Transport Minister Ewart Brown has denied being linked to the Bermuda Housing Corporation scandal and said he will face the media to give his side when he returns to Bermuda.

And the Opposition yesterday renewed calls for Premier Jennifer Smith to do more to investigate allegations of corruption and abuse of power at the BHC.

Last week's Bermuda Sun said work at the Southside affordable housing project had been delayed because Dr. Brown owed the contractor more than $420,000.

In a press statement last night, Dr. Brown said: "The recent press story invoking my name in connection with allegations of impropriety at the Bermuda Housing Corporation is misleading and, by implication, distorts the actual course of events."

Minister Brown said he used the services of a construction company and then had disputed the invoiced amount. He said the matter is now being handled by his lawyers.

Dr. Brown said the fact the construction company also had a contract with the Bermuda Housing Corporation (BHC) was a completely separate matter.

He said he was adamant that he bears no responsibility for any issues the company may have with the BHC.

He said: "It boggles the mind to think that I would, in any way, be considered remotely responsible for that company's business relations or performance issues with the BHC."

The Minister is currently off the island and pledged to make himself fully available to the media to answer further questions when he returns.

Last night Opposition Leader Grant Gibbons criticised Government for not doing more to investigate allegations of corruption and abuse of power at BHC and said the ruling party had lost the trust of the people.

Dr. Gibbons called on Premier Jennifer Smith to get to the bottom of the crisis and sack ministers if they were guilty of wrongdoing.

Recently Housing Minister Nelson Bascome was accused in the Press of ordering sacked BHC general manager Raymonde Dill to give a $300,000 landscaping contract to a company which hadn't even tendered a bid and without it going to the board - a breach of BHC rules.

Dr. Gibbons said Ministers needed to be held to a higher standard and the Premier's promise to meet with Dr. Brown and Nelson Bascome when they returned to the island wasn't going far enough.

"We have seen over the last six months allegations of impropriety followed by silence or denial.

"I am worried these allegations are simply scratching the surface." said Dr. Gibbons.

He said the Premier was wrong to blame the media.

"If I was in her shoes and there were allegations of impropriety by one of my Ministers I would have moved very quickly."

Dr. Gibbons hit back at suggestions that former UBP Governments had been involved in similar corruption. He said the media, which had been just as vigilant under the UBP watch, would have exposed any wrongdoing.

"It's very difficult to carry a secret of this sort in Bermuda," he said.