Yog Mahadeo knocks govt. over lack of transparency in GRA land transaction

Jun 13, 2022 News

Kaieteur News – While the government remains silent on its reasons for taking back a piece of prime property from the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) and giving it to a foreign hotel developer, concerns have been raised over the lack of transparency surrounding the transaction.

The Plantation Pattensen Liliendaal East Coast Demerara land which was taken back from GRA.

In an invited comment to Kaieteur News, businessman and civil society advocate, Dr. Yog Mahadeo said that his main concern about the transaction is the lack of transparency surrounding it. His comments come days after it was revealed that the land at Plantation Pattensen, Liliendaal East Coast Demerara allotted to GRA to build its permanent headquarters had been taken back and given to a private investor and hotel developer, Pasha Global. While the government has not put out a statement as yet detailing its reasons for transferring the land to the hotel investor, Dr. Mahadeo asserted that the “government must be transparent in its undertakings.”
“…the public concern is over the continued lack of transparency in this and other deals. While one can argue for or against GRA’s needs, the clear disrespect for the taxpayers and the electorate is stunning. And it is not the first time that the administration is doing this,” Dr. Mahadeo said.

Businessman and civil society advocate, Dr Yog Mahadeo.

He noted that, “while in opposition, the current government opposed many of the things they now embrace – the oil contract, the corrupt and secret deals, lack of transparency, lack of feasibility studies, dictatorial decision making, and cronyism – these are now apt adjectives for them in Government. They are now the loudest defender of the oil contracts and effectively doling out contracts and deals to suit a handful.”
He opined that while he believes ultimately, “the dealers in Government will surely give an alternative space to GRA, the lack of transparency will remain another blot on our country’s image.”
In the meantime, Dr. Mahadeo said the current layout of the GRA’s headquarters creates an immense weight on ordinary people who have to seek GRA’s services due to security and other issues.
Further, he said one can hardly ignore the political gamesmanship involved in the history of the rented Camp Street headquarters.
“From GuySuCo to Clico, Clico to NIS, then tenanted by GRA – in each of these transactions, the taxpayers paid and are paying for the huge and consistent political missteps,” Dr. Mahadeo said.
GRA has been renting facilities to accommodate its headquarters. The tax office headquarters went from the Guyana Post Office building downtown to Albert and Charlotte Streets then to the former Clico building on Camp Street where it currently is, without a permanent place to work out of.
Back in 2017, GRA had secured a 50-year lease for the controversial investment site, to build its headquarters. The land located at Plantation Pattensen, Liliendaal, ECD which was reportedly taken away from GRA, was originally intended for the construction of a multi-million dollar investment, sporting a luxury hotel and several other facilities. The venture fell through when the overseas investor breached its agreement with a local businessman.
Back then, GRA Commissioner General, Godfrey Statia had told members of the media that the building which currently houses the GRA headquarters and almost 900 employees is no longer sufficient. Earlier this year, GRA was in the process of inviting bids to commence construction of the building but before the revenue authority could have gone through with it, it was revealed that the land was transferred back to a hotel dealer.