Falling short of calling former Premier Sir John Swan a hypocrite, yesterday Government Senator Leader David Burch blasted Sir John's recent comments to The Mid-Ocean News regarding Government's dealings with the former baselands.

In last Friday's edition of the weekly paper, Sir John criticised the Government for accepting a lump-sum payment of $11 million for the repairs to Longbird Bridge. Instead, he said, they should have maintained their position on having the US Government take responsibility for cleaning up the land.

He said: "What was the formula used to determine the $11 million figure? We haven't been told. Judas did better than we did for selling out Jesus Christ..."

This infuriated Sen. Burch, who said he was "alarmed with the reading".

Comparing the Government's ability to receive a settlement with Sir John's venture in 1993, Sen. Burch said: "It's grossly unfair to this Government who got a resolution. It also diminishes Sir John's accomplishments.

"The Premier had to do something and use influence. Sir John's problem was that he was fighting something that was far beyond his control."

Sir John's trip to the United States and Europe with hopes of slowing down the closure of the baselands was documented in the April 1994 edition of RG magazine.

Referring to the previous Government, Sen. Burch said: "We all think we're special, but we're not. It just doesn't work that way in the world."

"At least we had the sense to recognise that we are a colony."

He pointed out that Bermuda has little political clout in the great big world: "The fact of the matter is, this Government in its wisdom saw that the people who negotiated the agreement should negotiate the removal of the agreement.

"It is stupidity in extreme to say we have some influence... and to quote the Bible is sacrilegious."

Government Senator Michael Scott expressed his disappointment with the former Premier's comments and said Sir John's condemnation reminded him of what the United Bermuda Party was doing during the baselands discussion.

"Not one iota of energy was dedicated to the damage and cleanup... It's absolutely scandalous that they didn't give it a thought."

But Opposition Senator Kim Swan defended Sir John and said Bermuda is benefiting from his actions of the past.

"During the period when the bases were hastily removed, (UBP MP) Dr. (Grant) Gibbons oversaw the transition. In a short time, the base and the airport went from being controlled by others to being controlled by Bermudians, something that is enjoyed by the Government," he said.

"Is the Senator selective when he goes down memory lane?" he queried.

Sen. Swan said when Sir John said Bermuda could have got a better deal, many Bermudians agreed.