Latest update November 21st, 2024 1:00 AM
Day 3 of Pradoville 2 probe…Robert Persaud does not rule out paying market price for house lot
…Kwame McCoy, Andrew Bishop questioned
As the probe into the Sparendaam Land distribution scheme continues, former Minister of Natural Resources Robert Persaud has not ruled out paying the market price for the house lot he bought in the area now dubbed
“Pradoville 2.”
Persaud made this public in a Facebook post where he said that his legal advisor indicated to him that should the state establish that the price paid for the house lot was below market value, discussions can be entered into for a mutually acceptable resolution of the matter.
The former Minister sought to explain how he came to own a plot of land in the area. According to Persaud some time between 2007 and 2008, he applied for a government house lot as at that time he was occupying a government residence and not the owner of any house lot issued by the state or one acquired from a private source.
He added,” I paid in full the asking price for a house lot in the Sparendaam-Goedverwagting area referred to as ‘Pradoville 2’. This was the first time I ever purchased a house lot directly from the state. Due to a number of factors, including financial constraints, after the building was erected on the said plot, it was sold. I never occupied the residence at Pradoville 2.”
Persaud said that all the necessary permissions were sought from the Ministry of Housing and a financial penalty was paid for the early disposal of the plot and building.
The former Minister is one of 14 persons who have been questioned so far in relation to the acquisition of house lots in the Pradoville 2 housing scheme. Yesterday, People’s Progressive Party Civic member and former Information Liaison to the Office of the President, Kwame McCoy was required to visit the Camp Street office of the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) regarding the matter.
Also questioned by SOCU was another beneficiary of land, Andrew Bishop. On Wednesday, those questioned included former Ministers of Housing and Water Irfaan Ali, former Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand, former Minister of Tourism Sheik Baksh, former Prime Minister Samuel Hinds, former Minister of Public Service, Jennifer Westford, former Minister of Labour, Nanda Gopaul and former Minister of Home Affairs, Clement Rohee.
The questioning had begun on Tuesday when some persons were actually arrested. Those arrested and questioned were former Head of the Presidential Secretariat, Roger Luncheon; former Chairman of the Private Sector Commission, Ramesh Dookoo; daughter of former President Donald Ramotar and General Manager of Guyana Gold Board, Lisaveta Ramotar; and son of former Labour Minister Nanda Gopaul, Dr Gansham Singh.
Based on information, the recipients of Pradoville 2 lands paid one-third what ordinary citizens in the Diamond and Grove Housing Schemes, East Bank Demerara would have paid. It was reported that Rohee, Baksh and Manickchand paid just over $1.5M each and so did, former Army Chief, Rear Admiral Gary Best and sacked Chief Executive Officer of Guyana Sugar Corporation, Dr Rajendra Singh.
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