Ex-Opposition Leader Kim Swan yesterday urged Government to “take ownership” for the state of the economy, in a speech which earned him loud support from former party colleagues.Mr Swan claimed the Progressive Labour Party failed to heed warnings about how Bermuda could be heading for hard times and should have put funds aside for unemployment benefit during the Island’s more prosperous days. He likened the situation to the biblical tale of Joseph, noting how the Pharaoh recognised the value of Joseph’s proposal to store grain during the abundant period.“How tragic that we didn’t take the advice, unlike the Pharoah,” he told the House of Assembly. “The story in the Bible would be a lot different had the Pharoah acted like the Government.”Mr Swan, who is still a United Bermuda Party MP but no longer Opposition Leader after the majority of his colleagues in the House quit the UBP to form the One Bermuda Alliance, was heckled by PLP members as he spoke.He responded: “Sometimes you have got to be like David or Joseph and be on the bottom rung so you can really understand those who are down on the bottom.“I don’t make any excuses for where I am. I take the best from where I am. It’s about taking ownership. I take ownership of where I am today. When are you going to take ownership for where this country is today?”After it was suggested he calm down, the St George’s West member told MPs: “I’m a little bit excited because the country is excited. I’m a little bit worked up because the country is worked up.“I’m a little bit passionate because this country is sick and tired of being sick and tired.”Youth Minister Glenn Blakeney interjected: “The OBA was sick and tired of you.”But Shadow Education Minister Grant Gibbons insisted: “That’s not true at all.”Mr Swan, speaking during a debate on new regulations which will allow cash-strapped tenants to tap into their occupational pensions to pay rent, said he supported the scheme.But he said Government shouldn’t be patting itself on the back for the regulations.“Let’s us take ownership for the fact that if we were really social minded legislators we would have made provision during those times of plenty to say: ‘I have got some reserves’.“Now is the time that this country could have had some unemployment benefits.”He said when he and Shadow Finance Minister Bob Richards represented the UBP in the Senate they warned Government that an economic downturn could be coming.“We who were carrying that message at that time were vilified. We were ridiculed. It didn’t seem right because people’s pockets were full of money.”He said his mother used to tell him: “If you don’t listen, you feel. Guess who is having to feel for this Government not listening?” asked Mr Swan. “The people. The people of this country are feeling today because the Government did not listen to advice.”Deputy Premier Derrick Burgess complained that Mr Swan was not sticking to the topic and the UBP MP accepted that “maybe on occasion I may have strayed”.But he added the debate was on the National Pension Scheme (Financial Hardship) Amendment Regulations 2011 and he had spoken mostly about hardship.Mr Swan finished by saying he applauded much that had been done since 1998 “but Government can’t turn a blind eye to its myriad mistakes and the advice it didn’t take which came from these benches”.OBA MPs gave the speech vocal support, with Shadow Public Works Minister Mark Pettingill calling: “Hear, hear Kim Swan!” The regulations were approved.See Monday’s edition for more on the debate in the House of Assembly