PAUL Young received more money in seven months last year from the Bermuda Housing Corporation than the total spent by the organisation on leasehold expenses in the last financial year.

The Mid-Ocean News published a payee cheque list last week which showed the painter was paid $810,940 by the Corporation in the period between May and November last year.

Yet total leasehold expenses, which include painting costs, for the financial year up to the end of March, 2001, published in the BHC's own annual report, released last week, amounted to $784,270.

The report states that the leasehold expenses included money spent on converting 167 leaseholds in three leasehold developments to freehold condominiums and "expenditures associated with these developments include painting and maintenance . . . and some additional expenditure to upgrade the developments".

Although the figure would not necessarily include all painting expenses of the BHC, this newspaper was advised that it would include most of them.

While BHC general manager Raymonde Dill has remained silent over the past week despite pressure from the media to justify the payments of the publicly funded organisation, more information has surfaced about Mr. Young.

The American has convictions for theft and possession of cocaine in Massachussetts in the 1980s.

And he has also been in trouble with the police in Bermuda for speeding on a jetski in August, 1999.

Police observed Mr. Young committing the offence of speeding within 100 metres of the shore and when officers approached him, Mr. Young is reported to have said: "Am I harrassing you, or are you harrassing me, maybe?"

When he was cautioned and informed that he would be reported for speeding, he told the officers: "This is bullshit. I have a lot of lawyers."

Mr. Young's wife Dale, The Royal Gazette revealed this week, is a close confidante of Premier Jennifer Smith and was among a group of volunteers who helped to decorate The Laurels, the Premier's home, after the November, 1998 election.

Mr. Young was placed on the Bermuda Stop List in 1995 and banned from entering Bermuda. But he successfully applied to be removed from the Stop List in December, 1998 and so was allowed to re-enter the island.

Meanwhile, a contractor who criticised the BHC after being turned down for a major job some 18 months ago, has spoken out.

Gilbert Lopes, of GL Construction, said he had been told by Raymonde Dill that his bid to put up 18 units for the elderly at Southside, St. David's had been the best.

When the contract for the Bermuda Housing Trust project went out to tender, Mr. Lopes put in a bid of around $3.3 million to carry out the work. The Trust comes under the umbrella of the BHC.

"I was called by Mr. Dill and he said I had the lowest price and the best time," said Mr. Lopes. "He just asked me to check the figures.

"I checked and I think I adjusted the completion time from 34 to 36 weeks. I think that was about 10 to 12 weeks faster than the guy who was awarded the contract.

"Mr. Dill said he would be back to me. Next thing I heard he'd awarded the contract to someone else."I believe that the next lowest bid to mine was about $300,000 more - and he didn't get the contract either."

Mr. Lopes added that the job had been awarded to Dr. Victor Walters and he added that the job had taken "close to a year to complete".

Government is not obliged by law to select the lowest bid and the shortest time when contracts are put out to tender.

However they must choose the best and most suitable bid, taking everthing into consideration, including cost, time, quality and reputation.

"Every job I've done in the last 20 years I've completed," said Mr. Lopes. "I've been late on a few jobs but I've always paid the penalty. So that's why I think Mr. Dill was wrong. I have a reputation as an expensive contractor so he was probably surprised that I put in the lowest bid.

"But it was like water off a duck's back for me, because I've had plenty of work."