Hinds refuses to discuss his mansion

Newsday photos of the house in question that residents identified as belonging to PNM Senator Fitzgerald Hinds

Opposition Senator Fitzgerald Hinds has refused to answer questions from a daily newspaper about allegations that he lives in a $14 million mansion.

Attorney General Anand Ramlogan raised the issue in the Senate earlier this week during the budget debate citing a 2010 news story about a land dispute between Hinds and a neighbour that valued Hinds' house at $7 million.

Ramlogan said the property at 11 Barry Avenue, Hillsboro, Maraval, overlooking the upscale Andalucia neighbourhood, is now valued at $14 million.

NEWSDAY tried to find out what Hinds had to say about the matter. This what the paper quoted Hinds as saying:

“Crime is too bloody and rampant in Trinidad and Tobago, in many cases through blue-collar and white-collar crime...The economy is at risk, and the political stability in my county, and for these reasons I have no time to waste with the Attorney General and his foolish irrelevance.”

When Newsday pressed Hinds to speak about the house he refused: "There are far too many serious issues in front of me as a servant of Trinidad and Tobago to waste time on the Attorney General," he told the paper, inisting instead on referring to the AG's remarks and "irrelevant stupidity". 

He told the paper: "You asked for my reaction and I have given my reaction." When the paper asked if the house if valued at $14 million he suggested that the paper could find out for itself. "I have given you my reaction, and that is the extent of my reaction...You could get a valuator if you want to. God bless you."