Mrs. Jackson said that after casting doubt, in the House on Monday night, on the utility of the planned action march on housing, Mrs. Minors took part in the march on Tuesday. But Mrs. Minors responded that, even as a "representative of the Government which has a responsibility to address the matter, I felt no sense of hypocrisy in marching in the least".

"The Minister had allowed a 'take note' motion on financial assistance to languish for six months, and then it was just dropped," explained Mrs. Jackson. "So, we decided to pick it up, because there were matters which needed to be discussed.

"Well, the Government benches went crazy and said we couldn't possibly do that, and the Minister had gone home hours before. It was 9 o'clock at night, and they said we couldn't debate the motion, although it had been on the order paper for weeks."

Mrs. Jackson began by complimenting Government for having listened to Opposition demands for more assistance to seniors, but had gone on to speak of the plight of the homeless, noting that a march on the Cabinet building in aid of housing action was scheduled to take place the following day.

"They started screaming and shouting about how I was lying about the extent of homelessness, and the Premier said that my nose was growing longer, like Pinocchio; (Minister of the Environment) Neletha Butterfield said that there was nothing to it, and that there was only one example of someone living in a car, and it was wrong to suggest that people were living in tents and caves." Mrs. Jackson told the House that homelessness was becoming a serious problem, and that Government was failing the most vulnerable in society.

"What is to be done for the homeless?" she asked the House. "The Minister promised to help them, and here we are, nearly a year later, and people are marching on Cabinet demanding help for the homeless, whose plight is worse than ever."

She said that children were being removed from parental care because a parent was homeless, and that money paid to foster parents should be used to help pay for accommodation to keep families together. "The eviction of mothers and their children should be stopped. There is something very wrong with a Government agency, Financial Assistance, that cuts out the poorest and most vulnerable Bermudians: the homeless and their children. It is the responsibility of Government to see that the people have the bare necessities of life ? food, clothing, shelter and water.

"In the middle of my speech, Patrice Minors came running in to the House," Mrs. Jackson told the She answers me by reading the changes to the amendments, and then goes on to say she can't understand what the march is all about, and what those people thought it would achieve.

"Then, in the middle of a debate on actions, on Ministry, she picked up her purse and went home! To add insult to injury, (Government Whip) Ottie Simmons got up and said there had been enough debate on the matter, and it should be shut down, and the Speaker agreed with him. (Opposition Leader) Grant Gibbons and (Opposition Whip) John Barritt both asked for clarification of that rule, but the debate was shut down.

"Well, this may be hard for some people to believe, but when the marchers gathered the following day at Albuoy's Point, who should be at the front of the parade but Patrice Minors! This is a march on Cabinet, on Government, and Patrice Minors, (Minister of Education) Terry Lister, and (Minister without Portfolio) Walter Lister all turned up to take part!

"This was the most absolute hypocrisy and shameless political opportunism, trying to appear to be in solidarity with the people. By taking part, these Ministers were effectively marching in protest against their own actions, or lack of them.

"But I can tell you that it may have been disingenuous, but the way they went around asking for people's names was seen by some as intimidation.

"I was so angry that I turned to Patrice Minors and said, 'How can you dare to come out here and march with these people? You are the biggest hypocrite!', and I'm still angry now. They would have assumed that not many people were listening to the House debate on radio at 9.30 the previous night, and would not have heard her and her colleagues denigrate me for exaggerating the plight of the homeless!"

The protesters numbered about 50 and proceeded to march, at noon on Tuesday, to the Cabinet Building, where they harangued the Ministers and Premier Alex Scott.

"When we got to the Cabinet Building, Mrs. Minors talked to some of the marchers, making a show for the cameras, and said that they were going to do some research and find out how many homeless people there were. Well, right in front of her were four women, there with their children, who were going to be sleeping under the stars that night, and she offered to research homelessness! Those women turned on her, and the Premier, such that his police bodyguards moved into a protective circle to move him back into his office.

"And Walter Lister was telling these people that I was the 'Minister of Misinformation' and that I had misled them about what Patrice Minors said, and these women started screaming at him, and told him that they had heard it for themselves, and he slunk off in a hurry.

"It was all too clear to the people outside the House that morning that this Government is just not interested in them, and they had been listening to double-talk.

"They know who's interested in them, and that certainly includes Sheelagh Cooper, who had helped organise the match, and who is a saint. She was there, at the back, taking care of little children while their mothers were trying to make this Government understand how serious things have become here.

"And (Minister of Works & Engineering) Ashfield DeVent said that they are going to have another study on housing, when they have had seven years in office and have done nothing to help solve this terrible problem."

Mrs. Minors said that at no point did she suggest that the problem of homelessness had been exaggerated.

"I did accuse (Mrs. Jackson) of repeatedly standing on the floor of the House providing anecdotal information about the plight of individuals. I mentioned that her Honourable colleagues (Suzanne) Holzhouser and (Jon) Brunson had, on more than one occasion, approached me about problems faced by certain individuals, and I had, without hesitation, been able to respond. I intimated that she should follow her colleagues lead in this regard.

"My understanding was that the march was open to all, including Members of Parliament, and Ms (Terri) Bascome, president of the Families United In Association (FUIA), gladly welcomed my participation. Like many members of the community, I too have concern for those who, for various reasons, find themselves challenged to secure adequate housing.

"Yes, I am a representative of the Government which has the responsibility to address the matter, (but) I felt no sense of hypocrisy in marching, not in the least."

Ms Minors said that, while housing did not fall under her purview, many of those facing housing challenges had been or were recipients of services rendered by her Ministry.

"My participation in the march was therefore entirely understandable, and what better way to show my support for such important social issue? I have reviewed the list of recommendations presented by the FUIA, and I am pleased to say that many of them have been addressed, or are in the process of being so. I will be making a Ministerial Statement on one of the initiatives (today) in the House."