controversial plans to bulldoze a garden at Waterville.

"Recent public attacks on our efforts to improve Waterville require rebuttal, as charges that we are intent on destroying `historic' gardens on the eastern side of the grounds are untrue,'' Mr. David L. White, who is also Editor of The Royal Gazette , wrote in the Trust's newsletter.

"It bothers me to have to dignify mischief-making with a response because we have candidly explained the proposed garden changes. I am afraid our politeness must be put aside.'' In November, member and former Trust properties officer Mr. Hubert Jones lambasted the organisation over the Waterville plan, telling The Royal Gazette that the Trust had "lost its way'' and was lacking in leadership at the Council and administrative levels.

"It is not (the Trust's responsibility) to bulldoze a natural landscape and historic site,'' Mr. Jones said.

The Trust, which claims the Waterville proposal has been in the works for years, has argued that it simply wants to improve the garden, which is on the eastern side of the Trust's Paget headquarters.

The site will acquire a new gazebo and cesspit under the plan, which has already been approved by the Development Applications Board.

"Mr. Jones has long been aware of these plans, and during his tenure was involved in one aspect of them, the need for a new cesspit,'' Mr. White said in the newsletter.

"Now he appears intent on misleading the public into thinking that we are wantonly destroying Bermuda's heritage, the very heritage which we are charged by Parliamentary Act to preserve. Not so.'' Mr. White, who assumed the presidency of the Trust in May of 1993, said that the bulldozing was required mostly for the new cesspit, which is intended to replace one that is currently "not acceptable'' to health authorities.

Mr. White added that "designers of the highest order'' would be landscaping the rest of the garden.

"Mr. Jones' campaign to denigrate that work and knowledge is difficult to understand,'' he said. "Please let me assure you that we are working in the best interests of the Trust and the community. We cannot be distracted by a former employee with an axe to grind.'' Mr. Jones, who has claimed that "my phone has been ringing off the hook'' in support of his position, declined to comment on Mr. White's assertions yesterday, saying only: "I got a good chuckle out of (them).'' Mr. Jones said he would prefer to respond to the comments in The Royal Gazette 's Letters to the Editor. "I don't want to be taken out of context,'' he said.

Mr. White contended that the Trust's plans for Waterville have been in full compliance with Government regulations.

He also said the public had been invited to view the plans at the Trust's offices at Waterville.

"We have nothing to hide,'' he said.

The Trust acquired a building permit for its changes to the garden on Wednesday, Trust director Ms Amanda Outerbridge said yesterday.