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Family living in deplorable conditions while SMHDF plays games.

PHILIPSBURG:--- Homeowner Priscilla Jack Johnson and her family have been living a nightmare for the past four years, ever since she purchased a stand-alone home from SMHDF located in Belvedere. Jack told SMN News in an exclusive interview that the moment she moved into the home she bought from SMHDF her nightmare began. The mother of two young children said in February 2013 she bought the home for Naf. 248, 400.00 from SMHDF while she paid the notary fees which amounted to $7,678.87. The SMHDF sold the home as a turn-key home but when the family moved in the home was incomplete, electrical was not completed, no closets, the cupboards in the kitchen are in bad shape while the walls have cracks from top to bottom and bottom to top. Jack said she spent approximately $17,000.00 to complete the home which also includes fencing, air-conditioning, electrical, installation of closets and repairing other things that were not done properly by the contractor.
Jack said less than three months after she moved into the home she had to call the then director Henry Lynch who admitted that due to the lack of supervision during the construction the contractor Cypress delivered a home filled with defects. Jack said that Lynch did order the contractor to do some repairs like repairing the cracks around the windows, but the contractor did not do a proper job and within a short period of time the patches began cracking again. She further explained that Lynch even had an agreement drawn up where SMHDF would repair the home fully and to also pay damages to the tune of $20,000.00 but to date that agreement cannot be executed. She said that ever since Lynch left the SMHDF the current Director have not taken her situation seriously. She said that at least four times she packed to move out of the home when SMHDF asked her to move so that the home can be fully repaired but each time they find an excuse not to do the repairs.
Jack said in March she had an agreement with Solomon and by May 2nd Solomon met her on the road during the carnival parade and told her that the repairs cannot be done because she is waiting on the Minister to sign off on the release of some funds that concern some other homes in Belvedere and she intends to use some of that money to repair her home. Jack said she tried telling Solomon that she did not want to discuss the situation on the street and she suggested to see Solomon in her office but she continues to speak, this she said angered her and she told Solomon that she will go the Minister of VROMI Christophe Emmanuel then she walked away.
The homeowner provided all documentation that includes correspondence with Henry Lynch, the agreement that was drawn up. She said that she went to almost everyone in authority including the former Prime Minister Marcel Gumbs, Claret Connor whom she said has been very helpful, department of VROMI, Ombudsman, but to date none of the persons she met with did anything for her to get the home she paid for. Jack said the only thing she wants is the home she paid for not something that is falling apart. She said even windows were not installed correctly and each time there is heavy rain or hurricane her home is flooded. Jack went as far as hiring the services of an attorney to move SMHDF but that too did not work, she said she still owes the lawyer because she simply does not have the monies to pay off the attorney. Asked why she did not take her case to court Jack said she does not have the money to pay more legal fees. She further explained that while she thought her home was the only one with defects she recently found out that all four standalone homes at Golden Grove Estate have defects such as cracks in the walls. She said the contractor told her that while all four of the homes have defects, hers is the worst and it has to be repaired.
Based on correspondence Jack had with SMHDF the defects includes:-

• Kitchen sink outlet not properly secured and missing outlet cover.
• Leaking kitchen sink
• Spouts leaking
• Down spouts not connected properly
• Sealant between window and wall peeling away
• Tiles in shower not properly grouted
• Outer kitchen sink not secured
• Cracks in the living room walls
• Cracks in master bedroom walls
• Crack by second bedroom window
• Tiles in living room and shower changing colors
• Cracks in kitchen wall
• Cracks in kitchen tiles