It was a ?miscommunication? that resulted in Shadow Seniors spokeswoman Louise Jackson being barred from a meeting regarding tenants at the Bermuda Housing Trust, Housing Minister Ashfield DeVent said yesterday.

Mrs. Jackson said that Rent Commissioner Eugene Foley was ?shocked and appalled? at the matter, and acted promptly to rectify it.

The property inspection meetings, set up through Mr. Foley, intended to review rent increases at the Bermuda Housing Trust properties for those tenants who are appealing the increases. Rents at the BHT were raised at the beginning of the year, with some of the increases more than doubling the monthly rent.

Mrs. Jackson and area MP John Barritt have been acting as spokespersons for the seniors living on the properties. Seniors who could not afford the rents were told to go to Financial Assistance, advice touted as demoralising and degrading by tenants, Ms Jackson and Mr. Barritt.

Yesterday, Mrs. Jackson said Mr. Foley had facilitated a series of meetings to take place between the rent review committee, tenants, and Mrs. Jackson and Mr. Barritt.

However when she arrived at the Hayden Trust for the first meeting at 9 a.m. on Monday morning, she was met by three members of the rent review committee ? and told that she could not attend the meeting.

?He said he was sorry, but that my presence would taint the process,? Mrs. Jackson said of one member of the committee yesterday.

The ?very, very upsetting? experience sent her to the House of Assembly, where Mr. Foley was attending the Budget debate of the office of the Rent Commissioner.

?He was shocked, absolutely shocked and appalled,? she said.

Mr. Foley promptly checked into the matter, and the situation was cleared up before Mrs. Jackson and Mr. Barritt attended a 3.30 meeting at Ferguson Park that afternoon, she said.

The statement from Mr. DeVent last night said the Chairman of the Rent Increases Advisory Panel had not been informed that permission was given to Mrs. Jackson to be present.

Saying that Mrs. Jackson and Mr. Barritt were acting as observers, and that their presence had nothing whatsoever to do with the process, Mr. DeVent added he was hopeful that granting such access to members of the Opposition would allow them to continue to act as advocates, and not turn the issue into a political football. was unable to contact Mr. Foley last night.