Political appointees get Govt villas By Denyse Renne Story Created: Nov 24, 2014 at 12:48 AM ECT Story Updated: Nov 24, 2014 at 12:48 AM ECT Amid questions about the housing allowance of President Anthony Carmona comes information that a number of political appointees attached to the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) have been afforded housing at the exclusive Federation Villas. The villas are located in the upper-class residential community of Federation Park, Port of Spain and are State-owned. Occupants of the villas do not pay rent but they are responsible for their utility bills. The villas are managed by the Housing Development Corporation on behalf of the taxpayers and, according to an answer given by Housing Minister Roodal Moonilal in Parliament in January 2013 (see box), the villas are supposed to be used by foreign dignitaries during brief stays in Trinidad. On some occasions, ministers, among them the two Tobago MPs — Vernella Alleyne Toppin and Delmon Baker, have stayed at the villas. An Express investigation has however revealed that communications officer Raydon Boodan, advisers Shem Baldeosingh and Devindranath Tancoo and press secretary Francis Joseph have been living in the villas for some time. When the Express visited the villas, we were shown the units which they have been occupying for the past two years, with the exception of Boodan who has been there for less than a year. The Express understands that Boodan, Baldeosingh, Tancoo and Joseph are contract employees and having viewed their contracts, no provisions for accommodation or housing allowance were seen. When contacted two Fridays ago and asked to comment on his lengthy stay at the villas, Tancoo said: “The comment is no comment.” Tancoo, according to his job description, advises the prime minister on economic and financial policy matters and also provides support in related areas. He is paid $27,700 monthly which is made up of a salary of $24,000, a transport allowance of $3,200 and telephone allowance of $500. The Express also contacted Baldeosingh and posed the same question to him. His response: “I have no comment to make.” Baldeosingh is the special adviser on Commonwealth and Parliamentary Affairs and also advises the PM on Commonwealth matters. He receives a salary of $37,500 and transport allowance of $2,500. Sources told the Express that Baldeosingh, a former Assistant Director of Communications and Research at the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA), was first seconded to the Prime Minister’s office. However after this appointment was questioned by officials on the basis that the CPA is supposed to be an apolitical institution which does not get aligned to any specific political administration, Baldeosingh formally resigned his position at the CPA. Several attempts to contact Joseph and Boodan have been unsuccessful. Joseph, who was once adviser to former minister Jack Warner, is paid $31,250. A breakdown shows a salary of $24,400, travel allowance $3,250 and a duty allowance of $3,600. Boodan is paid $13,200 made up of a salary of $12,000 and a travel allowance of $1,200. Head of the Public Service and also Permanent Secretary in the Office of the Prime Minister, Reynold Cooper when contacted said he is unaware of the housing accommodations. “This is the first I am hearing of this, perhaps you should contact the Ministry of Housing, the Ministry of Public Administration and the individuals themselves”, Cooper said. The Express also contacted Public Administration Minister Carolyn Seepersad-Bachan who said: “That doesn’t fall under my portfolio. I never had responsibilities for that. That falls under the Properties and Real Estate, call the Minister of Housing.” Several text messages and calls were also made to Housing Minister Roodlal Moonilal and Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar. However, the Express is yet to receive a response. In 2012, Olympic gold medallist Keshorn Walcott was gifted with one of the apartments in the villas valued at $2.5 million but he declined acceptance. Walcott has since been presented with a home in Valsayn. trinidadexpress/news/Political-appointees-get-Govt-villas-283661611.html
Posted on: Mon, 24 Nov 2014 11:23:16 +0000
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