Immigration Minister Derrick Burgess has refused to apologise to Auditor General Larry Dennis over allegedly defamatory remarks.

Mr. Dennis, the Island’s independent financial watchdog, believes Mr. Burgess slandered him when he accused him of criminal conduct during a speech to a PLP rally.

He instructed his lawyer Alan Dunch to launch proceedings against Mr. Burgess after the Minister alleged he handled stolen goods in the form of a missing Police report on the Bermuda Housing Corporation scandal.

Mr. Dunch wrote to Mr. Burgess asking for a public retraction and apology. However, in a letter to Mr. Dunch copied to the media today, Mr. Burgess said: “Having taken legal advice, I see no reason to make either an apology to your client or to make a retraction of any of the comments which I made at that meeting, and which represent my honest belief.

“I do not accept that my comments bear the meaning set out in your letter in any event. In the circumstances, Mr. Larry Dennis may wish to take whatever legal action against me that he deems appropriate. I shall of course instruct my own attorneys to mount the most vigorous and strenuous defence on my behalf.”

He also accused Mr. Dunch of electioneering.

“I note that the terms of your letter correspond with, and are in many ways identical to, your reported comments in The Royal Gazette newspaper article of December 5 headlined “Dennis Demands Apology From Minister” which I read on that date. I thought at the time that communicating with me through the front page of that newspaper was a rather peculiar approach, until I remembered of course that Bermuda is in campaign mode in the run-up to the General Election.

“I am wondering whether the “urgency” with which you require my response is somehow related to the need, as your client perceives it, to set up another front-page Royal Gazette or Mid Ocean News story regarding your client’s grievance,” he said.

Mr. Dennis today: “I did not expect an apology. I think Mr. Dunch is off the Island but I have already instructed him to start proceedings.”

Mr. Dunch sent this newspaper a copy of his response to Mr. Burgess which said: “We shall consider matters further with our client in order to determine the most appropriate course of action to be taken at this time.”

Mr. Burgess is not the only member of the Progressive Labour Party that Mr. Dennis is considering taking action against. He announced earlier this week that he plans to sue union activist LaVerne Furbert over comments in her Workers Voice newspaper column.

Like Mr. Burgess, she also accused the Auditor General of criminal behaviour in relation to the BHC Police file.

Mr. Dennis, who has strongly denied any wrongdoing in relation to the matter, has come under fire in recent years by members of the PLP who have accused him of pro-Opposition bias.

He has previously said of his decision to take legal action: “I think my being quiet, they have just taken advantage of it. The Auditor General is not prime target during election time. I would not release a report during election time. It’s cowardly taking potshots during election time. They need to take the Auditor General seriously.”

Mr. Dennis has seen his office raided twice this year by Police hunting their missing dossier. In the first swoop on June 18, detectives also searched his home and detained him for 24 hours in custody.

Mr. Dennis was arrested on suspicion of handling the allegedly stolen BHC file, which is an allegation he has always denied. Mr. Darrell was also arrested but both had their Police bail lifted on December 4.

A Bermuda Police spokesman said at the time that inquiries are ongoing.