THEBERMUDA Housing Corporation will pursue arrangements for transferring leaseholds into freehold ownership of homes in the Mary Victoria/Alexandra Road area, after completing maintenance work there, according to Housing Minister Ashfield DeVent (pictured).

Mr. DeVent was responding to a series of questions put to him by his shadow counterpart Wayne Furbert.

Mr. DeVent said that BHC had no plans to improve the common areas this fiscal year but will continue to maintain the landscaping. In response to other questions on the area, he said that BHC would discharge its maintenance responsibilities under the lease agreement which included maintaining the common areas, road paving, painting the outside of the houses, upgrading the lighting and maintaining the sewage systems. He said the sewage system had been surveyed recently and hairline cracks had been detected which will be repaired by a private contractor. BHC had also recently installed a new sewage pump and a backup pump.

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BERMUDA INDUSTRIAL Union leader Derrick Burgess has said labour is not to blame for expensive building projects.

He told the House of Assembly during the motion to adjourn that construction costs have doubled since the 1990s to an average of $350 per square foot.

He said two hoteliers had told him they had been quoted renovation prices of $450 per square foot while one Government project had gone from $12 million to $19 million in a year.

Wage costs used to be blamed for building prices but that excuse would not wash today said Mr. Burgess.

He said many building firms flouted International Labour Organisation conventions dating back to the 1940s and paid overtime at straight time. Working weeks of 58 hours on straight time were being required said Mr. Burgess.

“The only people making a lot of money is the construction bosses. It isn't going in the pockets of the workers.”

Opposition MP Maxwell Burgess attacked Government's handling of the teachers' dispute.

He also said said it was time Home Affairs Minister Randy Horton made a decision over the leadership of the prisons.

An independent review body had recommended Commissioner John Prescod and his two deputies be sacked.

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FORMERCHIEF Parliamentary Counsel Norma Maitland-Staines has been taken on as a consultant with the Attorney General's chambers at $12,000 a month.

It is unclear why Government chose to hire her as a consultant as opposed to keeping her in the civil service. Responding in writing to questions posed by Opposition House Leader John Barritt, the Attorney General's Chambers informed the House of Assembly that Mrs. Maitland-Staines primary duties are to “provide legislative drafting, consolidation of Bermuda's statutes, the legislation programme and law reform.”

She is also expected to provide “other consultative support” as requested by the Attorney General including Ministerial statements and Cabinet memos.