A heavily pregnant Health Minister Patrice Minors said yesterday “she was the wrong person to mess with” after it was alleged her father had received preferential treatment from the Bermuda Housing Corporation.

VSB News reported on Tuesday night that Mrs. Minors' father, Kingsley Francis, had been moved to new senior citizens residence Ferguson Park from the Anchorage Road apartments in St. George's.

The report came after Opposition Leader Grant Gibbons told the House of Assembly on Monday that a Minister's relative had been moved to an apartment which was comfortable and suited his needs, while other residents were offered sub-standard housing.

Dr. Gibbons spoke on behalf of residents who were told that they would have to move out of their apartments to another location by December 15. Several families are upset with the choices offered to them, however, and have spoken with Opposition MPs over their plight.

Yesterday, both Mrs. Minors and Housing Minister Ashfield DeVent accused the Opposition of “politicising” the controversial Anchorage Road development, which Government is due to renovate extensively. Mr. DeVent also accused the media of blowing the controversy out of proportion.

Mr. DeVent and Mrs. Minors said they were “disgusted” and “disappointed” with the way the media also had joined in the politicisation of the issue.

But VSB news journalist Sherri Simmons replied in the Press conference that when these types of issues are raised on the floor of the House, the media has a duty to investigate the allegations.

“Media persons are picking the wrong person to mess, with being hormonal and in the last stages of pregnancy,” Mrs. Minors said as she began her statement. “I thought, first, we needed to get the facts straight here.”

Mrs. Minors said she first contacted her father about his impending move from Anchorage Road and he said he didn't know what was happening.

She then called the Housing Minister and told him that her father had not been contacted. Mrs.Minors said she then called the chairman of the BHC and later followed up on that phone call.

“That's the only thing that I did,” she said.

She said her father handled his dealings with BHC independently.

Last week her father had moved to an apartment for a single person located at Ferguson Park - a residence for independent seniors built in 2001. He had never been delinquent in his rent, according to the Minister, and has already set up a standing order for the payment of his new rent.

As his only child, she said she was concerned about her father living at the apartments “in humble surroundings” and in need of renovation.

“I think it is important to address these comments,” Mrs. Minors said. “They were first made on the floor of the house from the Opposition leader about a Minister whose father resides at the Anchorage View apartment and was purported to have gotten some preferential treatment with regards to her father.

“He has moved, he was one of three seniors relocated by the Bermuda Housing Corporation. He is on his own and meets the qualifications for Ferguson Park.

“I have never intervened or been involved in trying to get him some special place to live, he has done it on his own accord.

“I want to make sure that is clear to everyone, as this issue has been politicised. I am very disgusted with the manner in which the media has chosen to politicise this and I thought it was important to let you know it is not appreciated.”

Mrs. Minors said other seniors living at Anchorage Road were also offered accommodation at Ferguson Park and turned it down.

One felt the apartment offered wasn't large enough and another needed a two-bedroom apartment as she wanted to be relocated with her son.

Mrs. Simmons, who is also the wife of Opposition MP Jamahl Simmons, said VSB was merely doing the job of journalism by investigating the accusation when she challenged the Minister's comments at the Press conference. She said the media reported the issue as it was raised by the Dr. Gibbons in the House of Assembly.

“The next logical question would be, if that is the accusation, who is the person the accusation is about?” said Mrs. Simmons. “We (VSB) asked who the Minister he was referring to was.”

Mr. DeVent said the issue of Anchorage Road had blown out of control. He said the media did not got their facts straight.

“I am disgusted, disappointed we are going to stoop to such levels,” he said. “This is an issue clearly laid on the table but the Opposition has chosen to politicise it.”

“No one was kicked out, this is a property which has to be renovated. We have done everything we can to place everyone where we can.”

He said Government tried to find homes for people which suited their needs. These residents were then invited to go to the private sector and search for accommodation, said Mr. DeVent.

Although some of the Anchorage Road apartments appear to be suitable to live in, Mr. DeVent said they were in need of extensive rewiring and plumbing.

Residents of the apartment complex, who spoke with The Royal Gazette last week, said they had never met with Mr. DeVent to address their concerns.

Yesterday, however, Mr. DeVent said many former residents of the Anchorage Road complex were happy with their new homes.

The two residents who spoke with The Royal Gazette said many people were offered sub-standard housing and would be faced with having their families split up over Christmas.