Linton P. Gordon
No matter how the government tries, no explanation has been forthcoming to justify the purchase, by the National Trust (NHT), of the failed and bankrupt Outameni Attraction. Easton Douglas, the man who is leading the charge at the NHT on behalf of the People’s National Party (PNP) administration, is a former Cabinet minister and a PNP stalwart. It is therefore reasonable to assume that Mr Douglas is very much aware that the NHT was established for the sole purpose of increasing the housing stock in Jamaica. He should also be aware that thousands of Jamaicans who cannot qualify for housing mortgages at banks, building societies, credit unions and other financial intermediaries look to the NHT for a mortgage to assist them in owning a home. It should be accepted that Mr Douglas is fully aware of this. It should also be accepted that the very knowledgeable, competent, experienced and capable Mr Douglas is fully aware that there are hundreds of thousands of Jamaicans who are dreaming of owning a home and are looking to the NHT to assist them in realizing this dream.
DOUGLAS’ MONEY
Mr Douglas has informed us that the property he has purchased consists of ten (10) acres. He said the purchase price is One Hundred & Eighty Million Dollars ($180,000,000) and he will be spending a further One Hundred & Eleven Million Dollars ($111,000,000) to rehabilitate the failed tourist attraction. Mr Douglas must have been aware that the Outameni Attraction was a failed and bankrupt entity. We therefore need to ask, in a frank and open way, what factors influenced a man of Mr Douglas’ stature to use the contributors’ funds to purchase such an entity. We should be prepared to accept that given his prudence, knowledge and skill, Mr Douglas would never have used his personal funds to purchase a failed and bankrupt entity. That question needs to be answered.
Mr. Douglas needs to tell us how much of the ten (10) acres will be used for housing. My understanding is that the Outameni Attraction occupies approximately three (3) acres of the ten (10) acre-property. If this is so, then the remaining space of seven (7) acres is inadequate to provide any significant housing solution. In any event, about two (2) acres of the seven (7) acres would likely be used for road and community space which would in effect leave five (5) acres for housing. Are we to conclude that the leadership of the NHT is pprepared to spend Two Hundred & Ninety One Million Dollars ($291,000,000) in order to have five (5) acres of land available for housing developments?
CONSULTANT
If each housing lot on the five (5) acres is the standard quarter (¼) acre, then only 20 lots would be realized. Mr. Douglas would have to sell these 20 housing lots for millions of dollars each to recover the NHT’s outlay. But to be fair to Mr. Douglas, he has a solution. He tells us that the NHT will be operating the Outameni Attraction and he has a firm and fierce intention to operate at profitability. We are told that he will be assisted in this endeavour by a consultant. But guess who the consultant is? The person who was operating the Outameni Attractions when it failed and went into bankruptcy!!! Nobody can be comfortable with the purchase of the Outameni Attractions by the NHT. There is no evidence that the NHT has the managerial skills to operate a tourist attractions. There are no facts surrounding this transaction that remotely justifies it. The whole transaction should be placed before both the Contractor General and the Major Organization Crime and Anti-Corruption Agency (MOCA). We have been told that the goal of MOCA is to “tackle serious organized crime and to stamp out corruption in Jamaica”. Mr Douglas should be most comfortable having these two agencies investigating this matter.He has asserted, in absolute confidence, that the decision to purchase the Outameni Attractions is in the interest of contributors to the NHT. He should therefore be confident that any and all investigations of the transaction will absolve him and confirm that the transaction is in the best interest of contributors.
