Last Updated: Friday, March 12, 2010 : 10:00 AM
Home / News _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
News
KENT PROBE
Minister of Housing and Lands, Michael Lashley.
Published on: 11/16/2009.
by TREVOR YEARWOOD
CABINET COULD SOON BE having a close look at the controversial sale of state land in Kent, Christ Church, to determine whether laws were broken.
Minister of Housing and Lands Michael Lashley made the disclosure on Friday while delivering the weekly lecture at the Democratic Labour Party's (DLP) headquarters in Belleville, St Michael.
Lashley said in an interview later: "The matter will be discussed internally at the NHC [National Housing Corporation] and then it will be forwarded to Cabinet."
He said he was "very disturbed" by the development.
Auditor General Leigh Trotman first raised some concerns about the land sales in a scathing Special Audit of the NHC covering the five-year period April 1, 2003, to March 31, 2008.
Leigh said that under the Barbados Labour Party (BLP) administration, more
than 80 acres of Government-owned land earmarked by the NHC for housing were eventually sold to private developers, contrary to decisions
of Parliament.
Minister of Economic Affairs David Estwick, who attended the lecture, said the NHC had acted ultra vires of the mandate given by Parliament.
He told the gathering that Government needed to treat the issue with the gravity it merited.
Government Senator Jepter Ince said: "I want to know, as a citizen of Barbados, what happened to the $16 milion as stated in the Auditor General's report from the sale of land at Kent that was supposed to go to Country Park Towers.
"All of Country Park Towers never got out the foundation until this present Government came to office. I want a full investigation."
In the lecture, Lashley gave an update on Government's programme to house the nation.
He reported that hundreds of homes were being built across the island, while Government was moving to give more long-standing tenants ownership of NHC units.
He also said Government was worried about the alleged "squandering" of a $12 million NHC loan facility under the previous administration.
According to Lashley, the special loan programme was "whittled away" in the 1990s.
He complained that no due diligence checks were made on the applicants and it was later found that a number of them had given incorrect information about employment and other factors.
"We are still trying to recover monies loaned in 1999," Lashley said.
13 comment found!
: 11/17/2009
Another bit of hot air, I suppose. Like all the other allegations that were made before, nothing will come of this one . I am not going to become too stirred up. They are all the same.
An Observer
: 11/17/2009
Greed and not being accountable for your actions at least now these underhand dealings are being reported by the press lets hope this type of behaviour is stamped out soon. It is the usual case of who you know and doing favours hence the land being sold off.
One Day : 11/16/2009
One day I hope and pray that true justice would take place in Barbados. This is not the first time that monies have disappeared and no one when to jail. This is how a country eventually crumbles. The poor taxpayers must pay their taxes while the crooked politicians with a stroke of pen can pocket millions and hide most of it in the Swiss Banks and nothing ever is done about it. Does this sound like a democracy? If so, where are the checks and balances and why aren't these people brought to justice.
Kent Probe "money Recovery" : 11/16/2009
While the minister is at it tell him to see if he can recover monies owed to poor people for 400 years of sweat and blood. Do these people understand that they are wearing out the public with these time wasting ventures? Job creation should be the daily topic in Barbados. Does it make the minister and his buddies appear strong by hatching out issues of the past? If so lets address 400 years of working for free. He wants to talk about injustice and land reform? Lets talk about how we should be repaid for 400 years. Yes thats my point we need to forget the 400 years and move on so why worry about afew acres of land? The islands is going in the wrong direction with these time wasteing ventures for political gain.
Foolishness : 11/16/2009
What we sow our children have to reap. No matter which government is in power they are suppose to have the well-being up the citizens at heart which include themselves also, so what is the real issue here? That's why some of our young people refuse to vote. Politics or poli-tricks. Come on you can do better. the barbados that you are dealing with now is what you created years ago, it didn't just change overnight.
: 11/16/2009
I'm sick of the enquiries and investigations which only provide money for lawyers. Seize the land and enquire after. There's need for more action, less talk.
BLP DIRTY LAUNDRY : 11/16/2009
It is rather interesting that that when private land owners sell their land to private developers there is usually an outcry about how how Bajans are selling their birth-rites. If that is indeed the case, then how do we characterize a BLP Administration that not only sold government land to private developers but sold land that was intended to build houses for Bajans who today are in desperate need for those very houses?
: 11/16/2009
I also want an investigation, but into CLICO where certain persons used to be gainfully employed and whose investments he touted for years! How come people can't get back their money out of CLICO, Senator?
: 11/16/2009
After all this, nobody is ever brought to justice. So why waste time? Why worry when we can pray and move ahead. Retired.
: 11/16/2009
Is Mr. Lashley saying that NHC was wrong in sellings its lands? Is he saying that the money has gone missing? Is he saying that the monies did not go into NHC coffers? What are you saying Mr. Lashley? Dos it really matter that the money was not used at Country Park Towers if it was used in another one of the NHC's projects? How naive does the Minister think we are?
More Innuendo! : 11/16/2009
The DLP ministers are spouting more innuendo! Where are all of the charges that were going to be laid against various BLP ministers? Either put up, or shut up! This is now similar to what happened in Antigua and other countries in the region. Peoples name are besmirched, but then no ation. One can only assume that all politicians are in cahoots!
What about the Agriculture Protection Act : 11/16/2009
THIS A YET ANOTHER DLP DISTRACTION TACTIC! WHAT ABOUT THE AGRICULTURE PROTECTION ACT THAT THE DLP PROMISED TO BRING IN THE FIRST 100 DAYS. AND WHERE ARE THE 2000 HOUSES THE DLP PROMISED TO BUILD EVERY YEAR FOR THE NEXT FIVE YEARS? THESE ARE THE ONLY THINGS I WANT TO HEAR ABOUT?
kent probe : 11/16/2009
this is one of the things i want MIA MASCOLL OWEN and the former minister to explain to joe public they have the answers i hope the money aint gone to maxwell pond
TODAY'S CARTOONS
3/10/2010
Most Emailed Stories
CASE NOT CLOSED: Snatched from home(3/5/2010)Prophets warn Bajans . . . again(3/7/2010)Thompson's shuffle(3/10/2010)Ster-ling Cup win(3/7/2010)Bajan loses legs in Afghanistan (3/7/2010)'If you feel the earth shake, run' (3/9/2010)Good Gold glitz(3/7/2010)Hindus want to spread the word(3/9/2010)Husbands back on top with Senate pick(3/11/2010)Fashion to farming(3/7/2010)
Do you think UWI should reduce its intake of students?
 |