One Bermuda Alliance MPs Sylvan Richards has called on former Tourism Minister Wayne Furbert to respond to allegations he deceived the House of Assembly over the St George’s hotel plans.

Mr Furbert responded by accusing the OBA of trying to resurrect a petty battle from three years ago while working Bermudians are struggling.

During Monday night’s sitting for the St George’s Resort Act 2015, OBA MP Mark Pettingill pointed to comments made by Mr Furbert in his former role in September 2012.

He recalled the Progressive Labour Party MP had stated he had issued a notice of termination to developer Carl Bazarian who at that point was lined up to develop the former Club Med site.

However, the following day Mr Furbert issued an official statement to say he had “misspoke”, and that Mr Bazarian and his Addax Holdings team were actually travelling to Bermuda for talks on the project.

Mr Richards continued the argument by releasing a statement saying: “Given what we know today from the definitive wording of Government of Bermuda documents, this ‘official statement’ by Mr Furbert is a deliberate falsehood.

“Why Mr Furbert misled the public is a question he needs to answer.

“One can speculate that after telling Bermuda on ZBM News that the much-heralded project had been terminated, someone told him that that was an unacceptable message to St George’s and Bermuda on the eve of a general election.

“One can also speculate that the PLP Government thought it would win the 2012 election and that the notice of termination would never see the light of day.

“I leave it up to Mr Furbert to address these possibilities. Whatever the answers, he needs to explain himself.”

Mr Furbert responded: “It is a fact of record that the PLP terminated the agreement with Addax Holdings in 2012.

“If the OBA wish to argue petty battles from three years ago, that is their call, but that pettiness will not increase jobs, reduce the cost of living, educate our children, and care for our seniors.

“While the OBA are busy sending press releases from their surrogates to distract from their poor record of working for Bermudians, the PLP is in the community educating 100 voters about the OBA’s airport redevelopment plans.

“These are the same plans that an independent commentator said would result in a Canadian company making $620 million while Bermudians are being punished with the OBA’s austerity.

“The PLP will continue to educate the electorate on an alternative vision for the future of Bermuda, one that puts Bermudians first in their own country. It is our job to hold the Government to account and we will continue to do our job as the Bermudian people deserve a better standard of governance that they are getting from the OBA.”