–to meet shortly to resolve differences

By Zena Henry

ACCESS has been restored to the few Windsor Estate residents who were locked out of the gated community for not paying their monthly maintenance fees,and a meeting is expected to be held with the private developer to iron out the differences between the two parties.

Olive Sinclair told the Guyana Chronicle on Sunday that since the staging of the hours-long protest outside the upscale community last Thursday, all of the residents who were prevented from accessing their homes via the compound’s main entrance have since had their electronic passes reactivated.

Sinclair was among the handful of Windsor Estate residents who’ve accused the estate’s American-based developer of resorting to “bullyism” to bring them around to his way of thinking.

Residents said that their contracts required them to pay a $10,000 maintenance fee when all the amenities that came with living in the compound were complete. They were also told that after two years, the fee would be raised followed by other increases over time.
Retiree couple, David and Marva Parker said they were amongst the first group of persons to take up residence in the community, and that their contract included the maintenance fee.

They noted, however, that the estate’s management requested the maintenance payments despite all the amenities, which included swimming pool, basketball court, and adequate security, had not been installed. The couple said they were operating in “good faith” and started paying the fee, only to be asked for a more than 30 per cent increase six months later. The residents said other increases followed, as well as an impending increase of five per cent per annum over a five-year period, calculated at a rate of G$216 per US dollar.

Ms. Parker said the estate’s administration refused her cheque, because she had not used the imposed G$216 rate to calculate the maintenance fee.
A few months later, the couple was electronically prevented from entering the compound via the main entrance gate, and was ordered to use the unpaved and muddy back entrance.

Other residents expressed support for those residents who were locked out,claiming that the developer not only failed to fulfill his contractual arrangement before seeking the maintenance fee, but that the defects in many of their homes warranted some amount of reimbursement, given the large sums they paid for the properties.
Sinclair said her home cost over $20M, and already the roof is leaking, and it’s not even three years since she moved in. She also has issues with the flooring and the walls, owing to poor workmanship and the use of inferior materials.

After using her front gate pass to help a locked-out neighbour, Sinclair said her pass too was deactivated.
The Parkers also showed this newspaper similar problems in their home, while another male resident said he spent over $300,000 to fix two faulty toilets. He said the estate has not responded to his request for a reimbursement.

Sinclair said that residents are eagerly awaiting the meeting with the estate’s developer, Danny Sawh, but no date or time has been given.
She said Sawh has promised to prove to the residents that their contract does include the changes that are being made.

Residents had vowed to take legal action against the developer, with some saying that they were already in discussion with their lawyers.
When contacted, the Ministry of Housing’s Chief Executive Officer, Lelon Saul, said there is nothing he can do to help, as the Windsor Estate is a private entity.

“That is a private matter, and we have nothing to do with that,” Saul said.
Windsor Estate’s land was sold to the developer under the last administration. The former government was touting increased availability of homes and gave a number of so-called developers land to invest in “private housing”.

Some of those investors have since lost those lands for failing to develop it as agreed with the government, or received the property under questionable circumstances.

Saul told this newspaper that while the ministry is not focused on issuing lands for private development at the moment, developers are given land, and depending on their request, will build private homes. Any disagreement between the homeowner and a developer has to be thrashed out between the two parties, Saul clarified.

He, however, noted that potential homeowners would want to exercise caution and total awareness as to what they are getting themselves involved in.