Another developer surrenders land vested by APNU/AFC to NICIL

American Marine Services Incorporated has returned 20 acres of land to the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL) at Ogle on the East Coast of Demerara (ECD).
The land was vested to the company for the constructed of a 247-unit residential complex.
American Marine Services Incorporated, on February 5, entered into an Agreement of Sales with NICIL for the 20 acres that it has since returned. It related that the reason for returning the land is solely based on the circumstances surrounding the vesting of that property.
The company, located at Lot 215 Cross Street and Mandela Avenue, Alexander Village, was granted the land by NICIL on the basis of a signed order by former Finance Minister Winston Jordan on June 11, 2020. It added that it looks forward to working with NICIL and the Government towards achieving our development goals.
Just last month, Navigant Builders Incorporated – the developers of the Windsor Estate housing community – reverted several acres of land at Goedverwagting and Sparendaam on the East Coast of Demerara to the State to facilitate a “more transparent” process in issuing State lands.
Navigant Builders had reminded that it announced the postponement of plans to pursue its Ogle Development Project, and had cancelled all payments to NICIL immediately after the March 2, 2020 elections, following the controversies that had arisen over the results.
Back in June, NICIL had gone ahead and vested the property to the developers, reportedly unbeknownst to the developers. This move was despite the company indicating in writing to NICIL that it cannot move ahead with the project until the elections crisis was resolved.
“In light of the cloud of uncertainty that surrounds the transfer of title, we hereby announce that we would like to rescind the Vesting Order and revert such title back to NICIL, thus to enable the Government of Guyana to reclaim all lands and reissue such properties in a more transparent manner,” Navigant had said in a statement.
Additionally, in February 2020 – just three days before the March 2 elections – NICIL, along with officials from Navigant Builders Inc, had turned the symbolic sod for the sprawling Windsor Estate East Coast Project at former Sugar Plantation Ogle. The US$83 million 30-acre development features, in addition to a man-made lake and multiple swimming pools, modern home designs along with a commercial zone to include banks, medical facilities, a shopping area and restaurants.
However, subsequent to the March 2 General Elections, the company said it made no attempts to initiate any transfer of lands or advance the project, and on March 6, announced that the project was suspended due to the political uncertainty at the time.
But then in June 2020, some 20 acres of land were transferred to Navigant Builders, and this was gazetted on June 30, 2020. The transfer was done by NICIL, and the order was signed by then caretaker Finance Minister Jordan on June 11, 2020.
Before it left office, the APNU/AFC transferred several tracts of land to developers.
Guyana Times had previously reported that Bosai Minerals Group also had a total of 1.427 acres of land transferred to it by NICIL through an order signed by Jordan. (G2)