THE PRADOVILLE TWO SAGA CONTINUES

Nov 05, 2016 Editorial, Features / Columnists

The people depend on State agencies and regulators to police that which they, as individuals, are not in position to do on their own, be it for lack of legal powers, financial resources, skills or expertise.

The entire rationale of having a Police Force with investigative powers and resources at its disposal and agencies like the State Asset Recovery Unit (SARU) is that these entities would have specialized skills to focus on their mandates. We need to have an independent agency like SARU with national jurisdiction to monitor illegal activities and recover stolen state properties. Rules and laws must be enforced on a large scale. Individual citizens cannot do that.

SARU was appointed by the government to retrieve properties believed stolen or acquired through illegal means by former government officials. So it is not disheartening to hear that the opposition is not in favour of such agencies despite the fact that its leader has publicly stated that they have nothing to hide. Yet they have labelled SARU a witch-hunting agency that is harassing members of the PPP.

However, the creation of SARU is a clear breakthrough in relation to its investigation into illegal activities allegedly committed by public officials. The public is encouraged by SARU’s vigilance and zero-tolerance approach guided by the rule of law. The unsatisfactory state of affairs under the last administration is enough reason to have SARU as the nation’s gate-keeper to safeguard state assets. The government could not depend on the eyes of the public alone.

While there has been impatience with the pace of investigations under the government, it none-the-less vowed to investigate all reports of corrupt transactions that allegedly took place under the former administration.

SARU’s report in October last year had raised eyebrows. It noted that in 2010, the Jagdeo government authorized the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited, (NICIL), to privatize state lands at Sparendaam. NICIL, reportedly privatized the oceanfront land and spent more than $200M to construct roads and drainage to develop the seaside community without the approval of Parliament.

It also spent $100 million to remove the state-owned NCN transmitting tower from Sparendaam. The house lots, complete with infrastructure, were secretly sold to Jagdeo, ex-ministers and friends of the former government at substantially below the market value thereby depriving the state of its full benefits.

During its investigation of the controversial land deal, SARU reportedly secured enough evidence to prosecute Mr. Jagdeo and a number of ex-Ministers and friends of the PPP. While some wanted to see criminal charges, other counsel have recommended civil charges.

SARU’s file has engaged the attention of the police legal advisor, former Justice Claudette Singh, but to date, there is no indication that criminal charges will be instituted despite the evidence secured by SARU.

While the DPP and the police legal advisor deliberate on the case, legal experts have not ruled out criminal charges. Given the history and nature of the land deal, SARU believes that criminal charges are warranted against former ministers for misconduct because they have abused their powers and have violated the public trust in office. It was the first major case to have criminal charges recommended by SARU.

The government has disclosed that a special prosecutor will be appointed with international help to prepare the cases to prosecute those found in breach of the alleged illegal acts pertaining to the oceanfront land deal which continues to embarrass the PPP. It’s time to end the Pradoville 2 saga.

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