Did anyone manage to stay awake for the entire Budget debate in the House of Assembly last Friday night - or rather Saturday morning?

For those who didn't, Hester can exclusively report that an historic first took place within the hallowed walls of the House on the Hill.

Now politicians have a reputation for enjoying the sound of their own voices and with relations between our two political parties strained to say the least at the moment, it's hardly surprising that there was plenty of banter and baiting between the opposing sides during last week's session.

But there was a surprise mid-way through Government backbencher Delaey Robinson's speech, which he began to deliver some time after 3 a.m.

Ten minutes later and fully into his stride, the heckling started - from Del's PLP bleary-eyed colleagues on the Government benches.

"I only have another seven pages to go," pleaded Del, as yet another note was passed down the line urging him to wind up.

When your own side is trying to pull the plug on you, you know you're in a dirty game.

Randy Horton faced no such problems when he rose to conclude the Budget debate on behalf absent Finance Minister Eugene Cox several minutes later.

To a hushed hall, Randy rattled on about Government's stellar record, it's past achievements and honourable ambitions for the future, all the while goading the opposition.

"We don't hear anything from the other side do we?," Randy frequently asked, implying that the silence greeting his comments from the opposition benches was a sign of the UBP's complete agreement with everything he said.

What radio listeners might not have been aware of was the fact that every single member of the UBP had earlier walked out in protest over an earlier point of procedure and Randy was in fact baiting a totally empty opposition bench.

One from Hester's 'Don't you know who I am?' file. Telecoms Minister Renee Webb was seen popping into the Bank of Bermuda last week - after parking her car in an unauthorised parking spot.

One of the bank's security personnel eyed the offending vehicle and promptly slapped a warning ticket on the windscreen - and another one, and then a few more for good measure.

Returning to her car having completed her no doubt official Government business at the bank, Minister Webb was outraged to find her four wheels freshly customised.

Hester's sources confirm that the Renee tore the offending strips of paper off the windscreen.

Glad to see our Customs boys and girls are sticking to their task resolutely. Hester spotted this gem 'Business Insurance' magazine last week.

"Bermuda customs agents, apparently on the lookout for unseemly visitors, decided that a reporter's reason for visiting the Island this month - to interview captive managers - was flimsy. Sitting in a waiting room while the agents consulted immigration officials, the reporter met a well-dressed fellow detainee who was arriving for a vacation in Bermuda. His reason for detainment? "I forgot the address of the guest house where I'm staying." After issuing warnings about needing letters of introduction on future visits, officials let the journalist enter the country. As for the vacationer, his fate remained shrouded in the mid-Atlantic fog."