Opposition MPs were fuming last night after what one called a "slick'' move to "stifle'' debate by Premier Jennifer Smith.

The UBP Parliamentarians were left flabbergasted when Speaker Stanley Lowe stood and adjourned the House of Assembly after only one MP spoke during the Motion to Adjourn The MPs complained that Mr. Lowe had allowed the Premier to end the debate after responding to Shadow Tourism Minister David Dodwell's call for Government to "come clean'' on the controversy over the Tourism Department's search for a new head office.

Ms Smith said she was taking to her feet to "enlighten the public'' why neither she nor Tourism Minister David Allen had to respond to Mr. Dodwell.

"These questions are not allowed to be asked,'' Ms Smith said, citing rule 11, subsection five, paragraph J of the Rules of the House of Assembly.

The Premier explained the rules prohibit members from responding to questions raised in the media, adding: "It's tantamount to the question `have you stopped beating your wife?'.

"It's unsavoury bait which wouldn't attract a fly,'' Ms Smith continued.

"The Honourable Member knows full well that is not allowed.'' When Ms Smith took her seat, Mr. Lowe asked if there were any members who wanted to speak further to the Motion to Adjourn.

Ms Smith -- suggesting that as she had made the motion, she should be the last speaker -- asked: "After me, Mr. Speaker?'' Mr. Lowe responded that he was "corrected'' and ruled the House adjourned.

Ms Smith had taken to her feet minutes after backbencher Stanley Morton stood on a Point of Order to stop Mr. Dodwell from raising the issue.

But Mr. Morton was turned away by Mr. Lowe after he cited rule five.

Mr. Lowe responded: "We must have a different rule book. Rule five relates to the sitting of the House. Carry on Mr. Dodwell.'' Afterwards, an angry Opposition Leader Pamela Gordon called the move "calculated'' to "shut down'' debate and intimated that was not the end of the matter.

And after the session Shadow Development and Opportunity Minister Alan Marshall said: "That is a slick move using the rules of the House to stop debate. It's a slick move to stifle debate. But guess what...next week is coming! "I think the Speaker shut down debate because he thought the Premier was ending the debate when technically, all she was doing was a point of clarification or elucidation,'' he added.

Opposition stunned as House adjourns "It appears the Speaker didn't recall the Premier was speaking to clarify.

"We were ready to go on and speak to the issues,'' Mr. Marshall continued.

"We saw this as an opportunity to challenge the Minister of Transport and Tourism whether the oversize cars and luxury houses for offices are in the `public interest' as he said.'' Mr. Marshall added: "It was going to be contentious and hot!'' Mr. Dodwell -- citing Friday's editions of the Mid-Ocean News and The Royal Gazette -- said new revelations about approaches to international businesses to help fund the purchase of Craigmore for $5 million "shows somewhere between the lines lies some truth''.

"We were asking the question and he said to put up or shut up,'' Mr. Dodwell continued.

"I was astonished. It is not up to us the Opposition to answer questions for the public.

"The Minister of Tourism turned it around. I take the view that he was aware of the letter which I think is a shame.'' He added: "What we had last week, with the greatest of respect, is a presentation that misled the public. In my mind the Premier knew she should say so. I would like to hear her and the Minister 'fess up.'' Mr. Dodwell said someone would have to be "incredibly naive'' to believe that businesses were approached to buy Craigmore without the prompting of Government.

Easy Does It: Paul Nichelsen (left) and Martin James (right) went above the crowds to service the CCTV cameras in Hamilton yesterday.