Some might have expected a sweetheart Budget as Government goes into the final lap before the election.

But perhaps finally tiring of bribing the people with their own money, the PLP has decided to hand out something else ? words. Lots of them.

Pages of text, blocks of verbiage, huge rafts of verbosity were sprayed at friend and foe alike in a relentless barrage which started at 10 a.m. and finally ended shortly after 2.30 p.m., leaving lunchless and bewildered journalists staggering off, wondering what had hit them.

It all began normally enough in the hushed House of Assembly with the Paula Cox, clad in an olive green dress, rising to her feet to begin praising Bermuda. The Speaker did manage to stop her two minutes into her speech to request the Opposition get copies of the speech.

But from then on there was no stopping her as the prose tumbled out in a word-perfect stream lasting a full one hour and 40 minutes.

Then it was on to the Cabinet Office where seemingly every other word was read out again in a 38-minute torrent. OK, not exactly a new departure ? and clearly designed for the TV cameras, which are banned from the House ? but perhaps some firmer editing could have stemmed the mounting frustration.

Before finally taking her seat, she said her colleagues would then have their say and the onslaught continued.

No politician likes to play second fiddle to their peers so they all ploughed through their ministry?s minutiae.

Camera crews ran out of film, TV reporters left the room never to return, but still it went on. Seemingly no one thought that if the press are actually leaving the press conference before the politicians then perhaps something has gone badly wrong.

The irony was delicious ? MPs and Senators who mostly avoid the press like the plague all stood together in a sham press conference which last two hours but found time for just two questions.

There were moments of light relief. Hector was gratified to see Environment Minister Neletha Butterfield all fired up about creating an offshore fishing industry. Clearly she realised even Spittal Pond won?t be up to meeting rising demand so she is casting her net wider.

But Hector fears she might soon be swimming with the fishes if she repeats her use of the dreaded words ?Social Agenda?. Come on Neletha ? that?s Alex Scott. Get with the programme. Now it?s the ?Social Contract?. Careful you don?t mention Sustainable Development or you?ll find your own career development unsustainable.

Premier Ewart Brown said little, other than to tease the press that it might well be an election budget.

But the budget was nothing if not magnanimous. The notes from Attorney General Phil Perinchief speech said Government would be ?providing a GRANT of $100,000 to the Opposition?s office to improve its administration.?

Now Hector could be wrong, but surely the Opposition have already had a Grant. That didn?t work and then they got a Wayne and they have been on the wane ever since and they will need a lot more than a hundred grand to dig them out of the hole they have dug themselves into.

Perhaps the money will be given to Alex Scott who has probably proved a tougher opponent to Ewart Brown than anyone on the Opposition benches so far.

Of course the last word went to Paula. She told us: ?I am a lawyer. I get used to charging by the word.? One hopes she doesn?t invoice us for yesterday?s display or else the nation will soon be bankrupt.