~ Minister of VROMI and Prosecutor fully informed.~
PHILIPSBURG: --- The United Tenants Association (UTA) representatives of all tenants that are renting from the St. Maarten Housing Development Foundation (SMHDF) accused the Vice President of BHOTA Benjamin Kelly of fraud.
The UTA members said they met with the current Minister of VROMI Miklos Giterson where they informed him of the illegalities. UTA also provided the Minister with evidence they accumulated but to date they said the Minister did not address the matter, or even respond to their concerns. They also provided Giterson with proof that shows that the UTA is representing 300 tenants that are residing at Belvedere, Union Farm, Hope Estate, Foga, The Keys, Cole Bay and South Reward.
Ramesis Jamaloodin provided SMN News with a number of documents including excerpts from the Chamber of Commerce that shows that Barbara Cornet and Benjamin Kelly are members and treasurer of the BHOTA yet they are signing letters that was sent to the SMHDF as the President and Vice President. Besides the alleged fraud the UTA said that BHOTA is acting illegally and not in accordance with their own articles of incorporation that states that must have at least nine board members to function or an odd number. So far BHOTA only has two members.
The members of UTA also provided letters they sent to the Prosecutor’s Office and the Minister of VROMI Miklos Giterson. The UTA also informed the Supervisory and Management Board of the SMHDF whom they said are fully aware that BHOTA does not exists and they do not represent tenants of SMHDF. BHOTA is a registered foundation but have been inactive for years.
UTA board members said that they intend to take everyone to court if justice is not done because the Dutch law clearly forbids fraud especially when it is committed by a civil servant that are functioning on boards of government organization. They said they intend to take the chairman of the Supervisory Board Antonio Brown to court since he is fully aware of the fraudulent documents.
Besides the Chamber of Commerce excerpts and letters written by Kelly and Cornet UTA provided several newspaper articles that showed that Kelly had resigned from BHOTA in 2016.
SMHDF board and management bought new vehicles instead of repairing homes.
UTA members said that they are unable to fully represent their membership because the former Minister of VROMI appointed Benjamin Kelly to the Supervisory Board even though he also knew that BHOTA was not active. Jamaloodin said that several of the homes in all locations that SMHDF manages are damaged and to date SMHDF is not making any effort to conduct the repairs. They said that SMHDF claim they do not have money for the repairs but they chose to purchase new vehicles after the passing of hurricane Irma.
“Residents living in the social homes are living in deplorable conditions yet the technical director and chairman of the Supervisory Board SMHDF have new vehicles and 8 months after the passing of hurricane Irma and Maria the residents renting from SMHDF have not heard one word from their landlords. It’s raining these past days and families have to deal with leaking roofs while the 2018 hurricane season is approaching.”
Another concern we have is having people that are not interested in maintaining the homes they are renting but manage finances that will be provided by the recovery funds whenever it reaches St. Maarten.
