Enforcement needed for slack HDC tenants

THE EDITOR: Possibly without realising it, Housing Minister Pennelope Beckles highlighted one of the main problems in Trinidad and Tobago today, when she spoke at the recent launch of the HDC’s Decentralised Service in San Fernando.

In her speech, she highlighted the fact that too many of the HDC’s tenants and owners had not paid their rents and mortgages, in some cases for over ten years. In many cases, the monthly payment due is between $100 to $120!

She went on to say that, “if you want us to deliver the service you expect, we are asking that you do your part and pay up your rent and mortgages.”

The minister said the HDC will be increasing its operating hours and will now be accepting payments via Sure Pay, bank transfers and direct deposits.

However, nowhere in her speech did the goodly minister outline any enforcement measures by the HDC to put serious pressure on delinquent tenants and owners to pay these extremely affordable sums. So what do you think is going to happen following the minister’s speech? Well, I will tell you.

Now that the few tenants and owners who actually pay their rents and mortgages have heard the minister admit, by default, that no consequences are going to be applied to the wrongdoers who do not pay, even more tenants and mortgage holders will stop paying the HDC going forward. And we like it so.

GREGORY WIGHT

Maraval