In his novel ?1984?, George Orwell coined the phrase ?newspeak? to describe how governments say one thing when they mean the opposite. Thus the Ministry of Truth in charge of lies.

On Friday, residents of Mary Victoria Road and Alexandra Road in Prospect were subjected to another barrage of newspeak (Bermuda style) over their opposition to plans to build new low cost homes in their neighbourhood.

This controversy goes back to last year when they were promised a hearing on the plans and were also promised that they would be able to show then-Housing Minister Terry Lister the neighbourhood.

None of this ever materialised. Mr. Lister toured the area with MP Glenn Blakeney, whom, it turns out, isn?t even the MP for most of the area. The meeting itself never happened.

Then on Friday, an official notice appeared saying that the Housing Corporation was seeking in principle approval for the plans for the 34 homes, which would be built on top of existing units.

Later that day, Housing Minister Ashfield DeVent then attempted to soothe the residents? feelings by promising them they will be heard before any final decision on the development is made.

Submission of the plans did not mean that construction was imminent, he said. No construction would happen, he said, until he had met with the residents.

This is nonsense. No one submits plans, in principle or otherwise, unless they have strong intentions to go ahead with a project. And a promise of a hearing is just that. Mr. DeVent was very careful not to say that no decision would be made pending a meeting, only that no construction would take place.

The betting here is that there will be a meeting and it will be followed by a statement that the greater good of the community necessitates that the homes be built and that the residents will have to make a sacrifice. The implication will be that the residents are selfish Nimbys (Not In My Back Yard) to oppose the plans when there is such a dire housing crisis.

None of that takes account of the needs of the neighbourhood, which has been neglected for years and already saw its quality of life deteriorate when a number of homes were converted into emergency housing.

As for Mr. Blakeney, it is clear that in the few months he has been in Parliament, he is already a newspeak master.

Having been seemingly full of sympathy at the outset of this miserable tale, now he has come up with the classic politicians? excuses: As a lowly backbencher, he?s not in a position to make promises, it is not his call, he only promised to be an advocate, etc. etc.

But he did convince the residents not to go public with their concerns, doubtless saying that a public controversy would not be constructive and that it would be better to work the problem out behind the scenes. Obviously, this was nonsense. What it did do was buy the Government time and no doubt there were some who hoped the issue would be forgotten.

Clearly, the residents would have been better off marching on Parliament, presenting petitions, even refusing to pay for the maintenance that the same Housing Corporation has not been providing for the last few years.

On Friday, the Opposition United Bermuda Party also tabled a motion calling for a commitment from the Government not build the homes.

Two days later, Mr. DeVent responded, accusing the Opposition of ?politicising? housing and having no solutions of its own. When a politician says that an issue should not be politicised, it is the kiss of death. It essentially means that there should be no debate on the issue; just let the ?experts? get on with it.

It also means the Minister is in trouble, hence the constant calls (from both parties over the years) for tourism, crime and education to be depoliticised.

The fact is that housing is always political and the Progressive Labour Party made hay out of it for years when it was in Opposition. And the fact is that the United Bermuda Party had an impressive housing plan in its manifesto when the PLP had nothing but a shameful record of scandal and cost overruns in its ?record?.

If anything, Mr. DeVent?s comments should be a call to arms for the residents. Now is the time that they should do everything in their power to be heard.