Government is delaying the Police investigation into the Bermuda Housing Corporation (BHC) for political reasons, the Opposition United Bermuda Party (UBP) claimed yesterday.

"This is the most cynical politics," said Shadow Health Minister Michael Dunkley. "It gives the public the sense that the Police are powerless against the machinations of the Smith Government. Mr. Dunkley, accompanied by UBP spokesperson Jamahl Simmons, levelled the charges at a press conference outside Cabinet Office.

He would not substantiate his allegations or say how he came to his conclusions.

"All will be revealed," said Mr. Simmons. Mr. Dunkley should be given "the benefit of the doubt" since he was the first to allege wrongdoing in the House of Assembly and had been proven right despite strenuous denials from then Housing Minister Nelson Bascome, he added.

"I cannot believe that the Bermuda Police Service whom I know and respect would have taken this long to get to the bottom of things unless they were being handicapped," Mr. Dunkley said.

"This Government has had a year to come clean with what really happened in the BHC and they have failed to produce answers or results. The clock is ticking and they must be feeling more and more trapped by the constitutional necessity to call an election before the end of this year.

"They realise that the closer the announcement of any charges that are going to be laid against those involved gets to the election, the greater the possibility is that a disgusted electorate will vote them out of office."

He said information "reaching his ears" indicated that "individuals within the Smith Government had decided to frustrate and delay the investigation" until long after the coming election.

"That way, if they get back in they will have another five years to just tough out any negative political repercussions."

The next general election must be called by November this year and can be held as late as February next year.

Asked why the conference was being held at Cabinet Office, Mr. Dunkley said that the BHC investigation was a matter of utmost importance and that his party wanted to bring it to the attention of the country's highest political office.

He added: "It continues to circulate around the community that the Housing Corporation is not operating any better than it was before.

"We are not convinced that the Housing Corporation has been cleaned up as far as financial stability and management are concerned."

Premier Jennifer Smith asked the Auditor General to conduct a probe into the BHC soon after corruption allegations surfaced in March last year. Two months later she handed the Auditor's report to the Police which has been conducting a criminal investigation into the scandal. Last autumn the Premier appointed Senator David Burch as Housing Minister.

Neither Senator Burch, Government House nor the Police department responded to a request for comment last night.