Progressive Labour Party MPs have called on Michael Fahy, the Minister of Home Affairs, to resign after five days of protests against proposed immigration reforms.

During a heated Motion to Adjourn that ran until almost 6am yesterday, MPs crossed swords over the Bermuda Government’s handling of the Pathways to Status initiative and resulting withdrawal of labour.

Opposition MPs took aim at Senator Fahy for pressing ahead with the immigration initiative without public consultation, while others accused Michael Dunkley of weak leadership.

Meanwhile, One Bermuda Alliance MPs condemned the PLP for inciting the protest and the Premier ended the fiery exchange, expressing his determination to move forward and carry on working for Bermudians.

Walter Roban, the Shadow Minister of Home Affairs, started the proceedings by accusing the Government of pushing the island to “a precipice”.

“This was serious and it was not just any legislation,” he said. “The country was pushed to the edge by one minister and that minister should resign.”

PLP MP Diallo Rabain scolded the OBA for not speaking directly with the protesters who gathered on the Parliament grounds.

“It will only take one boneheaded move from Government to end up where we were last week,” Mr Rabain said. “If they continue down this route then last week was just the tip of the iceberg. This is a stain on Bermuda’s history and a nail in the coffin for the OBA.”

Michael Scott, the Shadow Attorney-General, also targeted Mr Fahy in his address, saying: “Keep that minister in place and see if that does not become an albatross around your neck and see how long it is before we are visiting these turbulent waters again.”

He said the PLP would not support the resolution reached to end the protest that would create a working group to look at immigration reform.

“We will resist it,” he said.

Trevor Moniz, the Attorney-General, then entered the fray, accusing the PLP of “crying crocodile tears” over the protest and claiming the Opposition were behind the “illegal action”.

Mr Moniz admitted mistakes had been made by the Government but insisted the PLP had “whipped people up to a frenzy” for their own political gain.

Patricia Gordon-Pamplin, the Minister for Community, Culture and Sport, revealed that Government members had been spat at while on the Parliament grounds during the protest.

Ms Gordon-Pamplin focused on the assertion that the OBA had not reached out to the Opposition about immigration reform, saying they had been “castigated” by Opposition Leader Marc Bean previously when trying to collaborate.

“Members opposite know they scorched the earth and wonder why the earth is scorched. It is more than disingenuous,” she said. “Why would one reach out under those circumstances?”

Suzann Roberts-Holshouser urged MPs to be careful which words they used when emotions were high, adding: “We need respect for one another but this room does not hold respect, so how can we expect the people outside to respect the people in it.”

David Burt, the Deputy Leader of the Opposition, said that because immigration was not a platform of the OBA electoral platform, “their mandate cuts to the core of democracy”.

He said he had called Mr Crockwell after his resignation to thank him for standing up on principle, saying “he stood up for his children and he stood up for my unborn son”.

The PLP’s Lawrence Scott said events could have “easily been avoided” and that his party’s warnings had fallen on deaf ears, adding: “They [the OBA] don’t have the permission of the people to bring this Bill [immigration reform] and the people let them know that.”

Government whip Cole Simons spoke out about the importance of education for the success of the country, while PLP MP Lovitta Foggo, described the past week as the most challenging week in her time as a parliamentarian.

“The people believed that the legislation had the ability to disenfranchise them. That created quite a bit of alarm,” she told the House.

Fellow Opposition MP Jamahl Simmons condemned the Government, saying they only had themselves to blame for the situation they faced. He also warned the OBA that “Judgment Day is coming”.

“It is your policies, your approach, your inability to take a look at yourself and learn ... grow up, take responsibility and look in the mirror,” he said.

Jeanne Atherden, the Minister of Health, Seniors and the Environment, revealed she had received messages saying, “do the right thing, you’re black”.

“It is not about what I look like, I do not support this racial divide,” she said. “We have so much work to be done and I am quite happy to be part of this team.”

Mr Dunkley ended the debate by chastising Opposition MPs for inflammatory comments and accusing the PLP of putting a “roadblock” in the way of the resolution reached after the protests.

“The agreement is a win-win, the Bill was pulled off the table and we set up a good forum for the working group to form.

“Now is the time to move forward. In five years’ time we will look back on this experience and, yes, it was historic, and we all have scars that will take time to heal, but we will look back and say we have made progress.”