IT IS MORE than 16 years since Clyde Denny gave up his home and land at Kings Gap, Eagle Hall, St Michael, to Government to make way for the construction of the Eagle Hall Market.
He was relocated to Passage View, Passage Road, St Michael in a three-bedroom home which was supposed to have been transferred to his ownership by the Ministry of Housing and Lands.
But after all these years the retiree still has no title deed to the property even after writing and visiting several Government officials over the years about the matter.
Nine years ago he also sought assistance from this newspaper to publicise his plight and still after that nothing has happened even though the then Minister of Public Works, Gline Clarke, acknowledged that Denny had a legitimate concern and that a unit had been established in the ministry to expedite matters like the pensioner’s.
Added to his frustration, Denny said he was notified when he moved into the house not to do anything with it until it was officially transferred to him. However, he said, he had been experiencing headaches getting maintenance work done.
“I had a gas leak and the bathroom was leaking and when I called the Ministry a man allowed me to know that after ten years I own the house so I should fix them myself,” he said.
He also recently had a rude awakening from a financial institution when he went to obtain a loan.
“My son told me that he wanted to build a house so I went to my bank to see if I could give him some assistance and the bank told me I don’t have no security. I don’t own the house. This is sixteen-and-a-half years that they got me in limbo.”
He pointed out that even his lawyer, Hal Gollop, had written several letters to the relevant authorities but had not received any responses.
“I sat in his office a day and he called the legal officer for National Housing and the phone rang and rang for nearly 15 minutes.”
In addition, Denny said he personally telephoned Minister of Housing Denis Kellman about the matter.
“Before I could explain to him what I am going through he told me you have to write me a letter; so I ain’t worry with him no more because it is a waste of time.”
The father of seven said he even got his priest to write the ministry on his behalf, but yet again there was no response.
“This is very frustrating. I don’t understand it. You can’t take my property from me and you end up with two properties and I ain’t got none. It is not fair.”
In 2004 he received a letter from the Ministry informing him that the Ministry was awaiting “ratification” in order to complete the transfer of title to him.
Denny said the situation had made him lose confidence in Government.
“I don’t think I have a right to vote now. I lost my right to vote for anybody.”
When contacted, the general manager of the National Housing Corporation, Lanette Napoleon-Young, said the vesting of the property was being done by the Ministry of Housing.
“Once that process is completed, the corporation will be in a position to convey,” she said.
mariabradshaw@nationnews.com
