Grove businessman and NDC official at war over illegal workshop

Aug 05, 2013 News

A Grove, East Bank Demerara (EBD) businessman is convinced that an official at the village’s Neighbourhood Democratic Council is using the law to victimize him because he raised his voice against a workshop which has been operating on the reserve at Niles Street for years.
According to Yubraj Rambarran, for the past three years, he has made several complains to both the Grove NDC and the Ministry of Local Government for the removal of a welding shop which is located a few feet away from his yard, alongside the roadway.
The businessman explained that the road is narrow and vehicles at the workshop cause significant traffic congestion.
“They would sometimes park in front my yard and I can’t do anything, and the noise is too much.”
“We were abused verbally and my life was threatened by someone who frequented that workshop,” Rambarran told this newspaper.
He said that the operator of the welding shop is a friend of someone attached to the NDC, and because of the friendship, the official is using the law to victimize him.
Rambarran explained that although he has already paid his taxes for last year, the NDC still sent him a demand notice for2012.
He further added that he was also served a demand notice to pay double the taxes he normally pays annually.
The official at the NDC, when contacted, said that he has no personal problem with Rambarran.
He explained that Rambarran and the owner of the workshop are related and there is a family feud between the two parties.
According to the official, Rambarran is trying to get the NDC involved in his personal problems.
“We served the workshop owner with a letter to move. The matter is now with the Local Government Ministry so they are dealing with the issue now.”
When asked about the sudden increase in the rates and taxes, the official explained that Rambarran is operating a shop at his home, hence he has to pay the increase.
“He was paying for domestic rate all the time but now he has to pay the commercial rate because he has a business- be it small or large.”
“The reason why the repeated figure was sent to him for 2012 is because our books were not updated and I told him, if he needs to query anything then he is free to visit me,” the official explained.

The contentious workshop

The workshop owner, Pooran, when contacted told Kaieteur News that he has been operating at that location for the past 18 years and never had a problem with anyone until three years ago when Rambarran moved there.
“This is where my income comes from. I can’t move the shop into my yard because two houses are in the yard and there is no space. I am 47-years-old and I never run to the police and I won’t do it now. He (Rambarran) doesn’t have a heart. He wants me to move and I will move. I asked the Local Government people for some time because I have four jobs to finish off,” the workshop owner noted.