Bermuda Housing Corporation staff are fighting another attempt to award consultancy work to chairman Charlton Dill while he remains on the board.

He was paid more than $20,000 for three months' work last year and now is in line for around $70,000 of work.

Opposition Housing spokesman Wayne Furbert told The Royal Gazette: "BHC is at it again.

"I would have thought with all the negativity they have received over the past two years they would have learned their lesson.

"I understand union staff are against the idea. It appears they asked the board, led by Col. Burch, at the staff meeting what will Mr. Charlton Dill be doing. He said he would be a jack."

Mr. Furbert said he took that to mean a jack of all trades.

"They also asked him what his salary will be. He responded 'it isn't any of your business'." said Mr. Furbert.

Upset members of the Bermuda Public Services Union have written in protest to Housing Minister Ashfield DeVent.

The Bermuda Housing Act 1980 says no person shall be appointed or remain as an appointed director if they have a financial or other interest in the Corporation as it could prejudice the performance as a director.

Previously Government has said it was allowed to pay quango board members for special work.

Last time Mr. Dill organised maintenance and meetings. The pro rata pay scale of $85,000 per annum was agreed by then Housing Minister David Burch, who some sources now say is in line to replace Mr. Dill as BHC chairman after Mr. Burch was appointed to the board in April.

Mr. Furbert continued: "The board should not hire Charlton Dill, it's against the Housing Act. It isn't in the best interests of the corporation or the board.

"I am sure it is unacceptable to the people of Bermuda."

Neither Housing Minister Ashfield DeVent nor BHC general manager Vance Campbell returned calls yesterday.

And neither Mr. Dill nor Col. Burch could be reached for comment. Last time Government said it needed Mr. Dill's help because so many managers had left the scandal-hit corporation because they were under investigation or because they wanted to escape the turmoil.

Mr. Furbert said: "We didn't accept the appointment then or now."

"They could have seconded from Works and Engineering or advertised the job to get the appropriate person."

He called on Mr. DeVent to tell the board the appointment was inappropriate.

Police were called in two years ago after a special investigation by the Auditor General into allegations of widespread corruption and fraud at the Bermuda Housing Corporation (BHC).

Since then sacked BHC property manager Terrence Smith has been slapped with 49 charges of defrauding the quango of almost $1.4 million while general manager Raymonde Dill was also sacked.

Bermuda Public Services Union general secretary Edward Ball said of the latest bid to give work to Charlton Dill: "The matter is actively being addressed by the union and I am not at liberty to discuss it."