Lawyer Llewellyn Peniston last night claimed the fight to bring in gambling boat Nio Be Corinthian was far from over as he blasted the Premier's victory boast as "cheap and utter nonsense".

And Mr. Peniston said the owners would be suing Government over delaying tactics which have seen the craft lie idle for nearly a year.

At a Press conference yesterday Premier Alex Scott said the yacht had left Bermuda's waters at the beginning of 2006.

He went on: "This brings to a close the speculation of a gaming ship operating on our shores.

"This ship arrived with great fanfare and speculation as to how Bermuda's gaming laws would be circumvented.

"The sailing of this ship quietly out of our waters should send an important signal to any others who may be considering flouting our gaming laws."

But this drew an angry response from Mr. Peniston, acting on behalf of owners Estrellas Management (BVI) Ltd, who said the ship had merely sailed back to Panama for a hull inspection to keep up with flagging requirements.

"That is the only reason why she sailed. The comments by the Premier are cheap and utter nonsense and meant only to feed political fodder to an unknowing public. It is a cheap attempt to claim the moral high ground.

"The fact of the matter is this boat only sailed to comply with her statutory requirements.

"The Government know that very well."

He said the Premier's comments were early electioneering as he blasted Government for a "totally incoherent" gambling policy which had seen it recently sanction island-wide bingo for cash prizes. "Is that gambling or is that his version of religion? " Mr. Peniston said he had even offered to pay taxes on the boat to help Government pay for social programmes. The Nio Be Corinthian first arrived in Bermuda in March, 2005 although the war of words with Government began much earlier.

The owners argued the 196-foot luxury yacht would operate offshore as a casino and that anti-gaming machine laws, which came into effect in July, 2004, didn't apply once the vessel sailed off Bermuda's shore into international waters, 12 miles out. However, the boat would operate in the same way as cruise ships, which must close down their casinos when they approach Bermuda as they are not allowed to operate casinos in port. The owners ideally want to operate the boat about three miles off Bermuda's shores, said Mr. Peniston.

He added the Nio Be Corinthian owners had complied with every necessary safety code but constantly had new stipulations thrown at them by Government. Now he intends to sue Government as legitimate expectations had been breached.

Last last year customs officers raided the boat, moored in Dockyard, over non-payment of duty and failure to obtain the necessary permission to operate in local waters. But an injunction halted that action.