United Bermuda Party MP Mr. Simons yesterday issued an impassioned response to comments by Works & Engineering and Housing Minister David Burch, who admitted this week to "short-circuiting" the planning process.

Meanwhile, Shadow Housing Minister Kim Swan accused Sen. Burch of "trampling on people's rights because he and his Government have failed to plan for and build housing for people in need".

Speaking at a public meeting in St. George's on Wednesday night, Senator Burch said Government's use of Special Development Orders (SDOs) for housing projects to avoid the normal planning procedure was an "abuse of the system" that he was unrepentant about, because the affordable housing crisis demanded it.

The Government has provoked the ire of more than 200 Paget residents with what is believed to be an unprecedented failure to produce publicly available plans for the 96-unit Loughlands development on South Road, a public-private sector partnership scheme.

We sent an e-mailed question to newly-appointed Environment Minister Randy Horton, whose department is responsible for overseeing the planning process, asking for his views on Sen. Burch's comments.

"The Minister of the Environment, Hon. K. H. Randolph Horton, JP, MP, is not prepared to respond to this kind of information that has been reported in ," Permanent Secretary for the Environment Wayne Carey responded.

Shadow Minister Mr. Simons expressed strong opinions on the matter.

"The tyrants have revealed themselves," Mr. Simons said. "They have set an agenda, and will deliver on their agenda, irrespective of how it impacts Bermuda and her laws.

"Like all tyrants, when it comes to planning and the Bermuda environment, this Government wields a cruel and arbitrary abuse of power. There is such disdain for the people of Bermuda.

"How can a senior Government Minister comfortably tell over 100 fellow Bermudians that he abused the system and Bermuda's planning laws? How can that same Minister force the issuance of SDOs in a manner which flagrantly violates Bermuda's planning law?

"How can he do it with no remorse or respect for the people most impacted. To short-circuit Bermuda's laws indicates to me that this Government is trying to run our country like a personal fiefdom.

" 'I am the man', I am in charge and the game will be played for my benefit, under my own rules. It sounds like a state of tyranny to me.

"What other western democratic governments would stand by and allow its senior Government Ministers to show such disdain for the majority of its people? What western democratic government would condone the behaviour of two senior Government Ministers who have told thousands of aggrieved community members that they must 'get over' their concern and vehement opposition to the illegal development of the hospital on Governmment's Botanical Gardens?"

Sen. Swan added to the Opposition criticism of Sen. Burch.

"Sen. Burch justifies this authoritarian approach on the grounds that we are in a housing crisis," Sen. Swan said yesterday. "Well I say, where have you been? Where has your Government been?

"The housing crisis has been with us for years and it is only now, with an election in sight, that they are moving to meet the needs that could have been met years ago."

Sen. Burch's approach "made a mockery" of the Government's sustainable development drive, Sen. Swan added.

"It might be worthwhile for Sen. Burch to start caring about what people think and to respect their concerns," he said. "Build affordable, yes, but don't do it on the wreckage of people's rights to have a say in the life of their neighbourhoods.

"Bermuda is supposed to be a democracy. We should never forget that."

Everyone agreed on the need for affordable housing and, with proper planning, the Government could have delivered it during its eight years in power, he added.

"This issue, rather, is about the Government setting itself apart from the rules governing everyone else. It's about the Government doing things without documents, without consultation or disclosure. It is wrong and it violates natural justice.

"An SDO means there is no disclosure about what the Government intends to do. No one ? not the Development Applications Board, not the public, not community organisations, not MPs ? knows exactly what will be built."