THE recent press conference by the leader of the opposition is like our very own local reality TV. His continued attempts to give his audience a picture that the atrocities that occurred under his diabolical reign as president never occurred and that the information in the public domain and the historical scars and imprints of criminality, extra-judicial killings, gross corruption, drugs and discriminatory policies are false and did not exist, really leaves much to be desired. But then again, it’s the man who has been known to be economical with the truth we are talking about.

“We must set our face sternly against corruption and extravagance. We cannot have Cadillac-style living with donkey cart economies. Our leaders must set the example of democratic, accountable, clean and lean government and efficient governance.”
Those were the immortal words of Dr. Cheddi Jagan, the former leader of the “real” PPP and what it stood for. His son and grand-daughter would agree with me that this PPP is not the party of uncle Cheddi.

I said that, for it is important that our young people and especially those who support the present day PPP, to recognise the distinct difference of this party and its leaders.
In doing so, one should pay close attention to the Pradoville Two Housing Scheme saga and more so, the person at the centre of the controversy who is now the PPP/C’s elected/selected presidential candidate.

On November 29, 2018, Irfaan Ali, the 38- year-old former Minister of Housing was arrested and charged with fraudulent disposal of government-owned lands, by ranks attached to the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU).

Charges are being brought against Ali, whom it is alleged, between the period 2011 and 2015, defrauded government of over $174M, by selling several plots of state lands, way below the market value, to former president, ministers and friends of the then PPP/C government. It is also alleged that he sold 19 plots of state Lands at Plantation Sparendaam and Goedverwagting, East Coast Demerara, the community that Jagdeo renamed Pradoville Two. SOCU claims the lands which were sold for a mere $39.8M, are valued at G$212.4M.

While Irfaan Ali and Bharrat Jagdeo ensured that they and friends, who were already home owners were top priority, there were approximately 25,000 housing applicants, many of them young people, who were impatiently waiting for house lots.

According to reports, the Pradoville Two project was shrouded in secrecy. No files were maintained by the Central Housing and Planning Authority for any of the plots allocated and SOCU also claims procedures as they relate to land allotment were flouted.

The National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL) spent G$258 M to complete the land’s infrastructure.  Some $8 M was spent by GPL to complete underground cables, while $100M was spent by the National Communications Network to remove the GBC tower from the land to relocate it to Parfaite Harmonie.

Pradoville Two was valued at G$212.4M. Let’s do the math, G$212.4M + G$8 M + G$258M+G$100M = GY$578.4 M was spent on that special plot of land that catered for only 28 plots of land at Pradoville Two.

Most of those lots are 18,853 square feet and were sold for $1,515,000.00 each, even though the lots were worth over 20 million, based on their value and the amount of money spent to develop them.

In a disturbing comparison, lots given to regular persons — the average Guyanese in other housing schemes at that time — which had no infrastructural development, (proper road, electricity and water) 3200 square feet were mostly sold for $2M, while 18,853 square feet was sold to Jagdeo and Ali’s friends for $1,515,000.00.

When a regular person paid $2M for a plot of 3200 square feet of swamp land, out of necessity they spent another $1M building up the land. Many of these new homeowners waited years for electricity, water and proper roads. But this was not the case for the “Colossus” and “privilege” at Pradoville Two; it was only the case for “petty grassroots men” at regular housing schemes. It is alleged that no valuation was completed before he decided on the asking price for the lands.

It is even alleged that Jagdeo handpicked the occupants. Firstly, himself, Dr. Roger Luncheon; Luncheon’s girlfriend, Floreen Ramnaught; Priya Manickchand and Clement Rohee; Rear Admiral (ret’d) Gary Best; daughter of former President Donald Ramotar Lisaveta Ramotar; Ramesh Dookhoo; Dr. Nanda Gopaul; Dr Ghansham Singh; Rajendra Singh; Dr. Compton Bourne; Safraaz Khan; Sheik Baksh; George Halla; Dave Narine and a company called Future Developers of Guyana Inc and several others. Please take note of the ethnic imbalance.

It is important to recognise that remigrants paid 10 times the price that former President Bharrat Jagdeo paid for his house lots. Remigrants paid $1,111 per square foot to Jagdeo’s $114 per square foot. Jagdeo himself received two acres of land where he built a very impressive and luxurious mansion that runs on three electrical transformers, and a swimming pool. The proximity to the ocean causes him to have sleepless nights hearing the oil a little distance, bubbling up. In effect, Mr. Editor, Jagdeo paid three times less than what ordinary citizens in the Diamond and Grove Housing Schemes, East Bank Demerara, would have been required to fork out.

Please note, that the ordinary house lots for remigrants and citizens are not ocean-front, but are located on the East Bank and East Coast of Demerara, in what were abandoned canefields. But it is important to recognise also that the PPP gave ordinary residents of Region Four house lots in Region Three, with the implicit aim of electoral gains in Region Four, due to the calculated imposed migration. The fact is GuySuCo always had lands available that the government could have used for housing in Region Four, given that sugar was being produced above world market prices locally.

In total contrast, the coalition government has created housing schemes, it subsidised the cost for infrastructure (road, lights and water) and erected homes through private contractors. Many of these homes were sold for between $5-8 M and the cost of the land was $300,000.00 and $600,000.00 respectively.

My fellow citizens, I submit to you that we must never allow the PPP to have any part in governance of our beloved nation ever again. Former Housing Minister Irfaan Ali and his idol Bharrat Jagdeo’s actions only created gross inequality, thus making themselves, friends and cronies rich, while ensuring that poor, struggling Guyanese remained poorer.
In conclusion Mr. Editor, in a recent Stabroek News article dated December 16, 2018, “Several of the persons who were controversially sold land at below market prices in the ‘Pradoville Two Housing Scheme’ have reached settlements with the State Assets Recovery Agency (SARA) by paying the difference for their respective plots”. I wonder if  this is an admission of guilt?

President David Granger is the only presidential candidate whose foresight, academic credentials, decency, integrity, honesty, character, patriotism and statesman-like qualities are unmatched. He remains the best choice at this time to continue to lead this land and country for all of its people.

Forward ever, backward never.

Jermaine Figueira
Member of Parliament
Region 10