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Gates padlocked as controversy erupts over Grove NDC office
-PNCR says it’s their campaign office
Controversy has erupted between the two major political parties in Guyana over a building that formerly housed the Golden Grove/ Diamond Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC).
The building has been padlocked for two months now and the NDC office has since been relocated to the Diamond Community Centre Ground building, East Bank Demerara (EBD).
The padlocked gates at the Grove NDC office.
The relocation of the NDC office has brought on fears of security since a number of residents would have to frequent the office to pay their rates and taxes while the staff members are virtually left unprotected with the money in their possession.
At the previous office in Grove, the NDC office was protected since the Grove Police Station was one of its neighbours.
The gates of the old NDC building had a huge padlock with chains around its gate. There was not a soul in sight as the building is now abandoned.
This NDC is responsible for the New Diamond and Golden Grove Housing Schemes, Kaneville Housing Scheme and Grove.
According to Patrick Roberts, Councillor of the Grove/ Diamond NDC since 1994, the Ministry of Local Government along with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) was planning to execute works on 13 roads in the Old Grove Housing Scheme.
Roberts said he was told that the IDB had required that as part of the project, the Grove NDC office was to be rebuilt.
Kaieteur News understands that the top flat of the building would house the campaign office of the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) while the NDC office was to be located at the bottom flat.
The People’s National Congress Reform has reportedly claimed that they have been using the building as a meeting place and as an area elections campaign command office for years now.
After the condition of the building posed problems for the execution of works on roads in the Old Grove Housing Scheme, the NDC wrote a letter to the General Secretary of the PNCR, Oscar Clarke, questioning the ownership of the building.
In a response, the PNCR reportedly explained that the Grove building has been established for a number of years and facilitated its campaign office.
This newspaper was told that the NDC then went to the Lands and Survey Commission where it made inquiries about rightful ownership of the property and building.
According to Roberts, the Lands and Survey Commission reported that the land belongs to Government.
Kaieteur News was told that since this revelation, the overseer of the NDC, Balram Balraj, padlocked the gate preventing officials from the PNCR from entering the compound and/or utilizing the building.
PNCR officials were unable to confirm whether there is a court action restraining any works being executed on the building.
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