“Not an admission of guilt” – CHPA CEO resigns amid housing scandal
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CHPA) Sherwyn Greaves has resigned from the position amid allegations of corruption and collusion within the agency, and following a complaint against him at the US Department of Justice.
In recent days, the operations of the CHPA of the Housing and Water Ministry came under the spotlight amid mounting concerns over controversial land sales in Guyana and high-value property acquisitions in New York. Following the allegations, Greaves tendered his resignation on Monday, with immediate effect.
In a statement on Tuesday, he denied any wrongdoing and attributed his resignation to personal reasons. He detailed that “this decision is a deeply personal one made after consulting with my family. It stems from various posts on social media directed at me personally. Let me be crystal clear: my resignation is purely a personal choice and in no way an admission of guilt. Everything I have achieved has been through hard work and can be fully justified.”
Former Chief Executive Officer of the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CHPA) Sherwyn Greaves
Greaves further stated that, the allegations have caused significant distress to his family and impacted their mental well-being. The former CEO added that he did not enter public service to be subjected to such vilification.
Greaves’ resignation comes after a complaint was filed with the United States’ (US) Department of Justice (DOJ) asking that they launch an investigation into his alleged purchase of a US$770,000 New York home last year.
The complaint was filed by franchise owner of Church’s Chicken in Guyana, Terrence Campbell, who alleged that the sale was facilitated by a close relative of convicted real-estate businessman Edul ‘Ed’ Ahmad. The Department of Justice was asked to investigate the seeming “quid pro quo” for favours to be granted in Guyana in violation of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), in which Ahmad recently purchased prime real estate in Guyana at alleged reduced price from the CHPA.
One such purchase had to do with the sale of 30 acres of land in Ogle – near ExxonMobil’s headquarters – to a company owned by Ahmad.
While Greaves has remained silent on his property acquisitions in New York, Housing Minister, Collin Croal, has defended the land sale in Guyana.
In a statement, the Housing Ministry explained that the transaction is above board and that the $30 million per acre price tag was standard and had been in place for years, even under the previous APNU/AFC Government.
