Minister of Financial Services Trade and Industry Brent Symonette  yesterday declared his interest in The Town Centre Mall – the proposed temporary site of the General Post Office.

The mall has for years been plagued with one issue after another, leading to reduced work weeks and consequently millions of dollars in losses.

Tabling documents, Mr. Symonette, the Member of Parliament for Saint Annes, yesterday disclosed the shareholders of the Blue Hills Road Shopping Centre (BHRSC) Limited.

“For the record, they are myself, 81 shares, my wife one share, Dion Dean, Laura Smith, and Randy Smith at one share, BHRSC Holdings Limited 9,610 shares out of 10,000 [and] Furniture Plus…71 percent of Holdings Limited.”

Annual statements for BHRSC holdings filed on November 21, shows 5,000 shares.

According to Mr. Symonette, of that figure, he owns 2,496, his brother, 2,500 shares; and there are three nominee shares.

Mr. Symonette added that having declared his interest, the House could do what it wanted.

House Speaker, Halston Moultrie, ruled that having declared, the Free National Movement member was exempted from vacating his seat in the lower chamber, quashing the opposition’s bid for this to happen.

However, Opposition Leader, Philip Davis said, that on their side, as members of the House of Assembly, they did not deem it just, to allow the member not to vacate his seat as a result of the disclosure.

He added that they said no to the exemption for reasons that they would provide during the course of debate on the resolution.