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Govt transfers ECD prime riverfront land in waning days of Administration

– NICIL defends transaction, says monies earmarked for cash-strapped GuySuCo

In the waning days of tion was the transfer of by the Government of the the A Partnership for 20 acres of land, also part Cooperative Republic of National Unity/Alliance of Goedverwagting and Guyana. NICIL received For Change (APNU/AFC) Sparendaam, to American deposits for the lands comcoalition, evidence has Marine and Services mencing December 2019, emerged of the Government Incorporated. The compahowever, the transactions transferring large tracts of ny, located at Lot 215 Cross remained incomplete since land, including prime riverStreet and Mandela Avenue the vesting orders were not front land, into the hands of Alexander Village, was ‘Signed and Gazetted’ as a few. granted the land by NICIL required by law and this

A case in point is Bosai on the basis of Jordan’s ormeant that the remaining minerals group, locatder. sums could not be paid over ed at Republic Avenue, Meanwhile, another benby the investors.” Mackenzie, Linden, which eficiary of land was Premier “Following GuySuCo’s had a total of 1.427 acres Sales Incorporated, of lot recent request to the of land transferred to it by 101 Pike Street, Kitty. The Government for a bailout, the National Industrial and company received five acres NICIL was approached to Commercial Investments of land also in Sparendaam assist the company. By now, Limited (NICIL), in an order signed by Finance Minister and Goedverwagting, on the ECD, and also under Trinuyana Investments Limited previously received land at Ogle the public must be aware that a $30 billion bond backed by Winston Jordan on June 11, the hand of the Finance tal of 19.678 acres of land to be in both a caretaker and According to NICIL, howNICIL’s assets and guar2020. In fact, all the orders Minister. was distributed at Ogle and a transition mode, where ever, the transaction was not anteed by the Government were dated June 11. Cardiology Services Goedverwagting. This comlarge transactions are not complete because the vestof Guyana was secured

The land, which has Incorporated of Lot pany had also received large entered into. The governing orders were not gazetthrough NICIL to retrono infrastructure on it, in184 Demerara Estate, tracts of land at Ogle, for the ing coalition would have lost ted. NICIL claimed that the fit and revitalise GuySuCo. cludes 0.353 acres at the Plantation Pattensen, was purpose of developing hotels. a No-Confidence Motion in rush to complete the transWe wish to remind too, that Lot 53 portion of Plantation also the beneficiary of eight The developments come December 2018. In addition, actions is due to the dire fifrom July 2018 to February Surapana on the banks acres of land at Montrose, on at a time when the Central based on the recount, the conancial straits facing the 2020, NICIL has disbursed of the Demerara River. the ECD. Land was also sold Housing and Planning alition also lost the March Guyana Sugar Corporation $9,720,759,568 to GuySuCo Another 0.356 acres on the to Earl’s Court Incorporated, Authority (CH&PA) has be2 General and Regional (GuySuCo), which it is fundto fund its Capital and banks of the River were also a company registered at 62 fore it a huge backlog of Elections. ing. Operational Expenditure.” transferred. Hadfield and Cross Streets. cases and thousands of disThe revelations, thereGuySuCo had recently NICIL also stressed that

Meanwhile, NICIL also The land, 30 acres, is locatsatisfied ordinary citizens fore, generated outrage appealed to the Government Minister Jordan did not have transferred 20 acres of land ed at Chateau Margot on the languishing in the system, across social media. In a for funds in order to ensure any involvement in the seat Goedverwagting and ECD. made worse by the coalition statement on Tuesday, howit could continue through lection of the investors, since Sparendaam on the East In addition, land was Government’s lack of ordiever, NICIL defended the the month of June. Already, he is not a member of the Coast of Demerara to a distributed to Trinuyana nary house lot distribution transactions by pointing out GuySuCo has shown itself NICIL Board, nor involved prominent company. Investments Limited of Lot policies. that the lands were partly to be unable to meet its first in the day to day manage

A similar transac62 Hadfield Street. A toGovernment is supposed paid for last year. crop target. ment of NICIL or the Special “We wish to remind Purpose Unit (SPU) arm of OAS says GECOM already in possession the public that NICIL through the SPU, sold lands that were vested to it NICIL. Efforts to contact the Minister were futile. T he Organisation of American States (OAS) has asserted pressed, noting that it remains committed to the strengthening of democraof “valid votes” from national recount Market vendor shot by gun-toting bandits that the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) is already in the possession of “valid votes” produced by the Caricom-supervised recount exercise. cy in Guyana, hoping for a “just and fair conclusion” of the current process. The OAS has accompanied the March 2 elections in Guyana throughout all A market vendor was on Sunday shot by two gun-toting bandits during a brazen robbery at La Penitence Market, The two bandits then relieved him of an undisclosed sum of money before escaping. The injured man’s son The international electoral observer mission made the contention in a statement on Tuesday following the Court of Appeal’s interpretation of the Guyana Constitution that “more votes cast” actually means “more valid votes cast”. The OAS, of which Guyana is a member, posited that “GECOM is therefore already in possession of a result based on the valid votes cast on March 2, 2020, through a recount exercise that was approved by all stakeholders.” It further noted that “In these circumstances, the OAS General Secretariat expects that anyone who wishes to challenge the validity of any of these votes should do so through an election petition filed in the High Court, after GECOM declares the election result based on the recount data.” The results from the recount exercise show the PPP/C won with 233,336 votes while the APNU/AFC garnered 217,920. General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) had also contended that “valid votes” were already determined by GECOM through the recount activity. According to the OAS, Guyana’s 2020 elections have been reviewed repeatedly and extensively by both national and regional courts and while its General Secretariat advocates for the right of all citizens to access electoral justice, “there is a fine line between the right to redress and the use of the courts to stall the electoral process”. It was the APNU/AFC, through its supporter Eslyn David, that approached the Court of Appeal just when GECOM had decided to go ahead with the declaration of the elections based on the recount results. Now, the Appeal court’s ruling is being challenged at the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) by the PPP/C which has contended that the Court’s pronouncements have “plunged the law in total confusion and it is now no longer clear how an election of members of the National Assembly is to be challenged and how the election of the President can be challenged.” Nevertheless, the OAS contended that Guyana’s electoral process “must be brought to an end, based on the results of the National Recount, and with respect for the will of the majority of the electorate.” “It is undeniable that this election has gone on long enough,” the OAS exof its stages, including the National Recount which last from May 6 to June 8. OAS observers were present for the determination and tabulation of the total valid votes cast in each Region – totals that were subsequently confirmed by the Chief Elections Officer and submitted to the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM). Georgetown. According to reports, the man and his son were selling from their truck around 13:00h when two men rode up on a blue Jialing motorcycle and held the duo at gunpoint demanding money. The father put up a fight, and in retaliation, the pillion rider discharged several rounds hitting him twice to the back. picked him up and rushed him to the Georgetown Public Hospital, where he was admitted. His condition is listed as critical. When contacted, acting Region Four (DemeraraMahaica) Police Commander, Senior Superintendent Phillip Azore stated that investigations were ongoing and declined to provide any other information.