The National Housing Trust (NHT) has been stalling an Access To Information request for minutes of its board meetings covering just over three years.

The request was sent on November 24, 2014 to Deloris Sicard, records and information supervisor at the NHT’s Information Resource Centre, by the Jamaica Observer at the height of the Outameni controversy that rocked the agency and which resulted in the resignation of a number of board members.

The request was for copies of the minutes for the period January 2012 to November 10, 2014.

Sicard responded on December 24, 2014, saying that the NHT was “requesting an extension”.

On December 30, the Observer replied to Sicard, agreeing to the extension which, under the Act, is 30 days.

On February 2, 2015, the Observer wrote to Sicard, reminding her of the Access To Information request.

She responded the following day, saying that she was out of office for a couple of days, adding, “I will contact you tomorrow to provide you with an update. My apology for the delay.”

However, having not heard from Sicard, the Observer again wrote to her on February 5, reminding her that the newspaper was still awaiting a response.

She responded on February 6, saying: “We still have not completed our review of the documents requested due to the scope of the request and delays in consultation response. Kindly accept our apology for the delay. We assure you we are working assiduously to complete your information request.”

On that day, the Observer acknowledged receipt of Sicard’s letter and asked her for an “expected timeline” within which the newspaper could expect the information.

Sicard is yet to respond to that request, and on February 16 the Observer sent her another e-mail asking her to reply to the request for the timeline.

Under the Access to Information Act, a public authority to which an application is made is required to respond to the application “as soon as practicable but not later than 30 days after the date of receipt of the application”.

However, the Act gives the authority the flexibility to extend the 30 days “for a further period not exceeding 30 days in any case where there is reasonable cause for such extension”.

The NHT was plunged into a maelstrom of controversy late last year when news emerged that it had bought the loss-making tourist attraction, Outameni Experience in Trelawny for $180 million.

At the height of the controversy, three board members resigned, reducing the directorate to eight from a required 17. Their resignations followed those of four directors in April in protest against the decision to fire former Managing Director Cecile Watson who, NHT sources said, had opposed the Outameni purchase.

Private sector, civil society and church groups, as well as the Opposition Jamaica Labour Party had called for the entire board to resign, arguing that the purchase represented an inappropriate use of NHT funds.

However, Chairman Easton Douglas insisted that the board had acted legally, morally and in the best interest of the NHT, its contributors, and the people of Jamaica.

Douglas also said that the board had carried out its duties consistent with the NHT Act and in keeping with its fiduciary responsibilities.

Eventually, the Government appointed four new members to the board, saying that it took the decision to strengthen the directorate.

The Government also promised to appoint additional members and said that the current directors would continue to serve until the life of the board expires on April 2, 2015.