The scandal-ridden Central Housing & Planning Authority (CH&PA) is making the headlines with one explosive allegation after another (CH&PA CEO quits after questions about NY property’, SN, Feb. 5, 2025; ‘New York doctor claims he doesn’t know investing money with Ed Ahmad is illegal’, KN, Feb. 5, 2025; Interview on Feb. 3, 2025 with journalist Travis Chase and Dr. Philip Baldeo, and social media post on Feb. 5, 2025 by Melissa Atwell aka ‘Melly Mel’).
The Stabroek News’ article reported that the CH&PA’s CEO, Sherwyn Greaves tendered his resignation following reports that businessman Terrence Campbell had written to the United States’ Department of Justice requesting an investigation into his purchase of a once-valued US$770,000 New York home. Specifically, the call for the investigation was based on a suspicion that the sale of the NY property was a quid pro quo for favours to be granted in Guyana in violation of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, a US law that prohibits bribery of foreign officials. The transaction in question involved the acquisition of 30 acres of prime lands in Guyana.
Terrence Campbell suggested that in the interest of transparency and accountability, President Irfaan Ali should call for an investigation, given the seriousness of the allegations and that because many believe that CH&PA were directed to accommodate the sales. I wholeheartedly endorse the need for such an investigation and for a wider one encompassing all lands sold post-August 2020 in the areas alongside the newly-built Heroes Highway and the Ogle-to-Eccles bypass road. Public disclosure of this information is critical to assuage deep concerns of widespread corruption considered to be a feature of this administration. For good measure the government may also extend the investigation to include CH&PA land sales under the Coalition administration.
The Kaiteur News’ article referenced a recent interview with journalist Travis Chase and New York-based Guyanese Dr. Philip Baldeo and bore the sub-title ‘… as land sale scandal deepens.’ In the interview Dr. Baldeo made several startling revelations. One of these is that apart from 30 acres that he purchased in 2013 from CH&PA under the name Luxury Investment, he is engaged over the last two years in acquisition of properties being developed on Heroes Highway to the value of USD10.0 mln. under the name Hari Development. What makes this revelation startling is that he admitted to buying this land not from the CH&PA but from a Company, which would be a clear breach of the Agreement birthing the original sale by the CH&PA. When asked by Travis Chase for the name of the Company that he acquired these lands from, Dr. Baldeo committed to furnishing same ‘within 72 hours.’
What has caused me some distress, however, is the fact that in the interview Dr. Baldeo twice stated that he was in contact with me regarding a proposal of his to build houses to give to people in Linden. On the first occasion, he said he ‘went to Mr. Trotman (former Minister of Natural Resources) and also to Mr. Bulkan and asked them …’ and again said ‘I asked Bulkan.’ Though not accused of any improper dealings, Baldeo claimed to have ‘donated money to PNC/APNU.’ Why would this person seek to make such a false claim -being in contact with me- is beyond me.
Since the airing of the interview which had 115,000 views within the first 3 hours, several persons reached out to me saying that ‘my name was called’ which has its own negative connotation locally, especially given that I was the subject Minister for CH&PA for the period May 2015-July 2020. I wish to state that I have never met or spoken to Phillip Baldeo.
I do not know him, nor have I ever had any dealings with him. Notably, Baldeo made no mention of CEO Greaves or Minister Susan Rodrigues, both of whom are now linked to him in corrupt practices. Only Bulkan! I see this as a clumsy attempt to link me to his questionable conduct.
Finally, I wish to touch on the post on February 5, 2025 by courageous social media activist ‘Melly Mel’ in which she has levelled extremely damaging accusations against Minister Susan Rodrigues, one being that she has laundered USD1.0 mln., same being proceeds of government lands improperly sold to Shareef, of Sheriff fame. Melly alleges also that Minister Rodrigues is involved in one of the three companies that Phillip Baldeo mentioned in his interview.
There are a plethora of allegations and admissions that call for a thorough investigation in what appears to be a cesspool of corruption at the CH&PA. President Ali would do well to launch an investigation with reference to the aforementioned and make public all its findings.
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Ronald Bulkan was Minister of Communities (responsibility for local government and subject Minister of CH&PA and Guyana Water Inc.) in the A Partnership for National Unity and Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC) government
