Contractors working for the Bermuda Housing Corporation (BHC) came out in defence of general manager Raymonde Dill yesterday.

They say the current allegations about corruption at BHC must be balanced with a recognition that most of the Corporation's workers and contractors are honest and hardworking.

"It's unfair how everyone is being labelled," said Collingwood Robinson of Gold Star construction. "Everyone working with the BHC should not be painted with the same brush."

Mr. Robinson said legitimate contractors are as anxious as anyone else to have bad apples weeded out of the BHC and its projects but added that he wanted to be proactive about letting the public know BHC is doing good work.

"All of us are not bad," he said.

The construction sites for BHC have contributed to an overall boom in the industry which has translated into more jobs for Bermudians, he added.

"When construction work increases on the Island you tend to see a fall in the crime rate," Mr. Robinson said.

Mr. Robinson said he'd been speaking with other contractors who had worked with BHC and all of them supported Mr. Dill's work at the Corporation.

"We stand behind Mr. Dill and find him to be a very fair man," Mr. Robinson said.

"I don't think these (allegations) have anything to do with Mr. Dill and if he is criticised it is only because he is too nice.

"We feel he's doing an excellent job."

Over the last two years BHC has made a commitment to renovating derelict homes and former "crack houses" which the previous management was happy to tear down, he said."BHC should be applauded for this."

He added: "I certainly agree that if bad things are going on, those people should be weeded out but people should not lose sight of the good work BHC has done in the process. It is trying to house people in affordable homes."

Mr. Robinson suggested that calls for every contract and every bid on every project to be looked at, which were made in Parliament on Monday, went too far.

"This is a closed bidding process," he said. "Why should everyone know how much I'm doing a job for?

"I feel like, I'm being stripped of my rights."

The Opposition is calling for an independent investigation of BHC following allegations of staff taking kickbacks and cash gifts and of double billing on BHC jobs.

UBP MP Michael Dunkley raised the issue on Monday in Parliament and is now preparing a letter for the Minister responsible for BHC, Nelson Bascome, detailing the improprieties alleged to be occurring in the Government quango.

Mr. Dunkley said yesterday he was not implying all contractors or staff at BHC were involved but those who have nothing hide have nothing to fear from an investigation.

"The vast majority dealing with the Corporation may be good, hardworking contractors giving good value for money and the vast majority of staff at BHC are great and we should be proud of their achievements," Mr. Dunkley said.

"Unfortunately, some have started a rot in the Corporation and now is the time to root it out."