Public jeers HDC

The group, about 50 persons, stood up during the meeting when they felt that issues being raised were not relevant to them. And a loud round of applause came from the public gallery when UNC Senator, Wade Mark, shouted to HDC managing director, Noel Garcia, “The Government’s housing policy needs to be revisited. It’s not reaching the poor!” It was then that Anmolsingh-Mahabir cautioned the public gallery crowd about noise making and standing. The group kept the peace but as soon as the meeting was over, held a press conference right near the steps of the Red House. President of the East Port-of-Spain Business Association, Hayden Roberts, said their major concern was that they were not being consulted about the area’s redevelopment project.

“We want the HDC to tell the truth to the public. Garcia doesn’t even know my name. This is prime property and we are not going to give up our businesses and then come back and rent,” he said. Joseph Charles, who runs an art shop, said businesses like Chee Mooke Bakery are as established in the area as the pyramids in Egypt. “Government has to change the whole plan for East Port-of-Spain. They are attacking our democracy by not consulting with us,” he warned. Another resident cut in, “Manning should be careful. Election coming.”

Ted Thomas, secretary of the association, said, “We’re asking Garcia, why the silent treatment?” Hazel Smith, a 60-year-old resident representing Is We Community Developers, added,

“This is like being terrorised. I don’t know when they are going to put me out, or where I am going.” The association held a membership meeting at Hosein’s Roti Shop in the city to consider protest action. Thomas said they may consider closing their businesses for half a day and staging a protest outside the HDC.

At the earlier JSC meeting, it was Anmolsingh-Mahabir who steered the discussions in the direction of the East Port-of-Spain redevelopment controversy. She asked if any consideration was given to the objections raised by the affected businesses and residents in a letter to the HDC.

Garcia replied, “We followed a procedure set out in law, which says the Minister of Housing will consider the objections. We have duly received the letter, noted the contents and passed it on to the minister for his consideration.” Mark then asked about a “private organisation that has been going around asking the people of East Port-of-Spain to leave the area for a certain price.”

Garcia said, “There is a consultation group working with the HDC, Roy Consultants, which has approached five business owners, and 15 residents of East Port-of-Spain, asking them to enter into private negotiations. This is not intimidating or terrorising residents.”

Earlier in the meeting, Garcia had also noted that construction costs were steadily rising and said a large percentage of the people on the HDC’s database would not be able to access homes if the full cost of housing is passed on.

He said there was a note before Cabinet addressing the whole question of affordability of housing.

But Mark countered that the HDC’s current wave of construction has contributed to rising costs and making houses less affordable to low-income citizens. Even Tunapuna MP, Eddie Hart, endorsed this when he highlighted the case of a person who applied for a house at a price of $189,000 and was last week told it had skyrocketed to $250,000.

Garcia said there are 23 persons who ended up with houses they could not afford, and they would be offered homes they could pay for.