Latest update March 28th, 2024 12:59 AM
Mar 15, 2017 News
Bharrat Jagdeo is adamant that the removal of the National Communications Network (NCN) transmission tower from Sparendaam to Dairy Road, La Parafaite Harmonie, West Bank Demerara was not done to facilitate the development of that controversial Pradoville 2 scheme.
The former president said that this assertion is being peddled since it goes well with the current investigations. Placing the tower works at the centre inflates the cost for developmental works at the scheme, Jagdeo said.
The current administration has failed to inform the nation that the removal of the tower was necessitated by the development of the Ogle airport, he said.
Jagdeo provided a document that showed discussion for the removal had started since 2004 between Anthony Mekdeci, Ogle Airport Manager and Rawle Edinboro, Town and Country Planning Officer (ag) of the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA).
Jagdeo said that it was suggested that the tower be removed or the height be reduced since it was in the flight path of incoming air traffic and would have posed a serious risk to flights in light of the planned expansion of that airport at the time.
The opposition leader said that based on technical advice received at the time, it was not advisable to reduce the height of the tower. Removal was the next option, hence moving the tower for the airport expansion and not for the development of Pradoville 2.
He said that the information is public record. He was sure that the government was in possession of this document. He said that he was at a loss to explain the reasoning of the current administration in failing to explain the true reason for the removal of the tower. The opposition leader is of the view that this recent position by the governing administration lends credence to the notion that the current Pradoville 2 probe is a ‘witch hunt’.
On the issue of the price paid for house lots at that scheme and the suggestions that they were bought for below market value, Jagdeo said that he was not responsible for setting those prices but did admit that those decisions were made by his Cabinet.
Jagdeo explained that in an area at Liliendaal an acre of land was sold for $4M.He equated that price to what was paid at Pradoville 2. When it was put to the former president that a similar ocean view plot close to Grand Coastal Hotel was going for $25M and that when it was calculated, those recipients at Pradoville 2 did indeed under pay.
Former Auditor General, Anand Goolsarran, said that based on his calculation an acre of land at Pradoville 2 should have cost $82.8M . However Jagdeo paid a mere $10M for the two acres he bought. Jagdeo said that Goolsarran’s calculation has no substance. The former auditor general was not a credible source to speak on the subject, he added.
The former president indicated that neither he nor his PPP/C colleagues will be amenable to paying any additional cost for those lands and he is ready to put up a rigorous defense of that purchase.
THIS IDIOT TELLING GUYANA WE HAVE NO SAY IN THE 50% PROFIT SHARING AGREEMENT WE HAVE WITH EXXON.
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