Grant Gibbons a racist for attacking the Premier's visit to Antigua.

In a fiery Senate session yesterday, Sen. Burch said the motive behind Dr.

Gibbon's attack had been racist as Antigua was a black island and had contributed to the region.

Dr. Gibbons had said last Friday: "We have almost no relationship with Antigua -- it's certainly not a business partner in any way or an island we would wish to emulate.'' But Sen. Burch told the Senate: "It's nothing but racism.'' United Bermuda Party Senator Kim Swan sprang to his party colleague's defence, saying he had great personal integrity in regards to race.

But Sen. Burch interjected saying: "He's a racist.'' Sen. Swan said Sen. Burch was playing the race card in a bid to steer the debate away from the high costs of ministerial travel which had been raised by Dr. Gibbons.

Sen. Swan said: "He tickles you on travel but he's doing his job. You are trying to put him on the back foot.'' Sen. Burch said the new PLP Government was only following the practice used by all other governments around the world in not allowing the Premier to travel alone on trips.

He added: "The UBP in the run-up to the election portrayed the PLP as incompetent so we had to go out into the world to combat that perception.

"It's dishonest to suggest our ministerial travel is any different to the previous government.'' After being told about the racist slur Dr. Gibbons later told the The Royal Gazette : "Clearly Sen. Burch is grasping at straws to deflect attention from his excessive travel at the taxpayers expense.

"I've hit a raw nerve, clearly I was right on the money.'' Dr. Gibbons said it was his job to raise questions about travel.

He added: "I want to know why it's necessary for Sen. Burch to go on so many trips abroad.'' Dr. Gibbons said he was concerned this would mean a civil servant would be prevented from accompanying the Premier as the Government struggled to keep travel costs down while Sen. Burch traveled in his capacity as Government Chief of Staff.

Dr. Gibbons also doubted the necessity of the taxpayer footing the bill for the trip to Antigua for the funeral of their ex-leader Vere Bird.

He said: "If their was such a close relationship and they felt it was necessary to go to the funeral, it should have been a private trip.

"It's difficult to remember the last time a Premier went to a funeral overseas.''