From left, Mitchell, Azan, Guy, and Junor.The following are reactions from some persons living in state-owned houses:
Phyllis Mitchell - consultant and PNP candidate for the St. Catherine North East constituency in the upcoming general election.
Before she abruptly ended the call:
"Well, you have to find that out (location of the house) … because there is nothing illegal about somebody who is employed, who lives in Highgate and who works in Kingston and have a little flat to stay over sometimes, there is nothing illegal about that … so why you want to publish that?
"I don't know how long I have it. You want to find out, you go and find out because I don't know what is that you want to put out. What is the big deal about it? People can't have a little life, a little private life?
Eventually, Ms. Mitchell told The Sunday Gleaner that she got the house after she took up the post as adviser to Derrick Kellier, Minister of Labour and Social Security.
Richard Azan, State Minister in the Ministry of Housing, Transport, Water and Works, and the MP for North West Clarendon, said, as Minister of State he was entitled to the benefit, but he changed gear after The Sunday Gleaner pointed out to him that the information our news team received from the National Land Agency suggested that he had rented the apartment before he was assigned a Minister of State post.
"Well, I rent it; is not only me alone live there, other people who work with government live there … Is not only MPs live there, I know that some government doctors live there, I know that some other people who work at different ministries live there ...
"For the last one and half year I have the apartment, I don't sleep there 10 times yet, only when I have to overnight in Kingston, I sleep there, so I don't see that as a big issue ...
I am on a walk now in my constituency and I have no further argument on it, let the Opposition (know that on) the 27th we will decide who live where. Thank you very much."
Dr. Morais Guy, MP for Central St. Mary, refuses to answer questions regarding his arrangements. He tells The Sunday Gleaner he thinks our news team has enough information.
"I don't think that there is anything else one needs to know," he says.
John Junor, MP for Central Manchester, has put in an application to purchase the house he lives in. He made the application "long before" he demitted his Cabinet post as Minister of Health. The matter is before the Ethics Committee of Parliament. Mr. Junor says he has no problems with packing up his things and leaving the premises. "I am prepared to either pay them for the house, or if they say it is not for sale, I will move," he says.
What land officials say
Donovan Standberry
Rohan Richards, principal director of land policy and administration in the Ministry of Agriculture and Lands, tells The Sunday Gleaner that a draft policy to govern the rental of state houses to public officials, among other things, was framed some months ago. However, he makes it clear that the policy, when completed, would only govern houses owned and managed by the commissioner of lands.
Donovan Stanberry, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture and Lands, states, "We do not now have a policy, but we have some guidelines which were approved by Cabinet and a policy is coming on stream; it will go to Cabinet very soon."
Stanberry said consultants are eligible because they are public servants by virtue of the fact that they work with the Government. He also points out that no Opposition Member of Parliament has applied for housing since he has been Permanent Secretary in almost three years.
He stresses that the houses were not issued along party lines. "We have nothing to hide. Those that I have had to deal with were assessed on the basis of need and availability," he explains.
