Former Chief Executive Officer (ag) of the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL) and head of the Special Purpose Unit (SPU), Colvin Heath-London was on Friday arrested in connection with allegations of conspiracy to defraud the state.
Heath-London, who is being held at the Brickdam Police Station, was been denied bail as investigations continue into the sale of state lands under the Partnership for National Unity + Alliance for Change (APNU+AFC) Government.
In a brief interview on Friday evening, Heath-London’s Attorney Nigel Hughes said, “They placed him in handcuffs, took him to the lockups after he was questioned for the entire day.”
Heath-London presented himself to the Police on Friday at around 8:30h, upon being invited for questioning. After approximately 10 hours of being interrogated at the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Heath-London was notified that he would be placed arrested. At around 18:00h he was then taken to the Brickdam Police Station.
“Once they said he was a suspect, he exercised his right to silence,” Hughes told Village Voice News.
Heath-London’s arrest comes approximately three weeks after he was fired from the Special Purpose Unit (the SPU), where he was the Head.
Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall had subsequently indicated civil action would be brought against both Heath-London, and the former Minister of Finance Winston Jordan over the questionable sale of state land.
In the termination letter, the Attorney General told Heath-London that a review of his performance revealed “illegalities and serious failures in the performance of your duties.”
“A review of NICIL’s and SPU’s operations revealed the following illegalities and serious failures by you in the performance of your duties, all of which were approved or performed by you, or at your request or under your ostensible authority, which have had a detrimental effect to the Government’s, NICIL’s and the State’s best interest,” Heath-London’s termination letter said.
The termination letter said too that “These include but are not limited to the following: The issuance of various leases of various NICIL properties located in Peters Hall, East Bank Demerara without (i) public tender, (ii) valuations, (iii) board approval, (iv) Cabinet approval, (v) review by approved NICIL counsel and (vi) ensuring that the issued leases contained the standard and customary provisions relating to termination and non-assignment and other protections to NICIL. The issuance of approximately 14 agreements of sale and leases for NICIL lands located at Ogle, East Coast Demerara (the “Ogle Transactions”), and the subsequent vesting of 7 tracts of lands without ensuring that full payment was received for those lands in accordance with the terms of the relevant agreements, and without ensuring that the vesting orders issued were drafted by approved NICIL counsel or contained the usual and customary language sufficient to protect NICIL’s interests. Procur-ing the execution and gazetting the aforementioned vesting orders without first ensuring that payments were made in accordance with the terms of the various agreements executed by the parties.”
