Senator David Burch last night rebutted claims that he failed to spend millions of dollars set aside in last year's budget for housing.

The Housing Minister told the Senate: "We are accused of no money for housing; I've got a math lesson for you," before explaining that almost $10 million had been spent on housing initiatives in 2006/7 and that another $10 million was expected to be spent in the coming year.

"We are spending $10 million in this current fiscal year. Most of it is already spent," he said.

"I hope that puts to rest that there is no money in the budget for housing."

He added: "We genuinely believe that every Bermudian should reasonably expect to have a safe and adequate place to live. This Ministry spends every waking moment and a lot of the sleeping ones working to achieve that."

The Opposition had claimed that Government failed to spend a penny of the $20 million allotted in last year's budget for housing. Sen. Burch said that was not true. "I can add and I can balance a chequing account," he said. "I can figure out where the money for housing is."

He said allegations that the Government was uncaring were also unfounded, citing the fact that Bermuda Housing Corporation (BHC) ? a Government quango providing low-cost housing ? is owed a "whopping" $991,286.51 in rent arrears.

"I should note that 58 per cent of the 585 tenants that the BHC has are in arrears," he said. "With that significant number we are not putting people out. We are not putting them on the street.

"This Government has a policy that it does not put women and children on the street. We opened a shelter for women and children. I won't say it been an entire success as some are feeling too comfortable there."

He said the Government could be criticised for not moving quickly enough but added: "Uncaring? I don't think so."

Sen. Burch justified writing off almost $50 million of BHC debt last year, explaining that it allowed the quango to use the $3 million a year it was spending to service the debt on other projects. He said it also meant BHC could borrow money again.

His speech provoked an angry response from Shadow Housing Minister Kim Swan who had to be told to calm down by Senate President Alf Oughton.

Sen. Swan, the Opposition Leader of the Senate, said many families in Bermuda simply did not have enough to survive. "At the end of the day after the bread and the cheese and the ham and the cereal, after it's all said and done, it's not nearly enough," he said.

He castigated Sen. Burch for his criticism last week of Opposition Senator Gina Spence-Farmer.

The Minister had said she should be arrested for encouraging people to move into the derelict Club Med buildings. Sen. Swan said his party colleague had gone "beyond the call of duty" to help struggling residents.

"I call on the Government to come to terms with its failings," he said. "I know that there are more compassionate people that can be leading this country forward."

Sen. Swan also hit out at the Progressive Labour Party for using race to "gain a political advantage" and criticised a suggestion by Immigration Minister Derrick Burgess that ex-pats should stay out of local politics.

"The Government is getting away with bullying this country," he said.

Earlier, Sen. Spence-Farmer said she made no apology for "caring for those in this country". She claimed the Government had missed a great opportunity to help its people in this year's budget, failing to put adequate programmes and policies in place.