New Works and Engineering Minister Dennis Lister yesterday spoke of his joy at returning to the Cabinet fold.

Like Nelson Bascome, he was a fall guy from the 2003 coup and a Ewart Brown Premiership always looked like his best route back to the political big time.

An MP since 1989, he started off at the Ministry of Youth and Sport under the first Jennifer Smith Cabinet in 1998, before being promoted to Environment.

The 47-year-old was shown the door by Alex Scott, but is now back after Dr. Brown handed him his most challenging job in Government so far.

"It's a larger ministry than I've had before," he told The Royal Gazette yesterday. "It covers all the properties and works for the Government and takes a good understanding about how to make them work in the interests of Bermuda."

Over-budget and delayed projects managed by the department, like the controversial Berkeley development, have meant Works and Engineering has grabbed plenty of headlines.

Privately, he must be relieved that the replacement senior secondary school is now finished and no projects of that size appear to be in the pipeline.

And Mr. Lister said he was determined that he would get more positive news out from his Ministry.

"It's unfortunate these things carry bigger headlines," he said, when asked about over-running projects. "We are going to put out positive things that happen on a daily basis."

He said that Dr. Brown's Government would be more open. "We have an open door," he stated. "The public should feel free to come to us."

When he rose to his feet yesterday to sign the papers that made his Cabinet return official, he joked with Governor Sir John Vereker that he had not needed glasses last time he was made a minister.

His eyesight may not be as good as it once was, but Mr. Lister will now be hoping his vision for Works and Engineering keeps him in Cabinet and away from the political sidelines he has prowled for the last three years.