Lands unjustly distributed by APNU/AFC after NCM to be given to “ordinary” Guyanese – Jagdeo

The Government often catches flak from the parliamentary Opposition for taking away lands that were distributed under the former Government following the 2018 passage of the No-Confidence Motion (NCM), but according to Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo, this is done so the ordinary Guyanese can get much needed land.
Jagdeo made this pronouncement on Saturday, during the distribution of cash grants to fishermen in Georgetown. He referenced 5000 acres of land that was distributed on the West Bank of Demerara (WBD), including land distributed to a coconut company that he said did not plant a single coconut.

“Another promise we made was to do 50,000 house lots in this term. If you heard me speak in Region Three, 14,000 persons applied in Region Three. From Den Amstel to Parika, all over. We are looking for land there. The land going West of Uitvlugt to Parfaite. Most of the Government land is in that direction.”
“We look at Wales. They shut down the factory at Wales. Sold the equipment and the factory out as scrap metal. Some people bought it, it’s gone. And gave the land out to a few big people. A company got about 5000 acres to plant coconut. Not a single coconut tree was planted there,” the Vice President said.
According to Jagdeo, 25,000 house lots for ordinary Guyanese could have fit on those 5000 acres, or five house lots per acre. He admitted that the Government does not have available land elsewhere in Region Three.
“So, we’ve decided that we’re going to get all of those lots done, so we’re busy taking back some of the lands to put into (house lots). The same thing happened in Linden,” he said, referencing one person who got 200 acres. According to Jagdeo, 1000 house lots could fit on 200 acres.
Days after they came to power in August 2020, the new PPP/C Government had announced that all of the land deals conducted by the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission (GL&SC) since the December 2018 passage of the No-Confidence Motion (NCM) would be reviewed.
In a statement at the time, Attorney General Anil Nandlall had said that “A review of all leases, licences and permissions to occupy Public Lands, granted since the 21st day of December 2018, will be conducted. On the 21st day of December 2018, the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) Government was defeated by a No-Confidence Motion passed in the National Assembly. As a result, thereof, it was reduced to a caretaker status only.”
Despite being toppled by a motion of no-confidence that was tabled by the then PPP/C Opposition and was passed with a majority vote, the APNU/AFC Administration remained in office and instead of operating in a caretaker mode in accordance with the Constitution, continued in a “business as normal” manner.
In fact, the coalition had challenged the passage of the NCM but it was validated by the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) in June 2019, which ruled that elections should be called within three months as stipulated in the Constitution. But elections were not held until March 2020 – some nine months after the CCJ ruling and more than one year after the passage of the motion.
During that time, the caretaker coalition conducted many underhand deals including the massive giveaway of prime State lands to political affiliates. In fact, even after the March 2, 2020 elections, the APNU/AFC Government, in its waning days, had transferred lands to a number of companies through the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL).
At one point in 2020, the Government of Guyana had called in the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) and the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to investigate the former APNU/AFC Government’s questionable transferals of State land.
And in July 2020, just before the then Government left office, businessman Glen Lall had filed legal proceedings against the APNU/AFC Administration over its rush to finalise land deals despite elections being held and the National Recount showing their loss at the polls.
The application alleged that the Government’s transfer of lands on June 11, 2020, was unlawful, ultra vires, null and void. According to gazetted orders, a number of private companies received prime land on the East Coast of Demerara (ECD). However, Lall’s case was dismissed in the High Court in August 2020. (G3)