Correcting Almond Court story

In a telephone interview yesterday your reporter Camille Clarke requested a response to the protest by the Almond Court residents, with particular reference to the alleged relocation of Nelson Street residents to the community.

I told Ms Clarke that the Managing Director, Mr Noel Garcia, and other principals of the Housing Development Corporation held a meeting with the residents of Almond Court last Wednesday and sought to allay their concerns about phase two of the development.

At that meeting the residents were reminded of all the remedial work the HDC had already completed and were apprised of the plans for continuing works. I further explained to Ms Clarke that the residents were informed that the new apartments were not necessarily for residents of Nelson Street and if any were relocated there it would be less than five families since the 668 families to be relocated would be housed across Trinidad. I telephoned Ms Clarke ten minutes later to correct one statement.

The corrected statement was "There are in fact no plans to relocate any of the residents of East Port-of-Spain to Almond Court. People who are relocated to Morvant would be sent to Almond Drive, which is near to Almond Court." At no point did I say to Ms Clarke that "I did tell the residents from East Port-of-Spain and others that they would be sent to Morvant and other areas." I also referred her to other stories carried by your newspaper regarding the proposed relocation, which contained all background information on the Port-of-Spain Urban Renewal project.

I later faxed a media release to your newspaper (and other media houses) providing further details on the matter.

Ms Clarke’s misconstruction of my statements has left the public with incorrect information about the Corporation and its intention and I would like to request that your newspaper publish a correction of the article, giving it the same prominence as the misleading version.

ANNABELLE BRASNELL

Communication Specialist

Ministry of Housing