A former senior management figure at Bermuda Housing Corporation last night expressed surprise at the amount of money paid out over a seven month period to painter Paul Young.

It was revealed last week that Mr. Young, whom reporters have been unable to contact, was paid $810,940 by BHC last year.

The former management figure told The Royal Gazette last night that he thought Mr. Young, who is thought to have begun doing work for BHC in 1999, won a lot of contracts because he supported a programme started by corporation general manager Raymonde Dill to take on unemployed adults in the housing units that were being refurbishment.

But he added: "A few of the other contractors tried to do this as well, but it is worrying when one contractor gets all the work or a large portion of it.

"The sums seem to be astronomical going to one person."

Mr. Dill was appointed General Manager of the BHC in 1999.

The source spoke on condition of anonymity.

He said Mr. Dill started to suggest certain contracHe said Mr. Dill started to suggest certain contractors be used for smaller maintenance jobs which did not need to go out to tender - something his predecessor did not do.

He stressed he had no evidence of any corruption or malpractice while he was there, but he was concerned about the number of maintenance contracts going to some companies or individuals.

"I had concerns regarding certain people getting all the work and it was something that came all the way down from the top," he said.

"The maintenance department made decisions on their own about smaller jobs that didn't need to go to tender without the management team really getting involved.

"They would qualify contractors making sure they were set up as proper businesses, paying government taxes before they were invited to have work. I don't know if Mr. Dill changed that around at all.

"He was much more autocratic. Sometimes he would say, use these guys, keep them busy. He had his own ideas about who should be getting government work.

"There was a pool of people that would apply for bids and the managers at maintenance would invite people to bid or they would contact us, but when Mr. Dill came in he often asked us to use certain people. Mr. Young was one.

"One reason was because of the programmes (to get contractors to take on unemployed young adults in the housing units) he was trying to implement, that was the reason he wanted us to use certain people, for instance Paul Young.

"Paul Young was one of the few guys who had the patience to work with these guys, some of whom would not turn up for work at times, and if he got a lot of work it was because he was one of the few willing to go along with the work programme."

"While I was there I didn't know anyone who took bribes, or kickbacks or anything like that. I didn't see any inflated payments. It was usually the practice to take the lowest bid, although you didn't necessarily get the best work.

"All the large payments had to be approved by the directors and be scrutinised and every charge for a large amount had to be signed by management. If it was larger than certain breakpoints directors had to get involved with the payment as well.

"As far as I know all proper checks and balances were used at that time. Maybe a contractor could try to double bill you but that would be picked up most of the time and that was an error rather than someone trying to steal."

The Royal Gazette contacted Mr. Dill again yesterday for comment but he has consistently refused to return telephone calls.