work permit holders had left the Island over the last three years.

The Progressive Labour Party said the true figure was nearer 500 -- according to Government's own figures.

It also claimed it could prove hundreds of long-stay Portuguese and West Indian workers had been "unceremoniously uprooted and deported''.

The National Liberal Party waded into Government as well, accusing it of operating an elitist immigration policy.

Chairman Mr. Graeme Outerbridge said he knew of a senator whose firm had hired a group of contractors, one of whom had no work permit.

But yesterday Home Affairs Minister the Hon. Irving Pearman stuck firmly to his guns.

"I have absolute confidence my figures are right,'' he said.

And statistics released to The Royal Gazette by the Immigration Department appeared to back his position.

These show the number of permit holders last month was 5,473 -- compared to 10,114 in December, 1989.

These figures do not include spouses or children.

Yesterday, however, the PLP's Senate spokesman for Immigration and Labour Sen.

Alex Scott poured scorn on Mr. Pearman.

He said Government's own Manpower Surveys revealed 6,903 non-Bermudians were employed in August, 1991.

This was just 449 fewer than the August, 1989 figure of 7,352.

Sen. Scott said the same survey showed there were 1,159 fewer Bermudians employed between August, 1989 and August, 1991.

This utterly demolished Government's claims its immigration policies were protecting Bermudian workers, he added.

And he accused Mr. Pearman of unsuccessfully trying to deflect public scrutiny from the truth.

"To date, with so many Bermudians in need, the minister has failed to demonstrate where locals are actually being employed and benefiting from the positions left vacant by the contract workers leaving the Island and the economy.

"However, we do have evidence that several hundred long-stay Portuguese and West Indian workers have been uprooted and unceremoniously deported from the Island.'' Sen. Scott went on to question how Mr. Pearman reconciled his pessimism about Bermuda's economy with the optimism of Finance Minister the Hon. David Saul.

The public are entitled to a full explanation from both ministers, he added.

The NLP repeated its call for contract workers to be barred from living in Bermuda more than six years -- and said Government had failed to better the solution.

Party chairman Mr. Graeme Outerbridge attacked Mr. Pearman for standing behind a system of virtually no advertising for temporary permits.

"This system is unacceptable and actively excludes Bermudians from the application process.

"Our party wants to know exactly how many temporary work permit holders are currently employed on the Island.'' Mr. Outerbridge accused Mr. Pearman of making discretionary decisions on permits which ruled out application considerations for Bermudians.

"The truth lies in the significant amount of Bermudians unemployed while permits go on being renewed.

"Government talks out of both sides of its mouth when it claims Bermudians must come first.

"This is evidenced by their refusal to sort out the mess they have put the country in with reference to persons who have resided in Bermuda over 20 years.'' Mr. Outerbridge also questioned the accuracy of Mr. Pearman's claim that 950 non-Bermudian permit holders had been here over 20 years.

Mr. Pearman yesterday defended all his figures, saying they had come from Immigration records.

The Manpower Surveys were only a "snapshot'' measurement taken every August, he said.

Mr. Pearman urged the PLP to produce evidence of Government "unceremoniously'' kicking expatriates off the Island.

He added he would also be releasing next week more detailed figures on the immigration front.