Beckles tells East Port of Spain residents: 'I've had concerns about HDC, too'

HOUSING MINISTER Pennelope Beckles has admitted that some past projects undertaken by the Housing Development Corporation (HDC) were "not well run."

Beckles, line minister for the HDC, addressed concerns raised by a caller during a semi-virtual public discussion on plans to revitalise Piccadilly Street and Besson Street, which are part of a larger plan to improve Port of Spain.

The first phase is earmarked to start early next year.

Beckles sat on Monday night, among representatives of the HDC and the Urban Development Corporation (Udecott), with a number of government ministers, stakeholders and interest groups, participating online.

A caller, Cewill Denoon, chided the HDC's history of its management of massive housing projects and noted the effects of two decades of crime, which is often associated with the lack of economic and aesthetic development in East Port of Spain.

He said, "History has shown that there have been projects done in the past. There is one where you have several buildings on St Paul Street. The projects are not well run by the HDC, and we have projects run in other areas where the HDC projects, such as in Maloney and those places, are not well run.

"So what is going to happen to this revitalisation idea? Is this going to be another project that is going to be done and they just give it to the people like, eh?"

While Beckles said she appreciated his concerns about crime, as line minister, she focused more on his scepticism about HDC's management or involvement in this latest project.

She said, "Let me say that I also have some concerns, and I'm sure the managing director (of HDC) who's here, as well as the chairman who's listening (do too).

"We commit ourselves to do better. We know the HDC...We have to improve on our delivery of service, and I give you the assurance that that is one of the areas we are addressing very seriously."

Beckles said HDC has started using "management structures," as a means of better project maintenance.

"(This is) where we ask persons who are living in the area (to be involved), because they have a stake in it. So it is something we can consider for the area like East Port of Spain. So, you live there, you get involved in managing the facility and you work together with the HDC.

"One of the things we don't discuss enough, of course, is the cost of the maintenance of the buildings and the responsibility, both to the HDC, as well as the tenants. That is something we are going to look at very seriously."