The GSD has said that in what it describes as a “childish and infuriating” second response to Action for Housing, the Chief Minister “continues to fail to address the central points of concern surrounding the recent Government flat allocation scandal.”

A statement continued: “Despite the public press release exchanges, personal attack, and attempts at obfuscation and confusion – a standard tactic of this administration – the Government has not provided ANY details on the housing allocation in question. This issue is NOT about data protection, it is about PROCESS. The Government can be absolutely clear and transparent about the PROCESS that has been followed without revealing any personal details about any applicant.

“The Government must answer these core questions:

(i) Did the application itself fully satisfy the strict criteria for the applicant to be placed on the Housing list?

(ii) Did the applicant then satisfy the established criteria that resulted in the application going to the very top of the list benefitting from rapid allocation of a Government property, and if so what criteria was it?

“If the answer to these questions is “yes” then the Government should have no problem in confirming that this applicant has been through exactly the same rigorous process as every other person on the Housing Waiting List. If the answer is “no” then the Government should explain why this applicant, above all others, received exceptional treatment.

“Why does the Government refuse to answer these simple questions?

“There are other questionable issues, such as who took the decision[s] or made recommendations (the Housing Allocation Committee, the Minister for Housing or the Chief Minister personally?). If it was a personal decision made by the Chief Minister, then it should be known on what basis did he exercise this power? What do the relevant minutes or exchanges reveal? None of these issues relate to data protection. All of them relate to process and to this administration’s shoddy style of governance.

“It is also very noteworthy and significant that it is the Chief Minister himself (despite the other pressing matters he has to deal with) and not the Minister for Housing who personally continues to deal with this matter, despite Mr Linares having now returned from the CPA Conference.

“No one wants to drag anyone over the coals, not least the family which the Chief Minister emotively says has been to “hell and back”; it is the Chief Minister’s insistence, in not explaining himself or his actions, which must be exasperating matters for this family, and this therefore leads people to jump to their own conclusions.

“In failing to explain the Government’s actions the Chief Minister is undermining faith in the Housing application and allocation process. This is especially worrying for the public in general and for all those other families shamefully living in Dickensian conditions for far too long – they too are ‘in hell’ but without the promise of exceptional treatment which might see them come “back” anytime soon.

“The Government needs to provide clear answers to these questions and not engage in mud-slinging, character assassinations and throwing everything in but the kitchen sink, simply to silence those seeking the full truth.”