The community spokeswoman for residents of Alexandra and Mary Victoria Roads has demanded an apology from Minister Ashfield DeVent for reportedly breaking his promise to consult with them before resubmitting plans for a controversial housing development.

Pouring scorn on the sentiments of Premier Alex Scott in the House of Assembly on Friday, who had been instructed by the Minister that there had in fact been consultation, Albertha Waite told yesterdayarea residents feel ?enormously let down? by Mr. DeVent.

With Government continuing to insist that pledges have been kept, residents feel they are being painted as liars, she said, and it was important to now ?set the record straight?.

In March, 2004, Mr. DeVent sent a letter to all residents expressing sympathy with their concerns over plans to build 34 new units in the neighbourhood.

Withdrawing the plans immediately, the then new Minister stated he would ?honour? the pledge to withdraw the application ?pending further consultation with you and your neighbours?.

Mr. DeVent subsequently repeated the statement in the House of Assembly.

Since that time, however, according to Mrs. Waite there has been ?no contact whatsoever? and it was something of a shock to residents when they read a letter from the Minister sent to them on April 12, explaining that he had submitted new plans for 20 new units to the Department of Planning.

In the latter correspondence, Mr. DeVent wrote that he had promised to ?look into your concerns with the view of addressing them to the benefit of all?.

?How could he have looked into our concerns when he never met with us to find out what they were?? Mrs. Waite questioned.

?From the very start we have tried to be open, up front and respectful to the Minister. We met with him in February of last year and all we said to him is that we wanted him to at least listen to our ideas and concerns. But since that time we?ve heard absolutely nothing. Even the last letter sent to all of us wasn?t personal but a big general mail-out. How impersonal and cold can you get? To be honest, all we feel like at the moment is a file on Mr. DeVent?s desk which he can open when he wants and stick away in a drawer.?

?But we?re real people who deserve to be treated better. We?ve played our part in setting up a neighbourhood watch scheme and meeting regularly to discuss issues relating to our community.

?But he has come out and claimed he consulted with us like he promised when he knows very well that that is not true. And by saying that as well he is implying we are liars which is simply unacceptable. Our integrity is being questioned and the Minister needs to come clean and explain himself.?

Several attempts to contact Mr. DeVent were unsuccessful yesterday.

However, Premier Alex Scott did reveal that he has instructed the Housing Minister to arrange a meeting with the residents in the near future ? ?as it is clear from their comments that more consultation is wanted?.

However, Mr. Scott said he had been assured by his Minister that there had been consultation since last year.

On hearing the news of the Premier ordering a meeting, Mrs. Waite said that while she ?understood what the Premier is trying to achieve?, with the plans already submitted, the newly planned consultation has come ?far too late?.

?The entire point of our complaint is that Minister DeVent promised to consult with us beforeresubmitting the plans,? she pointed out.

?Now unless he is prepared to withdraw the plans again and then meet with us, he will still be going back on his word.?

Opposition Leader Grant Gibbons, meanwhile, threw his weight fully behind Mrs. Waite?s demands, arguing that instead of meeting the complaint head on with a thorough, unambiguous reply, Mr. DeVent has been ?missing in action?.

?What is clear is that 188 residents of that area believe they were not consulted and as a Minister of Government, the burden of proof lies squarely on Mr. DeVent?s shoulders,? he said.

?He made a pledge both by letter to the residents and in the House of Assembly which the bulk of the residents say has not been kept.

?He has been derelict in his duty as Housing Minister and he should have been in the House on Friday morning with a statement explaining his side of the story.

?But we?ve heard almost nothing and once again accountability in this Government appears to be sorely lacking.?