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MMA/ADA lands to ex-chairman… Company struck off the register
A company linked to Kenneth Sealey, former Chairman of the Mahaica-Mahaicony Abary Agricultural Development Authority (MMA-ADA), was struck off companies’ register last year.
Former MMA-ADA chairman, Kenneth Sealey
Albertha Investments Inc. was taken off the Registry’s list in June last year, three years after it received 2,000 acres.
Sitting as Chairman of the authority at the time of the allocation was Sealey. It is unclear whether he recused himself at the time.
The establishment of the company would have been key for the lands to be approved for him.
The official would have had to submit an application that outlines his plans for the lands.
However, just three years later, the company did not meet a number of requirements in keeping with the Registry’s mandate. This would have caused it to be struck off.
The allocation of the large piece of land to the then sitting chairman has been raising eyebrows because of potential conflict of interest scenarios.
According to documents of the MMA-ADA, its Land Sub-Committee on May 20, 2016 considered applications for Albertha Investment Inc. That company applied for two areas for agricultural purposes.
The company had as its directors Dr. Sealey and Selma Sealey, who is the Secretary/Director.
One area was for 2,000 acres and it is situated north of the Herstelling Drain, east of the MMA-ADA main canal, and on the West Bank of Berbice.
Albertha was said to be in occupation of the land with cattle on it. The business was also reportedly planting permanent crops.
Albertha also on the same date had another application for 152.425 acres. These lands were said to be located in the Abary area.
This tract of land was previously occupied by Belmont Investment Limited, which was defunct.
MMA-ADA documents to the Lands Sub-Committee indicate that Albertha started occupying the lands which also once housed an army farm.
The two applications had been filed just two days before the Land Sub-Committee of MMA-ADA considered the transactions.
Both transactions were approved for rental of 50 years with $1,000 per acre charged annually.
It meant that Albertha was set up to apply for the lands. It received those lands, and then apparently no longer needed the company.
The disclosures came as questions about possible conflict of interest situations were also raised recently when it was learnt the current chairman, Kelvin Saul, who took over from Sealey in 2018, would have benefitted from 10,000-plus acres.
Saul has since defended the transaction of those lands, explaining that it was forested lands that he had with some partners which was converted to agriculture. The applications for the conversions had to be processed by the MMA-ADA as the lands are said to be located in the area. He said that he had recused himself.
Sealey was appointed Chairman in late 2015.
There has been increased scrutiny into the allocations of lands and other transactions involving state properties, within recent times.
The Opposition has said it is compiling a list of land transactions which appear to be highly illegal and improper.
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