Cadette to probe claims of dual home ownership

Secretary for Settlements and Labour Huey Cadette

The allocation and distribution of houses by the Division of Settlements of the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) had come under scrutiny during the just concluded election campaign for the January 21, polls.

Serious allegations were made during the political hustings about the lack of transparency in the distribution system of the houses, which were constructed at Roxborough, Blenheim and Adventure in Plymouth.

MP for Tobago East Vernella Alleyne-Toppin openly charged that as many as five relatives of one family had received houses from the THA while on the campaign trail on the Tobago Organisation of the People (TOP) platform.

She questioned the THA system that could have allowed such an occurrence.

She was followed by the TOP candidate for Plymouth/Golden Lane Certica Williams-Orr, who again slammed the THA over its housing policy charging that it was riddled with nepotism and corruption.

She claimed that several of the housing recipients at Adventure had not completed their mortgage agreements with the Trinidad and Tobago Mortgage Finance (TTMF) Company and had been living for free for over two years.

Williams-Orr also charged that family members of the then Secretary Godwin Adams, were recipients of new homes in Adventure.

Tobago News was also contacted by a United States based source, who revealed that there were persons living in the US, who were boasting that they owned THA-built houses in Tobago.

"One of these persons already owns two houses in the US," claimed the US-based source. How come they could be living up here and get THA houses down there," the source questioned.

On a visit to Adventure last Sunday, Tobago News was able to observe that several houses remained unoccupied after they had been assigned over two years ago in December, 2010.

Contacted, newly appointed Secretary for Settlements and Labour Huey Cadette admitted that two years was a very long time between house assignment and occupation. "I know that in some cases the Division must take the blame in its tardiness to follow through and complete the process with the applicants," declared Cadette.

He however promised to look into the serious claims of home ownership by persons living abroad.

"I would look into this matter and get back to you by next week Tues- day," assured Cadette.

Source:TheTobagoNews