Daraine Luton, Staff Reporter

Michelle Reid and Clive Francis whose house was demolished in Morant, St Thomas, ponder among the ruins on what their next move will be. - Ian Allen/Staff Photographer

THE EFFORTS of a St Thomas couple to build themselves a house have been defeated after sections of a one-bedroom structure they were building were demolished by unknown persons.

However, the couple's misfortune has brought into sharp focus the practice of providence societies aiding squatting under the guise of conducting business for the National Housing Development Corporation (NHDC), which is responsible for Operation PRIDE ventures.

Michelle Reid and her boyfriend Clive Francis estimate that they have lost more than $400,000 after their building was stopped and they were barred from entering a property in Morant, St Thomas.

According to the couple, the property was identified for them by the Lower York Providence Society.

Spent all on house

"I don't know what step to take next. I am down to the last $1,000 in my account, I have spent it all on the house," Reid told The Gleaner.

Reid, a fire victim, explained that, along with her boyfriend, they saved whatever money they had and even joined a local partner plan in order to put a roof over their heads.

Claims of political victimisation have been made and Member of Parliament (MP) James Robertson has been accused of stopping the development because Reid and her boyfriend gained the land through a member of the People's National Party (PNP).

Robertson, a member of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), rubbished the claim, saying he would be asking the police to follow the money.

"It has come to our attention that some people have been taking people's money for years and giving them lands for which they have no authority. It is a group of people that is well known," said Robertson.

The MP said he would pay the legal fees of persons who have lost money though the providence society if they were willing to take civil action to recover money lost.

Reid said she had approached Maggrine Morris, ex-councillor for the White Horses division, for assistance in finding somewhere to build a house.

Reid was in need

Morris confirms this and said she referred Reid to the Lower York Providence Society for them to help her with the land acquisition. Paulette Pinnock, secretary of the providence society, told The Gleaner that Reid was registered as one of the organisation's members. Pinnock also admitted to sending Reid to the property in question, her justification being that Reid was in need and other persons were living on the land.

"It is government lands and we were going though the NHDC to obtain it but when governments change, some things get changed too," said Pinnock.

Paid money

Reid furnished us with a copy of a receipt for which she paid money. The money was paid through the National Commercial Bank (NCB) to the NHDC.

However, according to Robert-son, the providence society has no business sending people on to properties and it cannot decide how they are distributed.

The MP, who is a minister without portfolio in the Office of the Prime Minister under which lands fall, said the lands in question have been identified to relocate persons from the flood-prone Duhaney Pen area of the parish.

"Someone must go to prison," said Robertson. "On what basis do you collect money from people and tell them what land is theirs."

In her organisation's defence, Pinnock said the providence society does not benefit from monies paid on lands by members.

She told The Gleaner that the $2,200 registration fee and monthly deposit on land go directly into accounts controlled by the NHDC.

"Nobody benefits from it," she insisted.

However, the NHDC said that the providence society was not authorised to do business on its behalf.

Richard Jones, manager of community development and sales at the corporation, said:

Negotiation

"We are in no negotiation with the providence society there to identify projects on our behalf and neither have we authorised them to regularise any development there."

Jones also said the NHDC would be investigating whether monies paid by Reid had been credited to the corporation's account.

The Lower York Providence Society was formerly aligned to the Morant Providence Society which was involved in the failed Morant Farms PRIDE project.

That project, which was the subject of legal action, has been abandoned and Jones said there are no plans to regularise any settlements there.

Mayor of Morant Bay, Harold Brown, said the parish council did not issue any directive for the house to be demolished.

He said, however, that it was illegal for the couple to be building there.

daraine.luton@gleanerjm.com