One day before the deadline just 60 people have applied for the lottery to win the right to buy a $199,000 home at Southside. Nearly 1,000 applications have been issued for the lottery on June 3 for 98 homes being built by Bermuda Homes for People at Harbourside Village.

Harbourside Village spokeswoman Aideen Ratteray-Pryse said there would be no extension to the deadline for applications which is tomorrow at 4.45. p.m.

She said: ?Sixty completed applications have been returned to the Bermuda Housing Corporation, 973 applications have been issued and at least one of the banks has pre-approved more than 130 mortgages.?

Another 98 homes are available for first-time homeowners at market prices but only 32 deposits have been taken while seven others have placed reservations but have yet to place the deposit.

On Friday in the House of Assembly Opposition Home Affairs spokesman Maxwell Burgess caused a storm of Government protest when he claimed the project is in deep trouble. But Mr. Burgess stuck to his guns and said talks had taken place with Bermuda Land Development Company to take over the project. However Ms Ratteray-Pryse tsaid ?I am not aware of what Mr. Burgess is referring to? and re-confirmed Bermuda Homes for People is developing Harbourside Village.

In Parliament, Mr. Burgess denied claiming the project was in financial trouble but he did not specify what sort of trouble it was in. He further claimed it would be behind schedule and over budget and he challenged Government to commit to saying otherwise. Both Premier Alex Scott and Housing Minister Ashfield DeVent challenged Mr. Burgess to produce facts.