barrage of criticism over the rent increase controversy.

Opposition Progressive Labour Party MPs rounded on him, saying the proposed rent rises were out of line with tenants' ability to pay.

PLP leader Mr. Frederick Wade said Bermuda Housing Corporation tenants should refuse to pay the hike.

And Shadow Housing Minister Mr. Nelson Bascome also waded in, revealing he had heard tenants would be hit by 19.5 percent increases from August 1 -- not 12.5 percent as Mr. Edness had told MPs.

Shadow Tourism Minister Mr. David Allen, meanwhile, accused Mr. Edness of misleading the House.

"The tenants want action and justice, which is affordable housing.'' Mr. Edness, however, fired back, accusing his critics of "political trouble-making''.

He did not consider the proposed rent increases unreasonable -- and pointed out social assistance was available for those strapped for cash.

"If tenants feel they are not reasonable, then the door has been left open for the Housing Corporation to sit down with the people concerned and evaluate what they can afford.'' Mr. Edness went on to pledge he would meet with the tenants in Fentons Drive in the Pembroke area.

"The history of the housing corporation is not to displace people from their homes.'' Premier the Hon. Sir John Swan later stepped into the fray, taking Mr. Wade to task for preaching "anarchy'' by calling for tenants to withhold the rent increases.

He said the PLP could not understand the contract between a tenant and his landlord, in this case the BHC.

This was because the nobody in PLP had succeeded in business, he taunted.

The House of Assembly clashes over the planned rent hike came during time allotted for Parliamentary Questions and in the later Motion to Adjourn debate.

Last week, Mr. Edness disclosed tenants would face across-the-board rent increases from August 1 over the next three years to bring the prices of Government houses up to market level.

One tenant, who has lived in a three-bedroom old Bermuda home purchased by Government, later told The Royal Gazette he recently received a letter informing him his rent would shoot up by $263 from August 1.

Edness in hot seat The 57-year-old worker at the US Naval Base said: "I currently pay $650. But it is an old home. My wife and I have been living here since 1965 when it was owned by Crown Land.'' During Parliamentary Questions yesterday, Mr. Bascome, who has received a flurry of complaints from BHC tenants, asked Mr. Edness to confirm rents had been pushed up by 19 percent.

And he questioned Government's commitment to creating low income rental properties.

Mr. Edness stressed BHC rents had not been increased since 1992.

"The Government is committed to ensuring that all residents have access to adequate and affordable housing.

"It meets this commitment by making sure that there is an adequate supply of appropriate housing and by addressing affordability issues through its Housing Allowance and Social Assistance programmes.'' Mr. Edness said a recent BHC study revealed there was a surplus of rental properties, but there was a shortage of such homes with three or more bedrooms.

"The corporation has therefore started a programme to sell properties that are not suitable for its needs and using the proceeds to either purchase rental units that have three bedrooms or more, or convert smaller units within its stock to ones which have at least three bedrooms.

"Given that the surplus of rental units, the Government has no plans to develop additional rental units in the foreseeable future.'' Mr. Bascome then asked how many tenants received help under the Housing Allowance and Financial Assistance Programme.

In response to further questioning by Mr. Bascome, Mr. Edness said 70 BHC tenants were receiving housing assistance, as at May 31, 1995, and 45 were getting social assistance.

In the Motion to Adjourn, Mr. Allen said tenants had voiced their outrage at a meeting.

"These tenants feel very aggrieved and very frustrated about Government.'' House Speaker the Hon. Ernest DeCouto repeatedly warned Mr. Allen not to speak on areas already covered during Parliamentary Questions.

At one point, he threatened to remove Mr. Allen from the House, unless he changed tack.

Mr. Allen said his speech was focused on the alleged insensitivity of Government.

"So many people cannot afford the burden being placed upon them.'' He accused Government of being out of touch, and having no idea about the effect of additional costs on families.

Financial hardship led to more people taking drugs, and ending up in prison.