By NICO SCAVELLA

Tribune Staff Reporter

nscavella@tribunemedia.net

FREE National Movement Chairman Michael Pintard yesterday criticised Prime Minister Perry Christie for “playing politics” with his administration’s long-promised mortgage relief plan, lambasting Mr Christie for continuing to promise results for “grieving families” when he has “helped less than six families save their homes”.

Mr Pintard, in a statement, said Mr Christie “talks long” about mortgage relief for Bahamians but has provided “no answers or relief” for homeowners who have received court orders to vacate their homes or who have “gotten notice to appear in court to face eviction proceedings”.

Mr Pintard said Mr Christie should “talk less and work harder and smarter” in partnership with other stakeholders to “reduce the misery” of Bahamians. He also questioned why it has taken so long for a workable mortgage relief plan to be introduced.

Mr Pintard’s statements come after Mr Christie, during his mid-year budget communication on Monday, said his government is a step closer toward providing long-promised mortgage relief to Bahamians. Mr Christie said his administration has held “considerable discussions” with clearing banks on mortgage relief and an associated memorandum of understanding.

He said the “required steps” would now be taken to commence with the legislation before the House of Assembly, as well as to “introduce a new mortgage policy initiative which together should set the framework for meaningful mortgage relief in the Bahamas.”

“Thousands of Bahamians are losing their homes for a wide range of reasons and are in need of help urgently,” Mr Pintard said in a statement. “Despite this fact (Mr Christie) talks long, but provides no answers or relief for these homeowners who have recently been ordered by the court to vacate their homes or who have gotten notice to appear in court to face eviction proceedings.

“In much the same way the PLP played politics in the run up to the last general election when they promised mortgage relief for some 4,000 Bahamians who had arrears, Mr Christie is continuing to promise results for these grieving families when for four years he has helped less than six families save their homes.”

He added: “(FNM Leader Dr Hubert Minnis) and the FNM will continue to fight for those Bahamians who despite their best efforts are falling through the cracks. Mr Christie needs to talk less and work harder and smarter in partnership with other stakeholders to reduce the misery of our people – many of whom are losing their homes.”

Providing mortgage relief was a major tenant of the Progressive Liberal Party’s (PLP) 2012 Charter for Governance. Ahead of the May 2012 general election, the PLP campaigned that it had a plan to give relief to thousands of struggling homeowners facing foreclosure.

However, once the party was elected to office the plan fizzled.

The PLP introduced a mortgage relief plan in late 2012. At the time, 4,000 homeowners were in mortgage payment arrears and that year, State Minister for Finance Michael Halkitis said around 1,000 people would likely qualify for assistance under the plan.

In May 2013, however, Mr Christie told the House of Assembly he expected “four or five” homeowners to benefit from the scheme.

Mr Pintard also called on the prime minister to answer several questions. He asked Mr Christie to reveal how many people were given court orders from the Mortgage Corporation of the Bahamas to vacate their homes since 2012 and questioned what specific initiatives the government has in mind to help distressed homeowners.

Earlier this week, FNM Deputy Leader Peter Turnquest said he is sceptical of whether the government’s mortgage relief plan will ever help Bahamians.

“We’ve been talking about mortgage relief for four years with no proposal put forward,” Mr Turnquest said. “What’s been talked about (Monday) is more of the same. Those who can already afford to make arrangements with their private lending institutions will benefit and those who find themselves under or unemployed will continue to lose their homes.