UBP Senator and Shadow Housing Minister Kim Swan last night attacked Senator David Burch’s announcement of housing initiatives calling it a “purely political broadcast.”

Housing Minister, Sen. David Burch, took to the airwaves on Tuesday night to give an in-depth update on Government’s housing initiatives.

In the broadcast he gave anticipated start and completion dates for many developments that have been in the works for years and unveiled ambitious new plans.

However, Mr. Swan believes these announcements are nine years late and were made purely because the Island is on the eve of an election.

He said: “After nine years of inaction, neglect and false starts and on the eve of an election, the Minister came forward to announce wholesale, across-the-board promises on housing.

“People must ask themselves what is motivating the government. Is it the scramble for people’s votes, or is it genuine concern for meeting people’s needs?”

Sen. Burch also announced that geared to income housing would extend to 300 families in Bermuda Housing Corporation accommodations, which would mean only 25 percent of their income would be spent on rent.

Another ten percent of their incomes would be added to a savings account, though he did not explain how the families would be able to access the account.

The Housing Minister also revealed far more private/public partnerships would come onboard after the positive response to the Loughlands development, which began in March 2006 and will have 96 units when complete.

Mr. Swan said the UBP supports the concept of both the 10 percent forced saving plans and the 25 percent salary provision but questioned why it has taken so long, how it will be implemented and how the government would address the affordability problem.

He added: “What about the rest of the community? What about people who are facing huge affordability challenges? What is the PLP going to do to meet those needs?The fact is that the PLP in power have done nothing to address the broad challenge of affordable housing.

“It is important for the people of Bermuda to be mindful that this PLP Government is preoccupied with getting itself re-elected and that the truth of its commitment to meeting people’s needs lies in its record over the past nine years and not in its last-minute scrambles to shore up voter support.”