PRIME Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar flatly denied any link between the reduction of the portfolio under Housing Minister David Lee mere days before his arrest by the police on October 7.

In a realignment of Cabinet duties on October 4, the PM assumed control of the Home Improvement Grants Policy, Housing and Village Improvement Programme and Government-aided Self-Help Housing Scheme, all moved from the Housing Ministry. This ministry also lost the portfolio of Regularisation of Tenure/Housing for Squatters.

Newsday asked the PM if the removal of certain portfolios from the Housing Ministry had been done, with any pre-knowledge or pre-suspicion of Lee's impending arrest two days later.