In what has turned into a David and Goliath battle, the plight of Keno City residents who contend they are being pushed aside by Alexco Resource Corp. and its plans for mining silver in the region, is being ignored by the Yukon government, says Liberal MLA Eric Fairclough.

"Residents of Keno were very disappointed in the government's handling of their concerns,” charged the Mayo-Tatchun MLA during Tuesday's question period.

"The government's response to every issue that has been raised is the same: no, no, no.”

Last March, Keno residents went public after learning Alexco would build a crusher 800 metres from the tiny community.

Company CEO Clynt Nauman insisted there had been "constructive dialogue” with Alexco's new neighbours.

Members of the small Yukon community said Alexco's proposal to build a processing plant less than a kilometre from their homes was made right under their noses.

"They gave us no indication of where it was to be located ... we became aware of the details for the first time in January (2009) and in my mind, this is entirely too late,” said Keno residents' spokesman Bob Wagner.

"This does not constitute consultation in my mind (so) I don't know what Mr. Nauman is referring to.”

Now Keno residents fear Alexco is planning to build an access road through the community; a portion of which would be on land currently occupied by four homes.

In a letter to the editor published in Tuesday's Star, Nauman assures that will not happen.

"Some residents continue to raise an issue that we are planning to route roads over homes that exist on our lot 960,” writes Nauman.

"We should be very clear that we never did plan to develop a road over homes in Keno City, and Keno residents are well aware of this.”

But Wagner's partner, Insa Schultenkotter, said she has seen a map that suggests otherwise, and added Alexco never stated its intentions one way or another.

"We never received in writing that they wouldn't (build this road), but there's a drawing and design so somebody has been thinking about it,” Schultenkotter told the Star this morning.

As both minister of Energy, Mines and Resources and Community Services, Archie Lang is in a perceived conflict of interest, according to Schultenkotter, and is taking Alexco's side while shirking his

responsibilities toward Keno City.

Lang was not yet the Mines minister last July when he refused Keno residents' attempt to establish an advisory council to represent the community's needs to the government.

"He always said we're too small to take responsibility,” Schultenkotter said. "These guys like Archie Lang, they want to be the big people who brought mining back to the territory at all costs”.

Back in the legislature, Lang denied the government had anything to do with the land transfer that included lot 960; part of a $400,000 court-structured sale in 2006 of 35 mine properties to Alexco.

"That was a court-ordered transfer,” he said. "It had nothing to do with the territorial government. That transfer of the assets of United Keno Hill to Alexco was a court-driven decision.”

The Mines and Community Services minister also promised to "work with (Keno City) to form a community association so we can have a conduit of information flowing.”