PNP urges PM Holness to relinquish oversight of gov't entities dealing with real estate

The parliamentary Opposition is calling for Prime Minister Andrew Holness to give up ministerial oversight of critical government agencies dealing with real estate amid conflict of interest concerns.

The demand follows Tuesday's release of an Integrity Commission report, which alleges that Estatebridge Holdings Limited, a company associated with his business partner, breached a permit by building more rooms than allowed at an apartment complex at 2 Weycliffe Close, Beverly Hills in St Andrew. 

“The prime minister must divest himself of ministerial portfolio responsibility for all Government entities, departments, and agencies which have the potential to interface with his private investment companies and their business activities,” the Opposition People's National Party (PNP) said in a statement on Friday. 

It highlighted that Holness has ministerial responsibilities for agencies such as National Environment and Planning Agency, National Land Agency, National Water Commission, Housing Agency of Jamaica (HAJ) and Urban Development Corporation (UDC), which are regulators and investors in the real estate sector. 

His business partner and one of Estatebridge's principals, Norman Brown, is the chairman of the UDC and the HAJ.  

The PNP also noted that Holness' wife, Juliet, an MP and speaker of the House of Representatives, is also involved in private real estate development ventures.

“This situation creates untenable possibilities for conflicts of interest. In the instant case, the prime minister's personal company, Imperium Investments Holding Limited, held shares in the developer, Estatebridge, at the time building approvals were applied for from the relevant regulatory bodies,” the Opposition added.

The permit was issued in 2021.

The Integrity Commission's report did not accuse Holness of any wrongdoing. But it said Estatebridge and the property had relationships with companies wholly owned by Holness. 

Imperium held shares in Estatebridge from its incorporation in 2020 until October 2022. Estatebridge's current shareholders and directors include Brown, one of Holness' sons, and a sister. 

The Integrity Commission also highlighted Holness' disclosure in a separate investigation that his now-shuttered offshore company, Admat, transferred the Weycliffe property to Estatebridge under a land development agreement. 

That report had also raised concerns about a potential conflict of interest involving Brown and Holness, though it said there was no evidence so far.  

Holness has accused the commission of a "transparent attempt” to attack his reputation, adding that he was "puzzled" that he was mentioned in the report. He said he was not a director or shareholder of Estatebridge, nor the property owner. 

The PNP says Holness “needs to explain” why Admat transferred the property to Estatebridge, if he “really has no ownership interest in that company and in the development”.  

Estatebridge has rejected the IC's allegations, arguing that the commission cannot determine the number of rooms since the development is incomplete. The company's directors stated that at no time did the Kingston and St Andrew Municipal Corporation (KSAMC) observe a breach in the room count during its inspections.

The directors said “variations in size of areas, and reconfiguration of layout … were noted in the most recent inspection and the necessary application is in process”. 

The building permit allowed the construction of four two-bedroom townhouses. However, director of investigation, Kevon Stephenson, said an unannounced inspection conducted in July found four units, each containing four bedrooms. He said a demolition of some structures was also under way. 

Stephenson said the number of bedrooms found was the same figure that Brown gave in December 2023, before any investigation started. The businessman had also said the development was 75 per cent complete.

However, in an interview with the IC in October 2024, Brown said he made the statement without legal advice and he meant that each townhouse would consist of four “habitable rooms”, which would include two bedrooms.  

Kingston's mayor and KSAMC chairman has demanded a report from KSAMC technical officials on the matter. He is a member of the PNP, which took control of the corporation in February. 

"The investigations by the KSAMC should be allowed to proceed to their conclusion, as recommended by the Integrity Commission, free of political interference or pressure from the Government," the PNP said.

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