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Red House saga …Govt, Opposition granted time to respond to summons

Feb 04, 2017 News

The legal battle between the government and the People’s Progressive Party over the Red House came up at the hearing at the High Court, yesterday.
Last December, the political opposition moved to the High Court to bar the revocation of a lease and the removal of artifacts from Red House, a national heritage site.
The move came after President David Granger ordered that the lease to the Cheddi Jagan Research Centre Incorporated (CJRCI) be revoked and that the occupants vacate the property by December 31, 2016.
The Red House lease was granted by the then PPP/C government to Cheddi Jagan Research Centre Incorporated (CJRCI), a company formed by the members of the same party.
However according information obtained by the current government, on March 30, 2012 the Red House lease agreement was initiated without the approval of either the President of the day or The National Trust of Guyana, in contravention of Section 10 of the Lands Department Act Chapter 59:01.
Last week, an affidavit was filed in the High Court by former President Donald Ramotar to support the motion filed by the PPP/C opposition seeking to bar the revocation of a lease to the Red House.
The case was called before the Chief Justice (Ag) Cummings Yonette-Edwards at 11:00 am.
According to sworn document, Ramotar said that at all material times, he was aware and authorized and sanctioned the issuance of a lease of the Government land for educational /research purposes on the March 30, 2012 in respect to areas ‘A’ now called Red House comprising of Lots 65, 66 and 67 High Street Kingston acting on behalf of the Government of Guyana and the Cheddi Jagan Research Institute, (CJRI).
In the affidavit dated January 30, 2017, Ramotar explained that as President of Guyana, he exercised all powers conferred upon himself by the Constitution and Laws of Guyana in leasing the property.
During the hearing, Attorneys -at- law Priya Manickchand and Anil Nandlall appeared for the Cheddi Jagan Research Committee Inc. (CJRC) and the Attorney General, Basil Williams, appeared for the Commissioner of Lands and Surveys.
The hearing was set to deal with an application by way of a Summons by Attorney General, (AG) Basil Williams in which he is seeking to vary/amend the Consent Order which was granted on the 30th of December 2016.
Attorneys representing the PPP/C had opposed the application and requested 14 days leave to file an Application in Answer.
The AG was granted 14 days leave to file an Affidavit in reply. This aspect of the matter was adjourned to March 8, 2017.
Yesterday the AG indicated that on February 20, 2017, he will make preliminary submission of law, that the Court has no jurisdiction.
To date, he has failed to file the Affidavit in Answer which he was ordered to do within 21 days since the December 30, last.
This goes against initial reports that the Red House lease agreement was initiated without the approval of either the President of the day or The National Trust of Guyana, which is in contravention of Section 10 of the Lands Department Act Chapter 59:01.

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