First Federation Life Building now lifeless…

Aug 12, 2013 News

After many attempts at evicting the tenants and with several injunctions to stop these, the First Federation Life Building is now currently lifeless.
The landmark building in the heart of Georgetown housed 31 tenants up to a few weeks ago but because of the Guyana Power and Light inc. disconnecting electricity to the building, the numbers have significantly dwindled. Some 26 tenants have since exited the premises with a handful now remaining, mostly concentrated to the second floor.

The dumping of garbage and loose electrical wire are common place in the First Federation Building.

When Kaieteur visited the four-storey building, the entire premises was pitch black, and carried an unpleasant odor on every floor. Its hallowed walls are now occupied with only a handful of persons, who are still conducting about four businesses. One of the occupants of the building has utilized the services of a generator which they painstakingly move daily from the inside to the outside of the building to generate the required electricity to power their business. When asked by this newspaper whether they continue to pay rent one of the remaining tenants said that “since the light and water was cut off we have not paid any rent”.
Further checks through the building picked up many wires hanging and lots of garbage within the roof.
The Government sometime back served six tenants with a Notice of Possession, a legal document reclaiming or retaking possession of the said property. This was done with the implied intention to get full possession of the building. This was however challenged by several of the lawyers working there who filed an injunction to halt the process. What is clearly evident is that since the power and water have been cut from the building, the eviction process was greatly accelerated.
The reason for the repossessing of the building is twofold, with the government stating the tenants have arrears rent that have not been paid in years.
The building is managed by the “Public Trustee”, an organ of the Ministry of Legal Affairs and recently Minister Anil Nandlall made clear his intention to re-occupy the building so that it can be used to house a number of critical offices in the judicial system.
These include the Lands, Deeds and Corporate registries, among other departments. The impetus for his decision being that the location is strategic for expansion since it is located close to other judicial services within the said area.