Shadow Housing Minister Wayne Furbert is gung-ho about working with the Government on affordable housing - despite the fact that Premier Alex Scott has said he does not believe that the Opposition's centrepiece plan is viable.

"The bottom line is this - Bermuda is more important than party politics," said Mr. Furbert. "That's where I've always come from and if we have something that the PLP wants and needs then I believe that we should be able to work together for the good of the country. It doesn't make sense if people are hurting and in desperate need of housing and if the PLP did not have a platform on housing and we did, then we should be able to work together to ensure the people of Bermuda are taken care of. That is if the PLP are seriously talking about working together."

Mr. Scott announced shortly after being sworn in as Premier that he would be willing to take a bipartisan approach to issues like affordable housing and seniors.

But the Premier later said that he did not believe that the UBP's much touted "First Homes" programme, which the party said would see $2,000 a month mortgages for two bedroom homes, was viable.

Yesterday, Mr. Furbert was standing by the plan - although he admitted that some changes may have to be made.

"We have worked very hard to show that our plan works and there may be some adjustments to be made now as time has passed," he said.

"I think we both have to sit down and talk to the banks. What I call for is probably a joint select committee of the House. Our platform, you should remember, also called for working together of the parties."

On Mr. Scott's criticism, he said: "I'm hoping that in the comfort of his office he would realise that our plan should be looked at. They had no plan and I still haven't heard any plans coming from the PLP. And it is very disconcerting when I hear so many people calling up and asking us about housing - when we realise that had we been the government we would have put our plan into gear quickly to get housing for our people. But I ask the Premier as much as he would like for us to work together the people of Bermuda would like to know truthfully what happened with the Bermuda Housing Corporation investigation."

He added that he and his party was still waiting for the Government side to contact them with their proposals for cooperation.