Opposition leader Dr. Grant Gibbons has taken issue with a claim made by Premier Jennifer Smith that during the PLP's first term as Government there was an increase in the number of jobs held by Bermudians.

Premier Jennifer Smith told delegates at the party's annual conference banquet last weekend, that since 1998 there was an increase of about 2,000 jobs held by Bermudians.

The Premier included the statistic in a speech highlighting the achievements of the party as Government.

But Dr. Gibbons said the Premier was mistaken and the number of jobs held by Bermudians has actually fallen in that time period.

Using statistics published in Government annual Economic Review, Dr. Gibbons said on Thursday the number of jobs held by Bermudians and Bermudian spouses fell by 877 positions between 1998 and 2001, while those held by non-Bermudians increased by 458.

Dr. Gibbons conceded that there was an increase of some 2,500 jobs between 1998 and 1999, but said the economic review of that year concluded that increase was primarily due to a change in the reporting procedure.

Noting the increase was "remarkable" the 2000 economic reviews stated:

"Two factors influenced the results of the 1999 Employment Survey. The Statistics Department re-categorised many firms in the report table of Major Division of Economic Activity. This required a close scrutiny of the firms reporting in the survey and their primary commercial activities. Also, during the 1999 Employment Survey there was a major effort to increase the number of firms reporting."

"When you look at the data, what the Premier claimed about the jobs increase doesn't add up," Dr. Gibbons said. "I suspect she did not take a careful look at the numbers."

He said there has been an overall loss of jobs and Bermudians, according to the Economic Review 2001, have been hardest hit.

The review notes that the total number of filled jobs declined by 429 positions in 2001.

"The burden of the loss of filled positions was not equally shared across the workforce," it stated. "The reduction in positions held by Bermudians and spouses of Bermudians fell by 877 positions while the positions held by other non-Bermudians increased by 458."

Dr. Gibbons said the overall decrease in jobs held by Bermudians is one of the key reasons the UBP are stressing the local economy must be diversified.

"We're calling for an aggressive look at the potential for attracting more types of jobs to Bermuda to diversify the economy," he said.

The decline in the tourism industry has pushed many Bermudians out of work, Dr. Gibbons said, and Bermuda needs to find ways to offer new opportunities.

Attempts to contact Premier Smith for clarification yesterday were unsuccessful.