People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) member, Shadow Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Mr. Roysdale Forde, S.C, has called on Vice President (VP) Bharrat Jagdeo to provide evidence from the Auditor General’s Report recommendation was made to demolish the party’s office in Lethem.
Last Thursday, under the watchful eyes and protection of the Guyana Police Force officials from the Region Nine Regional Democratic Council (RDC), using Venezuelan labourers according to the PNC, demolished the building.
But Last Friday, Jadgeo at a press conference said the Regional Executive Officer (REO), Mr. Karl Singh, acted on recommendations in the Auditor General’s report, resulting in the RDC demolishing the PNC’s Lethem Office. According to the VP the PNCR is illegally occupying government property. The PNCR said they have been occupying the land and building since 1975 unhindered.
In an invited comment with this publication Forde rubbished the VP’s statements. According to the senior counsel even if the property is a matter of dispute, the Government by its actions is in breach of the law of trespass and the related bundle of rights associated therewith and possession. “This is a matter of law and due process which are the domain of the court, not heavy-duty vehicles, not the lawless exercise to bulldoze people’s property and steal their possessions,” he contended.
The shadow minister said it is rather strange Jagdeo is seeking to implicate the Auditor General, Mr. Deodat Sharma. “Even if the Auditor General may have reported an irregularity in the system, due process dictates the government takes appropriate legal action.” Forde said this was not done.
“I believe Mr. Sharma and his office are now being made scapegoats for these breaches and look forward to Mr. Sharma publicly distancing himself and office from any recommendation that countenance lawlessness, that would result in the destruction of property and stolen items,” charged the senior counsel.
Further, he said, if such recommendation exists it is important for law-abiding Guyanese to see the evidence.
