– accuses newspaper of deliberately attempting to be ‘dishonest, selfish, biased, unprofessional and unethical’
Housing and Water Minister Irfaan Ali, yesterday, lashed out at Stabroek News for what he termed was misreporting and misguidance of the general public – an act that he charged was “loaded with motive”. Ali, in an invited comment, was responding to an article in Tuesday’s edition of the Stabroek News under the headline ‘Pradoville 2 buildings in violation of regulations – Region Four chairman seek answer’.
According to him, the headline was not representative of what the body of the article contained and stressed that while the headline gave a definitive statement on the new housing development, the body of the article was not reflective of the same.
He pointed to the fact that the Region Four Chairman, Mr. Clement Corlette, in his letter to the Chief Executive Office (CEO) of the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CHPA) did not charge that there was a violation.
“In his letter he said ‘may be in violation of the regulations’; not is in violation,” Ali explained.
According to Ali, Stabroek News’ credibility, as a newspaper, is at stake when its content raises questions of honesty and professionalism.
He said, too, that Corlette’s letter, from which Stabroek News extrapolated, was used to back up their motive to “create mischief” and “be dishonest” by relating distorted information to the general public.
“They did not call me to respond to the issue,” the minister said, positing that it would be only fair to contact the subject authority for the facts related to the housing development, in this case at Sparendaam.

LEGAL DEVELOPMENT
Ali also stressed that the development of the new housing scheme in Sparendaam is legal and approved by the regulatory authority.
“All the documents have been approved…all the guidelines, all the rules and all the regulations required for such a development has been approved by the regulatory authority,” he said.
He also noted that all occupants who have commenced building in the area have done so based on legal ownership and the progress with the development in the area has been approved and is being supervised by the CHPA.
The Minister went on to clear up the issue of the Industry/Plaisance Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) not being able to account for the extensive work underway with the development of the new scheme.
Ali made it clear that the development has not yet been handed over to any local authority as is the case with other such developments, such as the massive Tuschen Housing Scheme on the East Bank of Essequibo in Region Three (Essequibo Islands/ West Demerara).
“As such full authority falls under the ambit of the CHPA and all plans for development have been submitted and approved by the CHPA,” he posited.
He highlighted too that the baseline for development at the new scheme is based on market prices.

POOR COMPARISON
Ali also addressed the poor comparison made by the Stabroek News that the infrastructure for water supply in the new scheme has been addressed, while similar infrastructure in the Dazzell Housing Scheme was not given similar priority.
He explained that discussions surrounding the development of infrastructure for not only water but roads commenced in 2009, but due to several hindrances were delayed.
“It is not because of a lack of commitment…there were delays in developing the water network and other infrastructure,” the Minister said.
He maintained that Stabroek News’ article was a deliberate attempt to be “dishonest, selfish, biased, unprofessional and unethical” in the publication of the contentious article.