As the fallout over the removal of Giftland Mall’s parking signs continues, National Hardware (Guyana) Limited, which developed a housing scheme behind the multibillion-dollar complex – Demerara Estates – on Saturday denied any collusion
An overhead view of the access road to the Mall and Demerara Estates
with City Hall to have the signs removed. On Friday, a delegation of guards and workers attached to the City Council removed signs, which included Diplomatic Parking allocations and parking notices that were installed for customers of the Mall.
While it was noted that the signs were removed to facilitate access to construction sites in the area, Giftland’s head, Roy Beepat, was quoted in the media as saying that the Mayor and City Council (M&CC) was “flexing its muscles” to benefit individuals who were using his land to reach their homes. But National Hardware on Saturday took offence to Beepat’s assertions, noting that it had not requested the M&CC to remove any of Giftland’s signs – a removal which the Mall’s owners had deemed “anti-business”.
“(National Hardware) NH did not ask the Mayor & City Council to go move MCG’s (Giftland Mall’s) parking signs; the only time that NH had communication with the M&CC was previously when MCG bullied our residents and placed a cement truck blocking their access. In fact, MCG’s guards verbally assaulted many of our residents, including an old widower,” the company noted.
The hardware giant criticised sections of the media which published allegations against the purchase of its land development, while omitting a supposed “sweetheart deal” from which Giftland reportedly benefited under the previous Administration.
“They (MCG) have blocked and threatened to continue that blockade, preventing residents of Demerara Estates from accessing their homes, even ignoring the local authorities and Police requests for them not to block the residents from their homes,” National Hardware noted.
It was during the parking meter protests on Friday last that the parking signs attached to the access road and compound of the Giftland Mall were removed by the City Council. After this occurred, management of the mall in a statement to the media had concluded that City Hall was creating a safety hazard that could affect their customers.
