A full breakdown of the terms and conditions of an Atlanta-based construction firm paid more than $1 million in consultancy fees by Government since 2008 was deferred in the House of Assembly on Monday.

The Opposition filed Parliamentary Questions in February inquiring into the details of contracts granted to affiliates of Ambling Companies Inc. with the Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Works and Engineering, and Ministry of Tourism.

The questions came after Parliamentary Answers made public in early February revealed Ambling has contracts with the ministries of Works and Engineering and Environment totalling $1.77 million.

Environment Minister Glenn Blakeney revealed little on Monday apart from the fact the company was paid $967,750.74 for a two-year contract with the Department of Planning to analyse operations procedures and help establish new internal policies.

Shadow Works and Engineering Minister Patricia Gordon-Pamplin asked for the complete terms and conditions of Ambling's contract with the Ministry of Works and Engineering.

She was told by Derrick Burgess, who is responsible for that portfolio: "I have been unable to get the answers to these questions. We have been very busy with our Budget. Once that is completed, I will have the time to address that."

It has previously been reported that Ambling also has a contract with the Ministry of Tourism for hotel development consulting, however the firm was not listed in separate Parliamentary Answers given by Premier Ewart Brown last week regarding the consultants hired by his ministries.

Opposition leader Kim Swan said he was also expecting answers to questions posed to the Premier on February 23 about the complete terms and conditions of Ambling's contract with the Ministry of Tourism.

Premier Ewart Brown said: "That's not the question that we were asked."

Speaker of the House, Stanley Lowe, then said: "I'm going to defer questions period. We will get it sorted out."

But Shadow Environment Minister Cole Simons added he too was expecting details of Ambling's contract with the Ministry of Environment, Youth and Sport.

At that point, Mr. Blakeney said: "I'll defer the answer until the next sitting."

But in the afternoon session of the House he did provide written answers.

"The contract with Ambling Development Holding LLC is not with individual ministries but the Government of Bermuda as a client.

"The contract did not contain specific any deliverables."

He said that the company has completed a review and compiled a report on the Planning Department, drafted a fee model, proposed technology changes and spoken with other departments and individuals who regularly deal with the Department of Planning.

Later, Mr. Simons said: "This morning's episode in which three ministers did not answer Parliamentary Questions was tantamount to the Government giving the finger to anyone wanting transparent, open and accountable government.

"These coordinated non-answers signal a break with long-standing conventions that have helped elected representatives hold governments to account for their actions and decisions."

He said the Opposition had been looking for "specific answers on a multi-headed contract that paid the Georgia-based consultants at least $115,000 a month over two years".

Meanwhile, Mr. Simons said it was "completely unacceptable" that Ambling's contract with Planning did not contain specific deliverables.

"Without deliverables, you cannot measure performance nor can you hold people to account; indeed without deliverables you do not have a finite contract one that ends when the job is done. It can theoretically go on forever. It is, in short, a potential gravy train for the contractor.

"In this instance, Ambling has been paid nearly $1 million to review Planning regulations and related work. We have no way of knowing whether that work was competently done or even accepted by the Government."