FOURTH Friday into the new parliamentary session, Mr. Editor, and the new Premier was away. No problem. It happens. As we know he was off to London (no, not to visit the Queen) but for a meeting of the Overseas Territories Council (for chats with the Governor, ahem - at least for now) and a dinner with Bermudian students overseas (aka young voters who will be guaranteed a vote wherever they are if only the PLP would get on with absentee ballots).

Meanwhile, his absence gave two of his Ace men centre stage in the House on the Hill: Nelson Bascombe in the reprise role of Minister for Health and Family Services (minus Housing this time around, if you hadn't noticed), piloting through amendments to the Professions Supplementary to Medicine Act (henceforth to be known as Allied Health Professionals, thanks to the changes), along with Dennis Lister, the new Minister of Works & Engineering in the Brown Cabinet, who led the debate for Government on the sale of leasehold land for housing at Southside.

You may remember that these two MPs were left out in the cold (read out of Cabinet) when The Man Before Brown, Scott, Alexander, took over from Dame Jennifer back in the opening act of the Wreck in Devonshire, following the we-had-to-mislead-you election in the summer of 2003. Bascombe from the backbench (then) even went on to complain publicly about just how cold it was on the outside looking in.

That was earlier this year in April, in an interview with one of the newspapers the PLP just loves to hate, but will occasionally deem to use to advantage, The Royal Gazette. He along with Lister, Dennis, and Scott, George, had also been put in a corner in the House. Literally. They sat on the Opposition side of the Chamber, next to us, across from their colleagues. Forgotten, we used to say, but not gone.

This time around they were remembered by The Man Who Now Counts. Turns out that they were working hard for Dr. Brown and his bid to be the Next Man, initially behind the scenes, and openly in the latter stages of the campaign.

Such loyalty and devotion has its rewards. Just between us, Mr. Editor, we call it the Rolfe commission for want of a better term.

So there they were back to the future last Friday in the House on the Hill, Ministers once again; although neither of them was actually in charge. Instead, we were told, Neletha Butterfield was Acting Premier for the Day. Turns out that the Deputy Ms. Paula Cox was also in London, and Education and Sports Minister Randy Horton, a strong Brown Man, was in Barbados.

Of the two Ministers, Lister (Dennis) had the harder ride. Rightly so too. There he was moving a resolution to sell the leasehold interest in 2.52 acres of land down at Southside in St. David's for a term of 120 years to a local firm, Trinity Construction Ltd., for $3.8 million dollars. But he couldn't - or wouldn't - produce the plans and the contract to show us precisely what would be built where and the terms of which would ensure the final prices did not exceed $450,000.00 for 36 two-bedroom units and $525,000.00 for 18 three-bedroom units.

Dr. Grant Gibbons of the Opposition United Bermuda Party made the point. It was just weeks ago that the PLP Government shared with us voluminous documentation on matters of even less significance. Let me list them to make the point, again: -

A 160-page contract for the provision of Air Operation and Maintenance Services at the Bermuda International Airport for five years commencing April 1 this year;

A 44-page Licence for Advertising Display Concession also at the airport; and

A 36-page contract for a phased upgrade of Airport Terminal restrooms, diaper rooms and janitor closets. (I kid you not Mr. Editor)

But for the sale of land and the construction of 54 homes? Nothing. Except a five line resolution.

Scott, Michael, tried to row his boat to the rescue of the Minister. He wanted to re-assure the public that $3.8 million was "a good price" for the land.

"We have selected persons who have the capital and the expertise", he continued - in what was (I think) also a reference to the Loughlands project, "and who can provide the muscle for the delivery of housing".

Yes, delivery. As Opposition Leader Wayne Furbert pointed out the PLP Government had only promised to commence construction on 330 "rental units" (their words, not ours) within 30 months in their Throne Speech last November, and that after seven years in power.

But these units at Southside won't be for rent. In fact, Shadow Ministers Jon Brunson for housing and Pat Gordon-Pamplin for Finance did some calculations on the promised sale prices, and at $200-plus per square foot on two and three bedroom units of 1110 and 1350 square feet respectively, they worked out a potential profit for the developer of $12-million. It's a profit margin that looks better too, if Government exempts from customs duty all building material.

Of course, that's just us guessing, I guess you could say - which they did. But what choice given the limited information which the PLP Government chose to share.

As for those folks in need of affordable homes for rent, we were told that the theory is that the purchasers of these new units will free up more units for rental and help drive down prices.

That's a plan? Sounds more like a hope and a prayer to me, Mr. Editor, and if it is thought that a rising tide lifts all yachts, somebody somewhere needs to be reminded that the people in need have no yachts.

The mole truth and nothing but

FORGET running with the hounds and hunting with the foxes, Mr. Editor. It seems the House on the Hill is about to embark on the great Mole Hunt. (Yes, mole, and not that mould, which has been in the news recently, although there may be some of that up there too, if they could have a look after CedarBridge.Please.) The hunt has apparently been initiated by the Speaker who, along with members of the Government, were exercised by the leak of an internal Bermuda College expenses report which was prepared for and delivered to the Public Accounts Committee - PAC for short.

The contents were splashed all over The Royal Gazette (that newspaper again) on the day we met last week and touched off a mini firestorm on the motion to adjourn - the flames for which were soon doused by the Speaker who wasn't about to allow debate on the contents until PAC completes it review.

That's how the process is supposed to work. It's all private and hush-hush until PAC makes a report to the House.

Pardon me, Mr. Editor, but if you ask me the entire saga is akin to making a mountain out of a molehill. You've heard me before on this, but in other progressive, modern jurisdictions (which is most of the Commonwealth as far as I can tell) the work of the Public Accounts Committee - one of the more important parliamentary vehicles when it comes to accountability - is rarely, if ever, done behind closed doors. There would be no leaks: reports and presentations and committee hearings would be open to the press and the public.

It is on this much-needed reform, Mr. Editor, that time and energy and angst would be better spent.

Coming attractions

BY way of a postscript to last week's column, Mr. Editor, I've been challenged: why not let the people know what legislation has been tabled and is on the Order Paper each week for debate?

Good suggestion: I will see what I can do, starting as of today: -

Two Pension (Increase) Orders which - don't get excited seniors - only adjust civil service pensions by taking into account the rate of inflation over two years.

A whole new Adoption of Children Act to replace that which has been in place since 1963.

Further changes to the Fisheries Act which include the power by the Minister to temporarily ban fishing for up to 90 days in "an area declared to be a fish aggregation area within a protected area in the exclusive economic zone". Go fish, er, figure, Mr. Editor?!

Two further amendments to the Motor Car Act which will (1) crackdown in the importation of modified and/or oversized cars ( from now on, of course) and (2) regulate more closely the operation of minibuses.

While we will not be idling for the next couple of weeks, Mr. Editor, these pieces certainly will not put us into top gear.

The Speaker listens

AMONG the visitors in the public gallery last Friday, Mr. Editor, was one of the winning teams of the annual schools debate hosted by the Bermuda Debate Society and Bermuda Junior Service League: Sharon Bean, Jasmine Cooke and Fredrika Hill from Clearwater Middle School who were there with some of their classmates, guests of the Acting Premier.

They were acknowledged during the traditional period of congrats and obits, along with the winning senior team from Saltus Grammar: Blake Sonnenfeld, Adam Kiki-Charles and Sasha Slayton.

Their presence also provided one of the more instructive - and amusing - exchanges of the day.

MP Cole Simons had served as a judge on the day of the competition and seen the Clearwater team in action."Mr. Speaker", said Mr. Simons in extending his personal congratulations, "I don't mind telling you that they could teach us a few things."

"I don't doubt it", came the quick reply from the Chair.

Hear, hear

LINE of the day however, for me, Mr. Editor, has to go to Grant Gibbons. There we were going over the amendments to the Professions Supplementary to Medicine Act

(watching paint dry or watching dry paint, it's all the same to most) when I spotted what I thought were some changes that ought to be made to ensure consistency in what was being proposed. I belaboured the point.

MP and lawyer Michael Scott didn't agree and, in his exasperation, suggested that the Opposition's eyesight be tested. Metaphorically or literally speaking, it didn't matter.

Not to Grant in any event.

"It's not eyesight that needs to be checked up here, Mr. Speaker", he shouted out.

"It's hearing".

Hear, hear.