Soesdyke/Coverden Land controversy…Ex-NDC Chairman ‘vying for Chairmanship’ at upcoming LGEs

Jan 26, 2016 News

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Days after an article was published in the Kaieteur News captioned “Ex-NDC Chairman obtains land through questionable means”, the Ex-Chairman has revealed that he has already begun his campaign to regain Chairmanship of the Soesdyke/Te Huis Te Coverden’s NDC in the upcoming Local Government Elections (LGE).
When contacted, recently, Aaron Grant-Stuart, who served as Chairman from 2009 to 2015, said that he has already begun to “test the waters”. He is optimistic that he will regain his post from which he said, he was “forced out”.
Grant-Stuart landed in hot water after it was discovered that he arbitrarily constructed several buildings on the Government-reserved lands located on the southern side of the Soesdyke/Linden Highway Junction.
This act, residents said, stemmed from Grant-Stuart’s “abuse of power” when he was Chairman.
However, the man refuted all allegations made against him stating that his move to construct the three buildings—the Torchbearers Youth and Young Adults’ Club; the Community Policing Group (CPG) building and his snackette—was all in the best interest of the people; an initiative which was taken by him  when he served as the NDC’s Chairman.
All materials used to construct the buildings he said, were donated. Several fundraisers were also done to assist paying the carpenters.
Not the Power of Attorney
In 2011, during the early stages of constructing the CPG building and his snackette, which he owns and operate, he came under scrutiny by members of the Council where he was questioned about the ownership of the land.
It was reported that he told his colleagues that he was the Power of Attorney (PoA) of the Jaundoo land – on which part of his snackette “might” be on.
However, he denies ever saying that he was the PoA. Accompanying him to Kaieteur News was the “Caretaker” of the Jaundoo land, Bobby Moore.
Moore having got wind of the article, stated that Grant-Stuart was not the PoA and if his “boss (Jaundoo)” who lives overseas sees this, it would result in Jaundoo “wondering how Grant-Stuart become Power of Attorney” and would lead to him (Moore) to losing his job.
He also said that he does not have any knowledge of Grant-Stuart occupying a section of Jaundoo’s land however, measurements would have to be carried out to determine this.
Moore also pointed out that some persons operating on the opposite side of the Highway – which he also looks after – were constructing illegal facilities; septic tanks, etc. and all efforts to end this have so far, been futile.
The retroactive letter
Subsequent to the May 2015 General Elections, Grant-Stuart confirmed that he had written and personally submitted a letter to the Ministry of Public Infrastructure on September 16, 2015 in support of a letter that was written by the Community Policing Group (CPG) to have the CPG ‘s building erected.
The CPG’s letter was also dated the same September 16, 2015 and addressed to the same ministry.
Therefore, the letters requesting and supporting the construction were backdated since the buildings were already constructed five years ago. This sparked curiosity among village heads and residents.
Grant-Stuart in his defence, stated that the reason to backdate the letter was due to the realisation that the former administration, the Peoples Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) was going to lose the General Elections and in an aim to “regularise” the building, the letter was submitted.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of the CPG has denied all knowledge of the letter’s existence and is questioning how his signature was attached to the letter.
On the question of how the CPG’s Chairman’s signature appeared on the documents, Grant-Stuart said that he could not remember how the signature got there and said that he would have to see the letter, then it would all “come back” to him.
Then, he declared that he is the General Secretary of the CPG.
Regardless of this he said, there was no need for him to forge the signature of the CPG’s Chairman and all claims of him doing so, represent an attempt to “mudsling” him and to tarnish his reputation.
Reports of him utilising the Torchbearers Youth and Young Adults’ Club as his residence he said, were lies since he owns several properties.
Grant-Stuart is questioning why he is being “targeted” for “constructing a building and earning an honest living” when there are numerous persons occupying lands on both private and state-owned lands without permission “all around the junction and the highway”.
This issue of squatting in the area, according to the current Chairman Leslie Glasgow, will be addressed in the upcoming Council Meeting which is pegged for later this month.

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