Telecommunications Minister Renee Webb is dodging questions on consultants hired by her Ministry during the Progressive Labour Party (PLP)'s first term as government, Shadow Minister Allan Marshall claimed yesterday.

But Ms Webb said the questions were submitted on the final day of Parliament before the Christmas break and answers could not be given in writing when the House was not in session and she invited Mr. Marshall to ask his questions on Friday.

"Tell him to ask the questions Friday," she said. "I'll be glad to answer them then."

Mr. Marshall had submitted three questions for the Minister to answer orally at a House of Assembly session on December 6 last year.

But, he said, no answers were forthcoming and the whole issue had been shrouded in "mystery".

The Opposition submitted written questions for each Minister in late November. All but Mr. Marshall's questions were to be answered orally.

Mr. Marshall wanted to know how many consultants had been hired by the Ministry, who they were and how much money had been spent for their services.

Questions to be answered orally can be followed up with three supplementary questions. Mr. Marshall said he wanted the questions answered because he was concerned about reports of a "revolving door" of costly consultants going through the Telecommunications Ministry.

House Speaker Stanley Lowe stopped Mr. Marshall when he rose to ask his questions and no answers were given at the December 6 House sitting.

Ms Webb then told Mr. Marshall that she had not received the questions, but she promised to give written answers, said Mr. Marshall.

"The questions were sent on time and they should have been sent from parliament to the Ministry. I then had a few words for the Speaker.

"After a bit of a brouhaha the Minister promised that I would get the answers in writing.

"The issue with the Speaker I still need to resolve as to how these questions got to the wrong place or did not get there on time. But I do know that she had the questions on December 6. What little accident occurred between I do not know," Mr. Marshall said.

Days before the House reconvened this month, Mr. Marshall said he was told by the House clerk that the answers had come in and would be faxed to his office. Two hours later the clerk called to say the answers had been withdrawn and would not be sent.

The clerk told him to take up the matter with the Speaker, he said.

"What in the world is going on here ?" Mr. Marshall said. "These are straightforward questions regarding consultants that the Ministry has hired since 1998. Why is the Minister avoiding these questions ?"

Ms Webb said she was not aware the questions were to be answered orally, did not know that the answers had been withdrawn because she was off the Island at the time and questioned why Mr. Marshall did not ask the questions on the floor of the House if he wanted oral answers.

"I didn't get the questions when everybody else got the questions," she said. "They were filed on the last day of the House... That's when we got the questions. I found it strange when everybody else was being asked questions and not us."

When told the questions were meant to be answered orally, she said: "I wish they were for oral answers. If they were oral why didn't he pose them?"

The Minister added that she prefers answering questions orally in any case.

House Speaker Stanley Lowe could not be reached for comment.