A furious row has erupted between Housing Minister Wayne Furbert and his Opposition shadow, Renee Webb, over Government housing policies.

The gloves came off and things got personal yesterday afternoon after Mr.

Furbert gave a press conference in response to the unveiling of PLP housing policies by Ms Webb on Thursday.

Mr. Furbert claimed that the Opposition has come up with nothing new in its position on housing.

And he also blasted Ms Webb, who owns and rents out a number of properties, for being hypocritical in not renting her houses out at a cheaper rent through the Bermuda Housing Corporation.

But Ms Webb responded by calling the Minister "an idiot'' and said that Government had stolen PLP policies.

Mr. Furbert said: "I really appreciate some of Ms Webb's comments because we seem to agree in several areas.

"As committed Bermudians looking after the interests of Bermudians we of course agree that ownership is best -- it gives the most security and provides the most opportunity.

"That is why the Government took action with programmes that make sense.

Every Bermudian must have the opportunity of owning a home. The Step Up Mortgage is real and in place. Ten-percent down payments are in place. The BLDC must be commended for offering new housing stock at an affordable level in a beautiful area in a way that makes financial sense.'' Mr. Furbert also announced that the current system whereby those receiving housing assistance had to collect a monthly hand-out would soon be scrapped to cut down on bureaucracy. And he also hinted that other initiatives were also in the pipeline and would soon be announced.

He added that each assessments were carried out so that each tenant only paid about 25 percent of their income on rent, regardless of their salary -- the same proportion that the PLP has been calling for.

But he then rounded on Ms Webb for not renting her own properties out through the Bermuda Housing Corporation. Ms Webb lives in St. George's but rents out a three-bedroom apartment in Warwick.

"If she is so concerned about these people why does she not offer that house to the housing corporation?'' Mr. Furbert asked.

"There is an old saying -- do as I say, not as I do -- that is what Ms Webb seems to be saying.

"I know there are lots of families who would love a three bedroom apartment to rent out and the Bermuda Housing Corporation would be glad to take over her property for her.

"The reason she won't is because she knows that she would not get as much rent. The Bermuda Housing Corporation has a formula where the rent is set -- it's $1,600 for a three bedroom apartment.

Housing sparks political war of words "She knows that she can get more than that if she rents it out herself.

"She should look closer to home -- this just shows that it's just talk, talk, talk.'' But last night Ms Webb hit back, claiming Government was now adopting policies that the PLP has been advocating for years.

And, although she refused to comment on her own position as a landlord, she did hint that the reason she could not rent her property through the Corporation was because she would not get as much rent.

"I did go to the Bermuda Housing Corporation but they couldn't afford it,'' she said.

"People with homes have mortgages to pay -- I have a mortgage to pay -- but I don't want to get into all that personal stuff.

"But his argument is a stupid one -- he's an idiot; he just makes no sense.

What we are talking about is two entirely separate things. Private rents are based on mortgages that the banks charge.

"No, we haven't come up with anything new because everything I said we have been saying constantly. We have always said that the Base housing should be made available to low income families and that the prices should come down and that there should be reduced mortgage payments to ten percent.

"Now that's what the Government is doing but it is just adopting our policies and is now taking credit for them.

"At the end of the day you have to give credit where credit is due and we have clearly gone on record stating what our position is.'' Wayne Furbert Renee Webb GOVERNMENT GVT