National Housing Development Trust General Manager Julio Ramos has resigned after 14 years at the helm of the embattled state entity, a statement late Friday afternoon has confirmed.
No reason was given for Ramos’ resignation, which took place last month.
Andrew McBean, chairman of the Trust’s board of directors, said in the statement that Ramos’ term comes to a close at the end of January.
“I’d like to take this opportunity to thank Mr Ramos for his knowledge and technical assistance over the past year during which we started the process of innovating and evolving, for his ongoing assistance with the current transition projected up to the end of his term later this month and for his dedicated service over the past 14 years. His legacy is a loyal and dedicated team of staff members, committed to helping to deliver on our plans for the future,” McBean said.
Decision came after ‘careful thought and consideration’
In the statement, Ramos said that after “careful thought and consideration and providing approximately 14 years to the National Housing Development Trust” he decided to move on to pursue “other personal aspirations”.
He acknowledged that the notice of his departure “may have come as a surprise to some”, however, he said he has been assisting with the required transition exercise “for the continued efficiency and delivery of service to the deserving Caymanians who require housing assistance and opportunities”.
“This was a difficult decision to make as I cherish my time at the NHDT and have enjoyed my working relationship with the Operations Team, the various Boards over the years, and the Cayman Islands Government. I am appreciative of the opportunities provided to me at the NHDT as I was able to grow professionally and was allowed to contribute to various programmes of the Trust that provide housing opportunities to our people,” he added.
The announcement of Ramos’s departure was coupled with news that Deloitte has been contracted “to modernise operational frameworks and put in place new procedures that will allow the organisation to scale up operations while the Board recruits for a new general manager”.
Deloitte has also been requested to look at various operations within the Ministry of Planning, Agriculture, Housing and Infrastructure, the statement said.
New initiatives for housing
The Trust will be introducing a series of new initiatives to support Caymanians in the housing market by increasing the supply of affordable homes, expanding the Home Repairs programme, and reintroducing a Lease to Own programme.
Government recently allocated $15 million to the NHDT in the 2024-2025 budget for affordable housing measures.
“The NHDT’s immediate priority is to accelerate the construction of new, for-sale homes as well as to reintroduce a Lease to Own programme which makes a portion of NHDT homes available to Caymanians who may not qualify with any local lending institutions. The Trust’s aim is for Lease to Own programme participants to own their homes outright after a period of five years,” the statement said.
McBean, board chairman, said with the current shortage of affordable housing, “it is imperative that the Trust innovate and adopt a more sustainable approach in the way we design and build homes, ensuring that we achieve the most efficient use of land and deliver the greatest value for money.”
The NHDT said it is expanding its Home Repairs service to include houses not built by the Trust.
In partnership with the Ministry of Social Development, the programme allows homeowners who might not otherwise afford necessary repairs to maintain a dry, safe and livable environment.
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