BUSINESS operators in East Port-of-Spain are supporting Housing Minister Keith Rowley’s statement that there is no corruption in the redevelopment plan.

In fact they are happy that Rowley has issued an open invitation for a debate on the proposed housing development.

“The redevelopment is in its early stages so I cannot say that there is corruption.  What we are seeing is discrimination,” said president of the East PoS Business Association Hayden Roberts in an interview yesterday.

Roberts said yesterday Rowley’s invitation to a debate was long overdue and voiced his disappointment that it took allegations of corruption to finally get the minister fired up to speak on the issue.

“God works in a mysterious way because the respect that he did not show to the small businessmen now that someone accuses him… it has to come right back down to us,” Roberts said.

Roberts denied that there was corruption in the housing plan but admitted “when a project now starts it is not transparent” and as it progresses the potential for corruption will grow.

Rowley lashed out at detractors mainly Boyd Reid secretary to T&T Transparency Institute who alleged corruption in the multi-million dollar housing plan.

“If TI or anybody else is prepared to point fingers at those public officials for simply following the law, I throw out a challenge as the politician involved, I hold myself available to any public debate,”  said Rowley on Tuesday at the opening of the Pleasantville Village Plaza, Pleasantville.

The East PoS redevelopment plan has been on a “halt” for a few month said Roberts who added that businessmen have not been contacted further by the Housing Development Corporation(HDC).

“We know that East PoS as a business place is viable,” he said but, “they are attempting to take our property and most importantly they are using an act that does not legally deal with businesses,” Roberts said.

“We have lawyers on stand by and we are waiting patiently on HDC to make moves on this redevelopment,” he added.