The so-called ?man with a plan? who ?gets things done?, Lt. Col. David Burch is back at the forefront of Government?s affordable housing agenda ? only three months after resigning in apparent frustration as chairman of the West End Development Corporation (Wedco).

As of today, Lt. Col. Burch takes on the job of Quango Consultant ? which will see him assume the chairmanship of the Bermuda Housing Corporation (BHC), Wedco and ultimately the Bermuda Land Development Corporation (BLDC).

Announcing the surprise move yesterday, Housing Minister Ashfield DeVent said Lt. Col. Burch?s appointment was in line with the recently completed review of Government Quangos.

That review highlighted the need for greater coordination between the three housing providers ? with a view ultimately towards their amalgamation.

Armed with sweeping powers, Lt. Col. Burch will report directly to Mr. DeVent, and will be required over the next 18 months of his contract to co-ordinate and restructure all three organisations as well as advise the Ministry and the Attorney General on any legislative changes which need to be made.

Although no official explanation was given at the time for his sudden departure from Wedco and the deputy chairmanship of the BHC in early May, it was widely believed that Lt. Col. Burch had become disillusioned with the often slow and cumbersome process of getting new housing projects approved and completed.

His self-imposed exile from public service came nevertheless as a shock to many ? most of all to his colleagues at Wedco, who in general praised Lt. Col. Burch as a man of action who would be sorely missed.

And while suggesting yesterday that he had resigned himself to pursuing goals away from public life, Lt. Col. Burch said the offer from Mr. DeVent had been too enticing to turn down.

Sitting shoulder to shoulder at yesterday?s Press conference, both agreed that one of the biggest obstacles they face in alleviating the housing crisis is the growing ?NIMBY? (Not in My Back Yard) culture which they encounter on an almost daily basis. Undermining this ?selfish? attitude and attempting to persuade Bermudians that they must all ?share the burden? when it comes to providing housing would be one of their top priorities, they said.

?Since becoming the Housing Minister, the single most important ? but frustrating ? aspect of this job has been the inability to quickly provide affordable housing,? Mr. DeVent said.

?I have become increasingly concerned that virtually every attempt by the Bermuda Housing Corporation to deal with the housing issue has been met by objections from Bermudians who do not want other Bermudians to be housed in their area.

?This resistance cannot continue. I as Minister have a responsibility to deliver adequate housing for the people of this country and this is precisely what I intend to do.?

?Lt. Col. Burch is well known in this community as someone who gets things done,? he continued, ?and I am delighted that he has decided to work with us to effect economies of scale in these three Quangos as well as deliver affordable housing in a timely manner.

?I am completely confident that in a short space of time, we will see positive progress in the provision of affordable housing and greater efficiency in the running of these Quangos.?

While admitting it will take him a short period of time to ?get up to speed on things? having been divorced from the housing issue for several months, Lt. Col. Burch said it would not be long until he is pushing hard to fulfil his challenging mandate.

?I?ve been out of the loop for a few months and the first course of action is to get current in terms of what is going on with the Quangos,? he said.

?The Minister came looking for me and asked me to take on something quite different. He also alluded to his frustration at not being able to deliver (sufficient affordable housing) because of the culture of Bermudians saying ?not in my back yard?.

?It is very frustrating for all us to not make real progress. When people object to any sort of housing project, you are talking about Bermudians denying other Bermudians. And in many instances the people who are objecting are the people who have been afforded a home through the auspices of Government. It?s a very selfish attitude to have.

?We don?t want to be bull-headed, but I think part of what we will aim to do in bringing all three Quangos together, is to have a unified process of development across the Island,? Lt. Col. Burch explained. ?So people can see that we are not just targeting their neighbourhoods, but that we are looking to provide answers to the housing challenges across Bermuda.

?All of us who live in this country have to share the burden of providing housing for our other fellow Bermudians. Through the Minister asking me to do this, we will be able to launch a much more co-ordinated approach to the housing issue.?