Politically motivated and outright victimisation. That’s how Lauren Legall and Renatta Jones, two of seven fired managers of the Housing Development Corporation (HDC), have described their terminations.
On Tuesday, six HDC’s managers received their termination letters, while Legall, who served as manager of allocations and distribution for ten years, was sacked on March 17.
In December, the seven managers, including HDC’s managing director, Jearlean John, were sent on three months administrative leave after the new board, chaired by Newman George, ordered an independent audit into the operations of the corporation.
John was the first to be sacked on March 22 while the audit was still ongoing.
Yesterday, Legall joined by Jones, who was axed as manager of settlements and community relations, described their dismissals as “politically motivated” and “outright victimisation.”
Both women are exploring their legal options.
Legall described the audit as a sham.
“All we did was work really hard to carry out the mandate of the Government to the point where our families suffered,” Legall said.
She said her termination was “disheartening. I have done nothing wrong. If I have done something wrong, well punish me.
“I think the board had an agenda. I feel they were pretty sloppy in the way they carried it (termination) out. If they wanted us to leave they could have paid us off. It’s as if they have set out to destroy our lives. We are now tainted. Everyone would treat us like lepers.”
In January, Legall was the centre of the controversy after she wrote a letter to the HDC and copied it to the Integrity Commission and the Commissioner of Police, detailing claims that then housing minister Marlene McDonald had made direct inquiries regarding the deed for a Fedelis Heights property which McDonald’s partner Michael Carew had purchased in 2008.
McDonald, however, denied the claims by Legall.
Legall said she believed the letter played an integral role in being sent home.
Jones, who gave HDC seven years of service and was manager, settlements and community relations, said she never saw herself serving a political party but joined HDC as a public servant.
“I served tirelessly and with pride and joy. The question I am asking is what have I done wrong? I understand that the position I held is not owed to me but I believe in fairness and best practices.”
Yesterday, calls to George’s cellphone went unanswered and he did not respond to a text message.
Contacted, via text message, yesterday, Housing Minister Randall Mitchell maintained that these matters were the concern of the HDC Board and the Government had confidence in it.
“Any former employees who may feel aggrieved have the right to approach the courts for redress,” he said.
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The HDC is expected to pay out approximately $1 million in benefits to the seven managers who were fired.
The figure was tallied yesterday, two days after six managers had their employment terminated by the HDC, pending an audit into the operations of the corporation.
A former manager, who requested anonymity said the HDC in its termination letters, dated April 18, agreed to pay the former employees for their unused vacation leave, while managers whose contracts were approved by the board, but were not officially signed will be paid by April 25.
The HDC also promised to pay the managers 20 per cent gratuity at a later date.
“Once the gratuity is processed we will collect our money. We have no idea when this money will be forthcoming, one former manager said.”
Only two managers were reported to have 40 days of unused vacation, while two employees whose contracts are expected to end this September and December will collect their full salaries in one payment.
Another terminated manager said: “Only four managers had their contracts approved by the board but they were not officially signed off. These managers will only collect three months of salary.”
Earlier this month, Government proposed to decrease expenditure in the Ministry of Housing, under which the HDC falls.