Several may be charged in connection with Pradoville 2 housing lands

Last Updated on Tuesday, 6 June 2017, 19:38 by Denis Chabrol

Just under 12 persons could soon be charged in connection with the development and sale of  housing lands at Goedverwagting-Plaisance (Pradoville 2), according to high-level sources.

Demerara Waves was told that the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) of the Guyana Police Force has recommended charges for  several persons.

The Police Legal Adviser, Retired Justice Claudette Singh has since been asked by SOCU to offer her advice on the recommendations following an extensive probe that had seen former President Bharrat Jagdeo and several other former ministers under the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPPC) administration grilled by SOCU agents.

Apart from members of the then political directorate, others who had been questioned included former Chief Executive Officer of the Guyana Water Incorporated, Shaik Baksh; former Chief Executive Officer of the National Communications Network (NCN), Mohammed “Fuzzy’ Sattaur; former NCN  board member, and Kwame Mc Coy.

A forensic audit report shows that that of the 28 lots, totalling 12.1187 acres, only 3.9693 remain un-allocated. Conducted by the accounting firm, Ram and Mc Rae, the audit found that the housing land had been grossly undervalued and had been allocated preferentially.

One of the areas that had been focused on by investigators had been whether the NCN radio transmission mast and transmitting station at Sparendaam had been relocated to Parfaite Harmonie to facilitate the housing land development for the beneficiaries at the expense of the state and way under market value.

The former PPPC administration cabinet members who had been questioned by SOCU included former Cabinet Secretary and Head of the Presidential Secretariat, Dr. Roger Luncheon; former Minister of Housing and Water, Irfan Ali; former Minister of Agriculture, Robert Persaud; former Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand; former Home Affairs Minister, Clement Rohee and former Minister of Labour, Nankishore Gopaul.

Also interrogated were Director of Public Prosecutions, Shalimar Hack; former Guyana Defence Force Chief of Staff, Retired Rear Admiral Gary Best; former Head of the Office of Climate Change, Andrew Bishop and General Manager (on leave) of the Guyana Gold Board, Lisaveta Ramotar.