THE EDITOR, Sir:

I wish to express my concern in no small measure with the Ministry of Housing or the National Housing Trust. Imagine, from 1988 I finished paying for my house and received my title. Every year, I receive evaluation reminders and pay my taxes. Yet to my amazement, I am only learning now that my name is not on the tax roll. I have no record at the Commissioner of Land as a landowner.

I acquired my house through the Housing Trust in 1976 and only in June of this year when I completed paying 2007-2008 taxes was I given a paper and told to fill it out and take it to Land Valuation in Montego Bay as my name was not on the tax list. All along I have been paying on behalf of the Ministry of Housing and not myself. The question here is: What if I had died before June 2007? My children would then have had that additional trauma to deal with besides grieving the loss of their mother. To add insult to injury, all the houses in the housing scheme where I live were not distributed by the Housing Trust, and as a result more than one house have the same lot number. Hence, it is only through God's grace that the monies that have been paid over the years have been going to the correct lot.

I believe that as soon as a recipient pays for his or her lot or house and the title is prepared or transferred, the Housing Trust or Ministry of Housing should send the recipient's name to the Land Valuation's Office or the Commissioner of Taxes so that the necessary entries can be made. Our government departments and quasi-government bodies must give the public better service.

I am, etc.,

LOIS BRYCE

Hague, Falmouth P.O.

Trelawny