Jennifer Lopez and ghost gangs long retired

Garcia said those allegations were the subject of an investigation by the Integrity Commission and he appeared before the commission to address those allegations. "They were satisfied with the explanations that the NHA gave," he stated.

The NHA chairman also indicated that independent auditors KPMG had done a report on the apartment refurbishment programme, and that report would soon be coming before a parliamentary sub-committee.

Garcia said Mark had his points to make but "what I am dealing with is the facts." Those facts, he continued, are that no ghost gangs are operating in the NHA.

"Jennifer Lopez and so forth have long been retired," he declared, making reference to the name of Hollywood pop superstar and actress Jennifer Lopez, whose name appeared on a payslip for work done in the NHA some years ago.

Garcia also said there was no truth to rumours of local commercial banks in collusion with ghost gangs. Garcia also said concerns about the new TT Housing Devel-opment Corporation (that will replace the NHA) being outside the purview of the Central Tenders Board were a non-issue because that is where the NHA has been for the last 15 years. He explained that the legislation to establish the corporation will bring the NHA in line with what is now modern management and business practices.

The NHA chairman said the new company’s finances will be handled by independent auditors and its financial reports will be scrutinised by Parliament. He added that some 500 to 600 of the NHA’s 1,100 workers will transfer to the new company while the remainder will either stay in the Public Service or accept a VSEP package being offered by the NHA.

Garcia said talks with the workers’ unions on the issue are ongoing, but some workers have expressed interest in accepting the VSEP.NATIONAL Housing Author-ity (NHA) chairman Noel Garcia said on Thursday that the Integrity Commission is satisfied there are no ghost gangs in the NHA. Speaking with journalists during the tea break in the Senate, Garcia dismissed allegations made earlier in the sitting by UNC Senator Wade Mark about ghost gangs operating within the NHA, and particularly through an apartment refurbishment programme undertaken by the authority one year ago.

Garcia said those allegations were the subject of an investigation by the Integrity Commission and he appeared before the commission to address those allegations. "They were satisfied with the explanations that the NHA gave," he stated.

The NHA chairman also indicated that independent auditors KPMG had done a report on the apartment refurbishment programme, and that report would soon be coming before a parliamentary sub-committee.

Garcia said Mark had his points to make but "what I am dealing with is the facts." Those facts, he continued, are that no ghost gangs are operating in the NHA.

"Jennifer Lopez and so forth have long been retired," he declared, making reference to the name of Hollywood pop superstar and actress Jennifer Lopez, whose name appeared on a payslip for work done in the NHA some years ago.

Garcia also said there was no truth to rumours of local commercial banks in collusion with ghost gangs. Garcia also said concerns about the new TT Housing Devel-opment Corporation (that will replace the NHA) being outside the purview of the Central Tenders Board were a non-issue because that is where the NHA has been for the last 15 years. He explained that the legislation to establish the corporation will bring the NHA in line with what is now modern management and business practices.

The NHA chairman said the new company’s finances will be handled by independent auditors and its financial reports will be scrutinised by Parliament. He added that some 500 to 600 of the NHA’s 1,100 workers will transfer to the new company while the remainder will either stay in the Public Service or accept a VSEP package being offered by the NHA.

Garcia said talks with the workers’ unions on the issue are ongoing, but some workers have expressed interest in accepting the VSEP.