The PPM administration and its cohorts began tarnishing my character and reputation from 2003, with the assistance of the past auditor general, yet the PPM did not build one single affordable home in Grand Cayman. Much bad continues to be said about my handling of the affordable housing project but the good it may have brought to hundreds of people especially after Hurricane Ivan is never mentioned, not even my the UDP.
History will however be less clouded with jealousy; and it is my contention that I will be remembered for having brought a very important need of the disadvantaged among us to table. Not by talking about their needs or by highjacking another man’s courage and determination, but for being pragmatic about what is affordable for a large segment of our population. As much as the UDP spouts out rhetoric about affordable, it will be left to be seen if their constructions, though more durable, will have the same cost benefits to low income and poor people, as those engineered and built during my tenure as Minister of Housing.
My most expensive dwelling was sold for below $70,000 and the least expensive for below $50,000. The most expensive had two baths and three bedrooms. Persons were expected to pay about $700 per month for the largest, much less than some pay to rent a one room dwelling in a derelict part of George Town. Our concept was to have people housed near the centres of employment and not just placed anywhere; one reason we built across from Cox Lumber on high value commercial land. Our idea was to build communities, not just buildings, and an essential part of any community is and must be employment.
The PMP were glad to grab up my mantle but it was much too big for them because in destroying me, they had relied upon propaganda which would later prevent them from giving poor people any form of housing that did not resemble the Ritz Carlton. True the poor among us should be respected and assisted, but it is not enough to help one poor person when we have thousands holding their hands out for equal treatment. Thus I have always believed, as I do now, that it was far better to reduce quality for the sake of being democratic in apportioning housing benefits.
Housing is a hot potato and Mr. Solomon and the UDP will now learn that they are damned it they do and damned if they don’t; certainly it will not be nice if only a few persons get homes. They will see that the votes of the have not gotten help with housing are greater than, “we got a home thanks to the UDP”.
I knew from the outset that my homes would only last perhaps 20 years; with the proper upkeep maybe longer, so we hired a caretaker who hired others to maintain as best possible the properties we had constructed. We knew that the owners would import social challenges and the communities would become the breeding groups for increased social conflicts and malaise, so we assigned community workers to each housing community.
The National Housing and Community Development Trust, which brought the long debate on housing for the poor to reality, was renamed the National Housing Trust, expressing the lack of social understanding amongst our leaders; was my brain child. And what of the amount of money that was supposed to have been paid into an account to purchase goods in Mexico after the hurricane that was said to look like a payment, which could facilitate a bribe? The past auditor general came to the end of his rope before I have come to mine, because I am still here in beautiful Grand Cayman enjoying the sunshine and Smith Barcadere. I have forgiven him like I have had to forgive others and others have had to forgive me, for we are only human. But I never intended nor did I steal anything from the people of this country. The PPM and the UDP are both happy they do not have to deal with me because I am unrepentantly sassy like my cousin in East End. So the UDP must now begin to produce what they have promised otherwise I will be dissecting them one by one in support of what I started; housing for the poor.
Frank McField
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