Housing trust is functioning, say officials
(CNS): Despite the arrest of a member of the National Housing Development Trust under anti-corruption legislation and the seizure of the trust’s computers, officials from the office have stated that the programme itself is unaffected by the situation. General Manager Janet James said that the administrative functions have not been impeded. “There are no accusations relating to the operational or financial aspects of the NHDT. Our offices are open as usual, and we are cooperating fully with the authorities,” she said, adding that the RCIPS investigation has not impacted the NHDT’s service to the public.
Mike Adam, the minister with responsibility has stated that he will be issuing a release today (Friday 21 October) with more details regarding the future of the board which even before the arrest had experienced a string of resignations.
A number of former board members raised concerns this week that the government had not been clear that when the arrest was made there were only three remaining members on the trust board and the government website had not been updated since the board was appointed in January 2010, giving the impression that anyone of them could have been under suspicion despite their long departure.
Former board member Alric Lindsay told CNS he had resigned in May last year and Rayal Bodden had resigned just two months later. Most other members with the exception of the chair, the deputy chair and one other member had all tendered their resignations over the last few months. The minister confirmed that the most recent resignations had occurred just last week.
The board had originally comprised nine members and required five members to attend to form a quorum. CNS was informed that after the surge of resignations no new appointments were made and instead the remaining members changed the regulations and reduced the quorum requirement to just three members.
The police have confirmed that a 59 year old man was released on police bail this week after his arrest in George Town on Monday. The man who is also a director of the UDP was arrested under sections 13 and 17 of the Anti-Corruption Law for breach of trust and abuse of public office, as well as suspicion of obtaining property by deception. The man is understood to have manipulated his position of trust on the board to sell insurance to applicants who applied to buy homes on the recently completed East End site.
To contact the office NDHT office which is now open in the Cayman Centre call 945 7649.
Category: Local News
If they didn't have a proper quorum, how could they change the rules to allow a smaller quorum? Does anyone ever ask the Attorney General for a legal opinion before they do such things? Secondly, how can the administration be operating as usual if what it was doing before resulted in an arrest, seizure of its computers, etc. Has it not yet changed what it was doing? Does it not need its computer records for regular operations? I can see Ms James is trying to reassure people, but it does not look like she knows what she is talking about.
Their functioning is the problem.
Shame, Shame
Double Standard – i find it hypocritical that the media freely names expats that have been arrested but when it comes to the government leaders all remain hush. Just name the individual and be done with it, it is the public's right to know.
CNS: No one is named when they are arrested. Suspects are named by the media if and when they are charged.
16:35 What are you going to gain by the media naming the government official??? – try find some thing good to do with your time. Try spend that time feeding or providing for your children – in case you don't have any children, still try find some thing more profitable to do instead of trying to find out people business.
Cayman's business is all our business you bufoon!
Thought it was a NHDT Board Member NOT a Government Official???
It is false to state that the media "freely names expats that have been are arrested". In fact quite the opposite – even where they are charged with crimes the fact one is an expat is often not revealed.