MP Reginald Burrows yesterday defended his call for Island big business to make room at the top for jobless PLP representatives in the House of Assembly.

He said: "I'm not looking for a job for myself -- but I've been through the mill and suffered the embarrassment of applying for a job and being told they had nothing for me.'' And he added: "I do feel that my colleagues who are well-qualified should be shown the same respect as the previous Government was shown.'' Mr. Burrows added that his thrust was aimed at Bermuda businesses like the banks and the major utilities -- not international business.

And he dismissed reports that his remarks were also directed at the offshore sector.

He said: "I don't know if the Royal Gazette reporter last week was trying to be mischievous or if he just didn't hear what I said.'' Mr. Burrows also dredged up a three-year-old editorial from The Royal Gazette which suggested some MPs sat in the House because they had failed in business and needed the regular income.

He said: "This is the kind of statement we have had to tolerate over the years.'' And he took a swing at criticism of some appointments to Government boards -- especially the Immigration Board and its new Advisory Council.

Mr. Burrows said: "It's ridiculous when people in the community start to question the composition of our boards -- we're a labour party and I would expect to find people close to labour on our boards.'' Burrows stands by jobs plea He said there was "a terrific cross-section of all walks of life'' on the Immigration Board and added "people like Raymond Russell and Derrick Burgess will make a great contribution.'' He was backed by PLP backbencher Dale Butler, who said Mr. Russell was "a respected member of the community.'' Fellow backbencher Randy Horton said that Shadow Health and Family Services Minister Kim Young "owed the Country an apology'' for comments made on election night that PLP supporters voted on emotion -- not on an understanding of the facts.

Government MP Walter Lister claimed "a large number'' of the white community did not share Ms Young's opinion.

Shadow Legislative Affairs Minister John Barritt said race would always "pop up in Bermuda'' due to the make-up of the Island population.

And he poured oil on the troubled waters surrounding inappropriate behaviour on the November 11 Remembrance Day commemoration of those who fell in two world wars.

Mr. Barritt said he thought "people were restrained'' and added that any problems were not likely to occur again in the future.

Ex-top cop and PLP MP Wayne Perinchief referred to a statement by Home Affairs and Public Safety Minister Paula Cox earlier, when she said no new Police officers would be hired until it was proved the best use of existing resources was being made.

Mr. Perinchief said that he wondered why -- despite a civilianisation programme introduced under the previous administration -- that the Police were still short of manpower.

He added the policies of the former UBP Government had "fallen short''in making the Police Service more efficient.