Latest update November 26th, 2024 1:00 AM
PS shuts out Irfaan Ali from Ministry
‘You are no longer a Minister’ – Clerk tells him
Government ministries appear to be readying themselves for a new administration.
The readiness was never more evident than on Thursday after former Housing Minister, Irfaan Ali, went to work at the Ministry of Housing, Brickdam, and found that he could not enter the offices.
This was because the locks had been changed.
Housing officials confirmed yesterday that the order to change the locks came down on Wednesday from Permanent Secretary (PS), Emile McGarrell.
This was after the PS learnt that vehicles were moving several boxes and files from Ali’s office.
One of the vehicles was a black SUV, bearing registration plates, PPP 7328. Staff members took photos of the vehicle being loaded with boxes of files.
Several staff members had to give statements on the role they played in the removal of what is suspected to be records.
On Thursday, an angry Ali was informed that he was no longer the Minister and therefore could not have access to the offices.
According to one staffer, Ali turned up and asked his driver to open the door. The driver told him that the lock had been changed.
An upset Ali enquired who gave the order. He was told that it came from upstairs.
He was then reportedly informed by a junior staffer that since he was no longer a Minister, he could not enter the office.
The staffer said that Ali started “cussing” and stormed out of the building.
Another staffer, Ali’s secretary, came to work and was met by the locked doors. She broke down in tears because she could not enter.
The Ministry and its operational arm, the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) were under investigation by the opposition during the last Parliament for large swaths of lands on the East Bank and elsewhere which ended up under highly questionable circumstances into the hands of a few developers.
Almost 10,000 families have applied for house lots but there are no lands available.
Under regulations, Permanent Secretaries are in charge of the day-to-day runnings of Ministries while the Ministers should have been responsible for developing policies. However, it is a known fact that lines have become blurred over time with Ministers taking direct control.
According to information emanating out of the Ministry yesterday, the Permanent Secretary is reportedly ready and willing to work with the yet to be sworn-in David Granger Government and has also encouraged the staff of the Ministry to do the same.
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