Acting Opposition leader Michael Dunkley has again hit out at bias in the appointment of four known PLP supporters to the Broadcasting Commission.

The new board is headed by lawyer Elizabeth Christopher, a PLP candidate at the last election, who replaces businessman Murray Brown.

Sacked Works and Engineering and Housing Minister Ashfield DeVent MP has been appointed Deputy Chairman, although Drugs Control Minister Wayne Perinchief has stood down.

Former PLP senator Ira Philip remains on the board as does PLP spokesman Scott Simmons. Mr. Dunkley said as the Commission is now chaired by a PLP supporter the apparent bias would be even more blatant from the previous Commission which also contained four known Government members or supporters.

?It will become more and more of an issue as we head towards the election,? Mr. Dunkley said, adding Government were risking damaging the whole credibility of the board system by leaving it open to accusations its decisions were partial.

He said some ministers had tried to be impartial in their appointments while others had simply packed the boards with supporters.

The Broadcasting Commission is tasked with deciding if broadcasts had been biased or offensive said Mr. Dunkley who wants the board to rule on Sen. Burch?s radio show which has seen him interview fellow Cabinet ministers while those deemed unsympathetic have been abused or cut off.

However Telecommunications Minister Michael Scott denied any accusations of bias and said the Commission was always ready to investigate formal complaints.

He said the Commission was probing a complaint about Sen. Burch?s use of the word ?house n****r? to a caller he disagreed with.

But Mr. Scott said he was unaware of any letter of complaint made by Claire Smith who said she had been cut off by Sen. Burch after he asked her to admit she was white.

Mr. Scott said he had no regrets whatsoever about the appointment of the board and although the choice ?might leave me open to criticism of bias? he did not accept it.

?These are good people we have chosen for what they bring to the Broadcasting Commission,? Mr. Scott explained.

He said the Broadcasting Commission defined policy on broadcasts and looked at issues on a week-to-week basis.

?The issue of bias may well be thrown into the arena but it is groundless and baseless.?

But Mr. Dunkley said: ?He can try to justify it all he wants but I stand by my comments.?

He questioned whether Scott Simmons in particular, as PLP spokesman, would be able to remain neutral if colleagues were pressuring him to act for the party on contentious issues.

However Mr. Simmons said he took the assignment very seriously and was seeking to serve the community.

He pointed out that Ira Philip had a sterling record as a journalist and broadcaster while Mr. DeVent had worked as a broadcaster at VSB.

Government also announced a slew of other appointments yesterday.

Bermuda Housing Corporation chairman Charlton Dill is the new chairman of the Bermuda Land Development Corporation as Government seeks to consolidate the quangos.

Mr. Dill replaced former Wall Street banker Geoffrey Elliott as head of the BLDC which looks after former military bases including Morgan?s Point and Southside.

A release from Works and Engineering and Housing Minister David Burch had sought to increase links between the quangos by appointing Bermuda Housing Corporation chairman Charlton Dill along with new West End Development Corporation Chairman and quango consultant Glenn Brangman and BHC board member Enith Thomas who now make up the three-person board.

Sen. Burch said the appointments would set Government on its way to fulfilling recommendations from the quango report to consolidate the resources of the three bodies and ensure a unity of purpose in fulfilling the Ministry?s mandate.

Sen. Burch added: ?Further advances towards greater amalgamation within the three quangos can be expected as the year progresses.?

Government MP Nelson Bascome takes over from busy Bank of Bermuda CEO Philip Butterfield as chairman of the Board of Education while Government Senator Raymond Tannock stands down as Bermuda College chairman in favour of Nalton Brangman.