~ Board commissions investigation ~
PHILIPSBURG--St. Maarten Housing Development Foundation (SMHDF) personnel are up in arms over what they term "dictatorial" and "repressive" tactics by Managing Director Henry Lynch. The situation has deteriorated to a point that forced the Supervisory Board to commission an independent investigation into the foundation's operations.
The Daily Herald understands that two investigators have already interviewed a majority of the personnel and will present a report to the board soon. In the meantime, personnel have taken their complaints further up the chain to the Minister in charge of Public Housing Theo Heyliger, whom they have informed of "blatant abuse and mismanagement" at SMHDF.
Personnel, in detailed e-mails to the office of the Minister, the investigators and now the media, accuse Lynch and a few staffers said to be "loyal" to him of victimising workers and doing as they please at SMHDF, disregarding SMHDF policies and regulatory stipulations.
Accusations of selecting friends who did not qualify or who were not on the social housing waiting list have also been levelled against Lynch and others.
The e-mails outline how potential tenants are being frustrated and how current tenants are abused with irregularities in their monthly payments and lied to by SMHDF personnel who are "afraid of Lynch's wrath." Accusations that Lynch has brought in contractors to whom he is personally connected to do work for the SMHDF also have been leveled against him and detailed to the Minister's office.
The personnel explained that the situation was becoming worse and "begged" the Supervisory Board and the Minister's office to step in and "save them" from Lynch's tactics. The Daily Herald understands that the board and the Minister's office have addressed these issues with Lynch already, but intend to do so again in a meeting this week.
"There is nothing happening at housing, no improvement for tenants, no execution of plans, nothing, because the personnel are so discouraged and broke at this point," said one staff member speaking on condition of anonymity.
Personnel also explained that Lynch had built up a reputation of handing out warning letters without merit to staff who adhered to SMHDF policies when he would prefer that they adhere to his instructions that are contrary to SMHDF policies.
Attempts to reach SMHDF Supervisory Board Chairman Elso Kraai were unsuccessful on Tuesday. Minister Heyliger's assistant Maurice Lake said the office was in contact with the board about the situation.
For his part Lynch said all the accusations "can be investigated to see if they are true."
"I welcome any such investigation – primarily that of mismanagement and tenants abuse," he told this newspaper.
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