Minister should order investigation of Paradise Multi Purpose Cooperative Society

Jul 31, 2011 Letters

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Dear Editor,
This letter has been a long time coming but due to certain events we think that the time is now right for us to bring out into the open the goings on of the Paradise Multi Purpose Cooperative Society.  The aforesaid Society was (as far as our information goes) formed by one Dazzell in the Paradise backlands, which have been described as ancestral lands.
At the time of joining, all members were required to purchase 10 two-thousand dollar shares amounting to twenty thousand dollars.  During the course of time legal and surveying fees were duly paid and construction of homes commenced.
Due to mismanagement of the Society’s affairs, a somewhat dubious arrangement emerged where an “Interim Management Committee” started to conduct the affairs of the Society.
Editor, the situation today is entirely reminiscent of the Dazzell days because to date, no financial audit has been done; no Annual General Meeting has been held; and no one is any wiser about the status of the said Society’s finances.  In a word there is no accountability.
About two years ago, residents were informed at a meeting that we would have to pay the sum of one hundred and forty-three thousand dollars (G$143,000) for infrastructural works etc. No coherent response was forthcoming when a breakdown of costs was requested.
No consideration was given to the fact that residents had already paid to install electricity in the area in a private arrangement with the power company.  At the same time, some persons in positions of influence were able to have the secondary road where they reside built through their own ad hoc arrangements.
Editor, President Jagdeo promised that the residents of the Paradise Housing Scheme would at long last receive potable water from their taps.  Incidentally, at the same meeting the President had cause to distance his government from a most puerile statement made by one of the chief operatives who had earlier stated that the government was not obligated to provide water to the community.  Lo and behold, as a further sign of the rapacious nature of the “interim” body, a meeting was called to inform residents that unless they paid the “outstanding” monies to secure titles to their lands they would not be receiving water in their homes.
Editor, there are persons close to those “managing” the Society who have never paid one blind cent and are in possession of their titles. No one has said anything with respect to residents who may be renting and – as citizens, are entitled to accessing the basic necessities that governments are expected to provide.
In our view, the actions of this body amount to an abuse of misplaced authority which should attract the attention of the subject minister.  Please note that we did not refer to the Chief Cooperatives Officer since we have concerns on the question of objectivity.
Editor, there are many other issues which are best left unsaid in this forum with due regard to the laws of libel.  However, we are requesting the Minister of Labour who has responsibility for Cooperatives to urgently initiate an investigation into the affairs of the Paradise Multi Purpose Cooperative Society with special attention on the financial management of the body.
We do believe that a thorough investigation will unearth severe irregularities which may well attract legal sanction.
Can you imagine where in a situation there are needy persons, a certain individual who – to all appearances operates as sole arbiter of the Society’s business, is asking persons to pay four hundred and fifty thousand dollars ($450,000) per house lot?
We at the very least would have expected to see a more humane approach to the majority of residents who are not very well off to be offered an arrangement where they could be asked to pay their financial obligations to the Society in reasonable and affordable installments.  The Ministry of Housing and Water requires an eight thousand dollars ($8,000) fee to facilitate the processing of ownership Title by the Land Registry.
What is so hard about taking some of the twenty-five million dollars supposedly reposing in a bank account to fix the entrance to the scheme which is at best a disgrace to the concept of Co-operativism and community spirit?
We all recoiled in shock at the death of those two children (who were burnt to death in a shack) and should take some of the blame for that unfortunate incident because if we were proactive as a community then some demand should have been on record seeking at least an allocation of land to the young couple.  Some of us know for a fact that the father is a hard working individual who allows nothing from keeping him from earning an honest living.
Editor, we are in a sorry situation when persons use their official position and the ignorance of people to perpetuate large scale irregularities for their own self aggrandizement to the detriment of community spirit.  There are horror stories where women are asked for certain favours to secure house lots.
In an abundance of plenty (land) there is no recreational facility for the residents and all we see on a daily basis (when the weather permits) is a lot of idle youths.  Editor, enough is enough and all we are asking is that an investigation be carried out to determine the veracity of our claims.
Concerned residents of Paradise (Dazzell) Housing Scheme

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