Give back the lands or face penalties

…Jagdeo says to companies that received lands post no-confidence motion

Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo said on Friday that companies or persons who were vested State lands by the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL) after the no-confidence motion against APNU+AFC will escape penalties if they relinquish these lands back to the State.

The Vice President told the media that several have already opted to do so but some others remain obstinate. He said that the intention of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government is not to go after the innocent, however, these individuals who participated in the transactions should have known better.

“The Government has had almost a benign attitude to people who were forewarned in that period, like on the East Coast lands, that they should not conclude deals with a Government that had fallen through a no-confidence motion, especially after the elections were held, after the APNU lost the elections,” he said, adding, however:

“People have an option now, those who received the land and are prepared to give it up – the large tracts of land – we promised people that we will take back because they were done illegally. Those individuals have a pathway, they don’t have to worry about criminal actions being taken against them. They don’t have to worry, that is those individuals who voluntarily give back the land.”

The companies previously listed as involved included BK Marine Inc. (Brian Tiwari); American Marine Services Inc. (Hareshnarine Sugrim); Cardiology Services Inc. (Dr. Mahendra Carpen); Guyana Oil Company Limited (Renatha Exeter, Company CEO); Supergraphics (Eton Cordis); Premier Sales and Services (Danley Major); Navigant Builders Inc. (Danny Sawh) and Caribbean Marketing Enterprise Inc. (Edmon Braithwaite).

However, the Village Voice last reported that six of these companies offered to surrender their plots. Jagdeo said: “There are others who are refusing to do so, a few, and the guys, the architects are not going to get away that easily.” He said that those who relinquish the lands, may eventually have a pathway to regaining some of the lands through a new process.

On the contrary, the Vice President said that several persons in NICIL along with former Finance Minister, Winston Jordan, will “all be made to pay for what they did.” What they did, according to Attorney General (AG), Anil Nandlall was allegedly vested State lands to several companies without full payment and after the passage of the no-confidence motion.

The AG has announced that he will commence civil proceedings against Jordan and also fired former head of the Special Purposes Unit (SPU), Colvin Heath-London for allegedly being involved in “flagrant illegalities”.

In response, Jordan said that the actions of the AG seem to be designed to tarnish his character. He assured the public that he performed his duties in compliance with the oath of office and to the best of his abilities. On Friday, Jagdeo counterclaimed that the lands were vested without Cabinet approval.