FORMER Minister of Natural Resources, Robert Persaud, has broken his silence two days after being questioned by detectives of the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU), relating to his acquisition of land at the controversial Pradoville 2 community on the East Coast of Demerara. In a statement issued on his Facebook page on Thursday, Persaud said he is willing to settle the issue if the State can prove that the price paid for the plot of land in Pradoville 2 was below market value. “My legal advisor has indicated that should the State prove that the price paid for the plot of land was below market value, discussions can be entered into for a mutually acceptable resolution of the matter,” the former People’s Progressive Party (PPP) government minister said.
In September 2010, parcels each measuring 0.3030 of an acre were sold to Persaud and on August 23, 2012, he sold his land, building and erections to LSR Inc. for GY$90 million. According to Persaud, sometime in 2007-2008, he applied for a government house lot, since at the time, he was occupying a government residence and not the owner of any house lot issued by the State or one privately acquired. The former government minister claimed that he paid the full asking price for a plot of land in the Sparendaam-Goedverwagting area referred to as ‘Pradoville 2.’
“This was the first time I ever purchased directly from the State a house lot. 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.
He noted that all the necessary permissions were sought from the Ministry of Housing and that a financial penalty was paid for the early disposal of the plot and building.
Meanwhile, Persaud refuted media reports that he was arrested by SOCU, nothing that he visited SOCU’s headquarters voluntarily on Tuesday last. He claimed that he will continue to make himself “voluntarily” available and will cooperate with SOCU.
But the Financial Investigation expert attached to SOCU, Dr Sam Sittlington, confirmed to reporters on Tuesday that Persaud was indeed arrested. Prior to releasing his statement on Thursday, Persaud opted not to engage the media after being grilled by SOCU detectives.
After the PPP lost the May 11, 2015, national and regional elections, Persaud announced that he is taking a sabbatical from “front line politics” as he looks to serve Guyana at other levels. Persaud was appointed as Minister of Natural Resources and Environment in 2011 just as the Ministry was established. He has also distanced himself from the PPP and its executive since 2015 by not attending meetings or the party’s numerous press conferences.