Pradoville Two Land Distribution case… Let the consequences be what they may – Rohee

Jul 12, 2016 News

It has been almost one year since the infamous “Pradoville Two” land distribution scheme was revealed to the nation. Facts showed members of the former PPP/C administration and prominent citizens acquiring prime real estate at considerably low prices.

PPP/C General Secretary, Clement Rohee

Since the APNU-AFC coalition government gained office, the State’s Assets Recovery Unit has been investigating the matter.
At a press conference last Tuesday, General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party Civic, Clement Rohee, said that if SARU believes it has a case, then the unit should take its file to Director of Public Prosecution Shalimar Ali-Hack.
Rohee who was listed as a recipient of a plot of land in the community said, “The DPP would have to pronounce, I don’t think SARU has any authority to arrest or to prosecute anybody; they’re just a body in the Ministry of the Presidency.” The Member of Parliament added that SARU is synonymous with a “toothless poodle”.
The DPP is also on the list of beneficiaries of land in the East Coast Demerara community. When asked if he believes Ali-Hack would have an impartial stance when dealing with the matter; Rohee said that the office of the DPP has always been an independent and autonomous body.

The General Secretary is of the belief that once there is a strong case against those persons who have come to own land in the community, then the matter should be followed to the full extent of the law.
Head of SARU Dr. Clive Thomas insisted that his entity plans to continue pushing for criminal charges to be laid.
Last October, SARU had completed a report which revealed that in 2010 President Bharrat Jagdeo and his Cabinet authorized the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL) to privatize state lands.
It was reported that $200M was spent to prepare the seafront estate. Certain recipients reportedly paid a meagre $1.5M for one lot.
Some of the recipients included former Public Service Minister, Dr. Jennifer Westford; Former Natural Resources Minister Robert Persaud; former GWI Head Shaik Baksh and former Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand; Andrew Bishop, a Presidential Advisor under the former administration and former Chief Executive Officer of Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission; former CEO of Guyana Sugar Corporation Rajendra Singh and former Head of the Private Sector Commission, Ramesh Dookhoo.