some of which involved significant spending and some which didn't, and we've managed to accomplish 95 percent of them.'' He said: "Three years in a row I was accused of producing an Election Budget, but these Budgets have been accomplished without having to raise taxes and been done in a way which the Country can afford.'' Ms Smith added: "The UBP platform credits no-one else, not our public servants, not the labour movement, not the business sector with having contributed anything to helping to build Bermuda, or with having the capacity to continue to contribute to building the nation without the UBP as Government.'' But the document said: "Our Government is staffed by dedicated and hard-working individuals...we are immensely proud of the progress we have made in improving the Government Service and in our ability to Bermudianise the service.'' It added: "We can be depended upon to understand and appreciate the central role that private business plays in the creation of Bermuda's jobs and prosperity.'' And the document went on to add the UBP would "maintain our partnership and strong support for the Bermuda International Business Association...'' UBP plan sparks row It also pledged to "partner with the Bermuda Employers Council, the Chamber of Commerce and unions to increase awareness of job vacancies and trends, develop new work experience programmes and develop cooperative training programmes.'' But Ms Smith insisted that the Government plan was "an admission of guilt for the country's problems and the pain that so many Bermudians are suffering.'' She said: "From cover to cover, the UBP Platform is a catalogue of compelling reasons for the removal of the UBP in the General Election which they have been so desperately attempting to push back.

"On its first page, the UBP leader expresses the belief that the UBP platform can bring all Bermudians together, an unwitting confession that the legacy that her party will leave to the new Government will be a divided Bermuda.'' And she said the plan showed "a new extreme in cynicism'' by dedicating it to the young of Bermuda -- while holding the election when many students are overseas and unable to vote.

Ms Smith also pointed out that the 36-page document "completely ignores'' the plight of long-term residents.

Long-time Bermuda workers from overseas are still awaiting a White Paper on addressing their problems.

Ms Smith added that the PLP would not release its own plan until the General Election date was declared -- and would not pick up the gauntlet thrown down by Ms Gordon on a public debate between the two leaders, either.

And she accused the UBP of "misusing'' the "apparatus of the state'' over the last year for electioneering.

Ms Smith said: "All year we have witnessed a series of election gimmicks, attempts at quick fixes and late-breaking policies. All desperate and cynical efforts to keep the UBP in power, nothing more, nothing less.''