Premier Alex Scott and Housing Minister Ashfield DeVent are refusing to give an inch on the latter's alleged failure to consult with Alexandra Road residents before resubmitting plans for a controversial housing project in the area.

Standing shoulder to shoulder with the Premier at a heated Press conference yesterday, Mr. DeVent insisted he had “communicated” with the residents from the outset and was “satisfied” most of their concerns had been met.

However, on the urging of both Mr. Scott and Government Communications Director Beverle Lottimore, Mr. DeVent refused to answer certain questions put to him by The Royal Gazette, with the Premier eventually stepping in to bring an abrupt end to proceedings.

“This is not a debate, it is a Press conference,” Premier Scott said.

The Minister has had to endure intense criticism from the residents and the media over the last two weeks, both for his alleged failure to consult as promised and his apparent reluctance up until yesterday to proffer a thorough explanation.

Mr. DeVent made the pledge both in the House of Assembly and in a letter to the residents dated March 23 of last year, appeasing the vociferous protests of local residents concerned about plans for a new 32-unit housing project in their area.

Mr. DeVent informed the residents of his intention to resubmit a revised application to the Department of Planning for 20 houses on April 12 - although the residents' spokesman Albertha Waite has since maintained there was “no consultation whatsoever” between March 2004 and April 2005.

Indeed, 188 residents submitted a letter of complaint to the Minister on May 19 - five weeks after receiving notice of the new plans - accusing Mr. DeVent of going back on his word.

A motion “deploring” the Housing Minister's failure to consult was tabled in the House of Assembly on May 20 by Opposition Whip John Barritt - a move which initiated chaotic scenes in the Chamber and concluded with the United Bermuda Party staging a dramatic walk-out of Parliament.

But reading out a letter which appeared in The Royal Gazette yesterday from “Homeless In My Own Country” - who claimed to be a 41-year-old professional woman who is homeless but earns $46,000 to $51,000 a year - Mr. DeVent said it was for these people he would continue to make the “tough decisions” for, regardless of any controversy they may cause.

“In recent days I have come under intense criticism for not consulting sufficiently,” he said.

“However, far too often we desire solutions to problems, but are not prepared for how the solutions will affect us as a community.

“It is clear that the area residents, many of whom rent their current properties from the BHC do not wish additional development in the area. Communication, although not required, did occur particularly at the very beginning of the process.

“As the Minister, I am satisfied with my attempts to appease the concerns of the residents, who continue to be assisted in the area of housing by Government through the BHC. Area residents, in fact all Bermudians must be mindful of the rights of property owners, including BHC, to develop their properties in accordance with the laws and regulations as they see fit. The BHC has followed proper protocols, laws and regulations in its attempt to develop properties.”

Any hope, therefore, of residents demands for the plans to be withdrawn again pending “face to face” meetings appears to have fallen on deaf ears.

“Both the BHC and I will proceed with our revised planned development for the area,” Mr. DeVent said.

“Which, you will recall, was compromised from 34 units to 20 units. I might add that Planning regulations actually make allowances for 60-plus units in the area. This matter is now in the hands of the Planning authority and it would be for them to decide on the merits of the application. As Minister, I feel it is important to remind those critics once again, that I have an obligation to provide housing for those in need. And I want to assure the public that I will be making those tough decisions to ensure I fulfil my obligation.”

The Premier also went on the offensive, stating that the Minister had not been “unreasonable” with the residents at any stage, while questioning why, if the residents were so appalled at the news the plans were to be resubmitted, did it take them five weeks to reply - by which time the application was already in the hands of Planning.

But under persistent questioning, Mr. DeVent eventually claimed he had met with some of the residents, had dinner in one of their houses, and had the opportunity to hear “all” of their concerns.

“In the letter I did say ‘consultation',” he admitted.

“Have I sat and met with all of those people? No. Am I going to get into a he said, she said with The Royal Gazette? No. Members of that community called me and I visited them. I ate dinner in their house. I sat with a group of those residents at length and we discussed all the issues they had. I am aware of their concerns, fully aware. They included infrastructure, they included maintenance, they included lighting.

I listened carefully, I went back, reconsidered and wrote them a letter saying 20 [units... Are we going to sit here and quibble over the word consult? Did I sit and talk to each and every one of those people? No, I did not. But it is the easiest thing in the world for those people, with all due respect, to go home and turn a key, and sit in their lounge chairs and complain to me when I have to provide housing to people like that young girl in that letter. And those people must remember that they have all benefited themselves from Government housing.”

Asked whether the 188 residents who signed the letter of complaint are therefore lying given the Minister's insistence he did nothing wrong, Mr. DeVent replied that “he was not going to call anybody a liar”.

Pressed on whether he believed the sending of letters constituted consultation, he replied “maybe not”.

In light of that admission, did the Minister therefore agree he had not fulfilled the pledge he made? “I communicated with them,” he said.

The question was then asked whether Mr. DeVent would do anything differently was he handed the opportunity to return to when he first made the pledge - a question both the Premier and Ms Lottimore urged him not to answer, the Premier telling his Minister, “Don't get into that debate”.

Mr. DeVent persisted: “Hindsight is 20-20 vision. As I've said, I have to build houses. This is a BHC project. It's not a Ashfield DeVent project. BHC, just as any landowner in this country, has the right to attempt to develop their property and that becomes an issue for Planning. I sent a letter to these people. They did not get back to me until much later. You know when I heard from them again? When it became an issue when the Honourable John Barritt walked out of the House. So let's begin to look at maybe what some of this issue is about.”

The Minister then insisted he would not meet with the residents under their present demands that the plans be withdrawn again, saying he was not prepared to “deal” with them from that perspective.

But when asked to comment on the suggestion that agreeing to meet with them with the plans already submitted would be nothing more than a token gesture, the Premier stepped up to the microphone and brought the Press conference to an end.