The arrest/questioning of some of those who received house lots in  Spaarendam seems to have caused quite a stir here on GNI. I am not a lawyer. However, here are my thoughts.

1. I believe that any one who steals or is corrupt should be brought to justice  through the ordinary functioning of the legal system. 

2. I am unsure whether these individuals have been charged. Charges can only be instituted on the advice of the DPP. They can be questioned. As far as I know, no arrest warrant is required as in the states.

3. I think the issue here was that the individuals were reluctant to being interviewed at SOCU headquarters. Made a request for an alternate site which, by their action, the government refused.

4. I thought that this was high handed action by socu, especially for Jagdeo and luncheon. A certain level of courtesy is generally accorded or should be in certain circumstances and for certain individuals.

5. This is an attempt to divert attention from the utter mess the coalition has made in governing the country, especially in economic matters and the resulting loss of support. The AFC support has disappeared and ApNU support has gotten soft, some supporters are saying openly that at  least if Jagdeo was stealing, they were still getting some, making some money.

5. This is not a slam -dunk case for the police. There are many legal issues that they need to surmount, the most important one being intent. How can you prove criminal intent of someone, eg. Gary Best,  who has paid a price for the land, who knows that the govt. has been giving out subsidized land to thousand of guyanese, who does not know the actual procedure for acquiring land or the value of the land that he or she receives, received a transport that was advertised and that was not opposed? Who assessed the land and the different assessment by different officials.

Also, jagdeo will claim his immunity as per the constitution and use that to cover the action of all the other. He can say ga he authorized it and it is left to the police to show that in receiving the land, they knew it wwas a corrupt act.

just my thought. I am certain legal luminaries on the site will correct me in the areas tha I erred. 

"2. I am unsure whether these individuals have been charged. Charges can only be instituted on the advice of the DPP. They can be questioned. As far as I know, no arrest warrant is required as in the states."

Another loophole to the above,charges will be instituted with direction from another body [if i can recall the special prosecutors] ,the clearance was given by the DPP.

I read it in one of the media.

"Also, jagdeo will claim his immunity as per the constitution and use that to cover the action of all the other. He can say ga he authorized it and it is left to the police to show that in receiving the land, they knew it wwas a corrupt act."

Burnham,unprogressive Constitution working well for kleptocracy.

If corruption is proven by the Courts,his credibility is on the line,well in Guyana who cares.

Djano, using the "if" in your response is the first sign of poor reasoning. You know the old statement that if wishes were horses, beggars will ride.

if I remember correctly, the president of the US receives certain exceptions, including not declaring conflict of interest. Maybe  many more. 

i live in Guyana and I can state without anybreservation that I care about what happens here. Do you? Yes you might have relative here. Posting articles here is not an indication that you care. 

Regarding the special prosecutors, what is given can be revoked. The matter will be played out in the courts in the future. Time will tell. 

Django posted:

Bibi Haniffa posted:

Show me Roger Luncheon's name!!!!!!  And who determines the price of a piece of land - the PNC???????

His name is missing,maybe it was forgotten to be listed,

that land belongs to the State and not because you are elected to rule, you can tek um fuh next to nothing,na only dah the amount of money spend to develop the area,where it come from ??

"THERE ARE PROCEDURES TO OWN STATE LANDS"

What did Burnham and Green did . They burrow .... Green is alive and they giving him more . 

Banna you get cockeyed like rumjat 

Zed posted:

Djano, using the "if" in your response is the first sign of poor reasoning. You know the old statement that if wishes were horses, beggars will ride.

if I remember correctly, the president of the US receives certain exceptions, including not declaring conflict of interest. Maybe  many more. 

i live in Guyana and I can state without anybreservation that I care about what happens here. Do you? Yes you might have relative here. Posting articles here is not an indication that you care. 

Regarding the special prosecutors, what is given can be revoked. The matter will be played out in the courts in the future. Time will tell. 

Very well said !!! On this same thread he claimed to be American. His only care about Guyana is for negroes .

i am sure he backside didn't protest in the streets of America what The Trump administration is doing to immigrants. 

My apology if you did , but show me a picture you in the protest line . You are a ***k in immigrant who can be kill any time base on what's going on there. 

So let hear you bai, 

Imran posted:

Django posted:

Bibi Haniffa posted:

Show me Roger Luncheon's name!!!!!!  And who determines the price of a piece of land - the PNC???????

His name is missing,maybe it was forgotten to be listed,

that land belongs to the State and not because you are elected to rule, you can tek um fuh next to nothing,na only dah the amount of money spend to develop the area,where it come from ??

"THERE ARE PROCEDURES TO OWN STATE LANDS"

What did Burnham and Green did . They burrow .... Green is alive and they giving him more . 

Banna you get cockeyed like rumjat 

This chap is a Dirty Indo. His behaviour is quite disgraceful in promoting the demise of Indos.

He is in the same "Boat" at Cockeye Chammar Rumjattan.

Not only Hamilton Green, but Greenidge and many other PNC skunks destroyed Guyana and are walking free and being rewarded by more.

Another Skunk Glen Lall owes $ 400 Million but Django is afraid of the PNC giving him a Greasy Pole if he speaks out.

I have confirmation of someone very close to him drinking PNC soup but I will elaborate no further. I shake my head when these Dirty Indos speak.

warrior posted:

skeldon_man posted:

After Ramayya left the AFC, Granger is sending a message. Any politician who is not PNC/AFC is liable to be arrested and thrown in jail without just cause. 

you rass better  not go back they will trow you in jail for stealing at least you can hug bar rat and sleep 

Why don't you post during the day?

yuji22 posted:

I have confirmation of someone very close to him drinking PNC soup but I will elaborate no further. I shake my head when these Dirty Indos speak.

Yugi,

seriously ... elaborate,I will prove you have the wrong person,

it's a challenge take it on,show your mettle.

While in office Jagdeo should have gone after all those who mismanaged (tief) funds you guys are speaking about, but he saw an opportunity to do the same. The new govt was put into position by the people to put an end to the madness that Guyanese had become acclimatized to.

Isn,t it sad instead of taking their governments to task by taking to the streets in numbers demanding a stop to organized theft...bombarding the papers, airwaves, they instead use words such as "whem dem PNC ah tief an we doan get a share, at least when PPP ah tief we does get lil bit"

This govt has to go one step further...go after all who has used state funds as their own, regardless of which party they belong.

cain posted:

While in office Jagdeo should have gone after all those who mismanaged (tief) funds you guys are speaking about, but he saw an opportunity to do the same. The new govt was put into position by the people to put an end to the madness that Guyanese had become acclimatized to.

Isn,t it sad instead of taking their governments to task by taking to the streets in numbers demanding a stop to organized theft...bombarding the papers, airwaves, they instead use words such as "whem dem PNC ah tief an we doan get a share, at least when PPP ah tief we does get lil bit"

This govt has to go one step further...go after all who has used state funds as their own, regardless of which party they belong.

 

That's correct the money pilfered can be used for providing better services for the people which is only 750,000.

G$ 1 billion "Fibre Optic Project" gone down the drain not a word from the PPP sympathizers.

Some gov't at some time have to put a stop.

cain posted:

While in office Jagdeo should have gone after all those who mismanaged (tief) funds you guys are speaking about, but he saw an opportunity to do the same. The new govt was put into position by the people to put an end to the madness that Guyanese had become acclimatized to.

Isn,t it sad instead of taking their governments to task by taking to the streets in numbers demanding a stop to organized theft...bombarding the papers, airwaves, they instead use words such as "whem dem PNC ah tief an we doan get a share, at least when PPP ah tief we does get lil bit"

This govt has to go one step further...go after all who has used state funds as their own, regardless of which party they belong.

 

Can you say who was found guilty of the crime you speaking of . 

Why, you wanna go after them for your share of the loot too? 

Imran posted:

cain posted:

While in office Jagdeo should have gone after all those who mismanaged (tief) funds you guys are speaking about, but he saw an opportunity to do the same. The new govt was put into position by the people to put an end to the madness that Guyanese had become acclimatized to.

Isn,t it sad instead of taking their governments to task by taking to the streets in numbers demanding a stop to organized theft...bombarding the papers, airwaves, they instead use words such as "whem dem PNC ah tief an we doan get a share, at least when PPP ah tief we does get lil bit"

This govt has to go one step further...go after all who has used state funds as their own, regardless of which party they belong.

 

Can you say who was found guilty of the crime you speaking of . 

A certain group of less intelligent individuals are spewing nonsense. They will continue to live in the dust of Ignorance and live from pillar to pillar.

Speaking from experience deh yugi.

KAIETEUR NEWS, AUGUST 18, 2015: "The Burnham family had a lease of three acres behind the Botanic Gardens in the eighties. About twenty-five years after, the family applied for prescriptive rights which people naturally do under the law. In 2010, the Jagdeo regime abolished prescriptive rights, which the present government needs to reexamine.
After the death of Mrs. Viola Burnham, the daughters sold two of the three acres to China Trading. Mr. Kamana Burnham, the President’s adopted son, was left with one acre on which he presently lives in the family house. In fairness to the correct recording of history, Mr. Kamana Burnham objected to the sale of all three acres. Out of obligation to the objectivity of political analysis, it must be noted that the Burnham daughters did receive an awesome sum for the two acres."

GILBAKKA'S COMMENT: He who is without sin, let him cast the first stone. The PNC, which is the kernel of APNU, is not without sin. The PNC regime had used its power to expropriate lands and homes belonging to individuals and private companies for government, party and leading supporters' use. When Cheddi Jagan became president he did not arrest former President Desmond Hoyte, Prime Minister Hamilton Green, or any PNC minister or official.

According to the Guyana Constitution, the President is entitled to immunity from prosecution for actions undertaken while in office. There is no exception or waiver of that immunity. By authorizing the acquisition and development of Pradoville2, ex-President Jagdeo in effect gave legal authority to the purchasers of Pradoville2 lands. Necessary paper work was completed by the Central Housing and Planning Authority, the body vested with power to legalize the transactions.

In my opinion, the only ex-PPP minister who should be arrested is Priya Manickchand, who breached her CH&PA agreement and sold her property before 10 years.

Having said the above, I am not implying that the PPP ministers were angels. Even supporters like Skeldon_Man acknowledged corruption/thieving. 

Django posted:

cain posted:

While in office Jagdeo should have gone after all those who mismanaged (tief) funds you guys are speaking about, but he saw an opportunity to do the same. The new govt was put into position by the people to put an end to the madness that Guyanese had become acclimatized to.

Isn,t it sad instead of taking their governments to task by taking to the streets in numbers demanding a stop to organized theft...bombarding the papers, airwaves, they instead use words such as "whem dem PNC ah tief an we doan get a share, at least when PPP ah tief we does get lil bit"

This govt has to go one step further...go after all who has used state funds as their own, regardless of which party they belong.

 

That's correct the money pilfered can be used for providing better services for the people which is only 750,000.

G$ 1 billion "Fibre Optic Project" gone down the drain not a word from the PPP sympathizers.

Some gov't at some time have to put a stop.

You must have heard of bad investment... the same country you live in is no exception. 

What you should have done was go back home and be involved while you pay your taxes . You would have a voice. 

You could have chair a committee to over look the projects ... maybe maybe we would have a different discussion. Eh bai. 

Its easy to sit behind the computer critizing and not having a first had experience. 

It amazing Django ... you were preparing to run from your birth country during pnc time and you are blind to what they did. 

Imran posted:

It amazing Django ... you were preparing to run from your birth country during pnc time and you are blind to what they did. 

Bhai Imran,I could have stayed,the children future was the cause to migrate,it's not easy leave your possessions to start a new life at 43,good luck I did ok,by the way i left in 1996.

Me guh bet,you did the same because of your children future.

What bother me the most is all you deserters living in comfort  far away from Guyana playing president. Judge and police. Let's be civil think what you would want for any country much more so for a poor country. Would you condone fraud.  thieving. party favors etc. I say no. So let the present government do their investigation there is the courts that you can show all evidence.If the PPP was  in office and the table had turned would you not want them to investigate the PNC. That is why the small time criminals  exist because they see the guys at the top helping themselves and nothing is passed down to them so they have to fen for themselves. This cycle of corruption must stop.

If Jagdeo hide behind immunity in this investigation he will be a dead duck politically.

Immunity should only cover actions done in the best interest of the country not where there is personal benefit from potentially corrupt acts.

Sophia, Hope Estate, Roxanne gardens, Melanie, dem even put dem pickney name on the place. Should be easy to prosecute!!!!!!!!!!

VVP posted:

It might be political grandstanding as you said, but the arrest was based on findings of the forensic audit. I don't think anybody will be going to jail on this; most likely they will have to pay the fair value of the property cost.  I think it will be very hard for them to prove that it was deliberate corruption.  If they do, many one fall guy will be jailed.

Well I hope they have a time machine to go back in the past and figure out the assessed value of land back then.  I believe these folks are considering the cost of the land after the land bubble started post 2011.

kp posted:

Drugb posted:

kp posted:

Watch a difference a day makes. Yesterday was celebration for Ramayya  crossing the floor. Today PPP leaders are being arrested  now how attractive would it be for others on the Fence wanting to join a party headed by criminals. A sad day for Guyanese this is the convenient time for a third major political party. 

Already you became judge and jury. I would be interested to see the evidence and their rational in formulating these charges. Or whether this is just political grandstanding to take the focus away from the failing economy and parking meter scandal. 

The evidence are the massive structures at Pradoville  that you can see from the International space station .

 

 

Looks like there is scope creep here, first you said the land was under purchased, now you tell us about building structure. 

How did President Jagdeo got the land where he built his Mansion?

He and Bobby need to be in Jail corrupt fellas.

Chief posted:

How did President Jagdeo got the land where he built his Mansion?

He and Bobby need to be in Jail corrupt fellas.

Chief, how/why did you conclude that Jagdeo's house is to be classified as a mansion ? I can tell you that, out of curiousity, I drove by during my last trip to Guyana and saw the house close up. It is a larger home, however, I most certainly would not describe it as you did. Should he have chosen to live in a 'jhopri' instead ? Why was 'mansion' or 'palace' not used to describe Burnham's residence on Vlissengen Road ? I know why; the person who did that would have been eliminated ! 

Chief posted:

How did President Jagdeo got the land where he built his Mansion?

He and Bobby need to be in Jail corrupt fellas.

Chief, he bought the land; he has legal title to it !

These charges are nothing more than a racially motivated witch hunt. It is all about Africans wanting to be ruled by fellow Africans.

Keffer posted:

Chief posted:

How did President Jagdeo got the land where he built his Mansion?

He and Bobby need to be in Jail corrupt fellas.

Chief, he bought the land; he has legal title to it !

You sure Bhai?

Chief posted:

Keffer posted:

Chief posted:

How did President Jagdeo got the land where he built his Mansion?

He and Bobby need to be in Jail corrupt fellas.

Chief, he bought the land; he has legal title to it !

You sure Bhai?

Chief,wha you waan fuh seh,a check was written and the money returned.

Well...let him show the cancelled check.

Keffer posted:

Why was 'mansion' or 'palace' not used to describe Burnham's residence on Vlissengen Road ? I know why; the person who did that would have been eliminated ! 

Keff, the Residence on Vlissengen Road was not Burnham's private property. It is state-owned. As President, Burnham should have moved to State House on Main Street, but he chose to remain in the Residence which Janet Jagan converted to a national art gallery. And she named the thing with as many letters as VLISSENGEN ---CASTELLANI ---- 10 letters each!

Gilbakka posted:

Keffer posted:

Why was 'mansion' or 'palace' not used to describe Burnham's residence on Vlissengen Road ? I know why; the person who did that would have been eliminated ! 

Keff, the Residence on Vlissengen Road was not Burnham's private property. It is state-owned. As President, Burnham should have moved to State House on Main Street, but he chose to remain in the Residence which Janet Jagan converted to a national art gallery. And she named the thing with as many letters as VLISSENGEN ---CASTELLANI ---- 10 letters each!

I am aware of the ownership of the property, Gilly; I was merely pointing out that Burnham's residence was substantially larger than Jagdeo's homebut no 'adjectives' were used to describe Burnham's. 

Chief posted:

Keffer posted:

Chief posted:

How did President Jagdeo got the land where he built his Mansion?

He and Bobby need to be in Jail corrupt fellas.

Chief, he bought the land; he has legal title to it !

You sure Bhai?

I am positive; Jagdeo owns that property.

Django posted:

Chief posted:

Keffer posted:

Chief posted:

How did President Jagdeo got the land where he built his Mansion?

He and Bobby need to be in Jail corrupt fellas.

Chief, he bought the land; he has legal title to it !

You sure Bhai?

Chief,wha you waan fuh seh,a check was written and the money returned.

Well...let him show the cancelled check.

Make a phone call to Joe ... he will appoint a ex army to investigate and give you the answer.

Imran posted:

Django posted:

Chief posted:

Keffer posted:

Chief posted:

How did President Jagdeo got the land where he built his Mansion?

He and Bobby need to be in Jail corrupt fellas.

Chief, he bought the land; he has legal title to it !

You sure Bhai?

Chief,wha you waan fuh seh,a check was written and the money returned.

Well...let him show the cancelled check.

Make a phone call toJoe ... he will appoint a ex army to investigate and give you the answer.

He is tight with one my family Boss wan big contracta,when i was there my family gave me some scoop,i will stay quiet you on to something.. Jo and Ja are friends.

Hope that is not dem cyar or dem goose cook.........

Looks like Nigel Hughes has heeded Jagdeo's call for disgruntled AFCites to join the PPP.

Seriously, Guyana is infested with bogus politicians. When the AFC was in the opposition and Hughes was party Chairman, they lambasted the PPP over Pradoville2. Now that the Coalition government is hauling in pro-PPP Pradoville2 beneficiaries, AFC Hughes is defending Shalimar. Observers are observing closely.

This government will fail if they do not fix the economy and reduce corruption as promised. Those who forgot the past or don't know about the past gave them a mandate and if they don't fulfill that mandate their cork will not float for very long. Pressure mek people get sense.  And when they get sense they do sensible things. The sensible thing to do is to send a tougher message to the ruling parties that we ain't going in for that type of thing with anybody anymore, so if you want another term you better deliver as promised or see the gate.

Gilbakka posted:

Looks like Nigel Hughes has heeded Jagdeo's call for disgruntled AFCites to join the PPP.

Seriously, Guyana is infested with bogus politicians. When the AFC was in the opposition and Hughes was party Chairman, they lambasted the PPP over Pradoville2. Now that the Coalition government is hauling in pro-PPP Pradoville2 beneficiaries, AFC Hughes is defending Shalimar. Observers are observing closely.

Nigel is a lawyer, he will pimp himself out to the highest bidder. So would Naga and Ramjattan if not for 50% raises and cushy lifestyle with all the perks they have now in office.   Remember who Cathy Hughes was a consultant for during ppp time?

DPP, ex-army chief questioned on Pradoville 2.

March 11, 2017 Source

Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Shalimar Ali-Hack and the former Chief-of-Staff of the Guyana Defence Force Gary Best were yesterday questioned by the Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) as part of the ongoing investigation into land sold in the Pradoville 2 housing scheme, which has already seen former President Bharrat Jagdeo arrested and grilled along with a host of former PPP/C government officials.

The questioning of the DPP is seen as posing a serious dilemma for her Chambers. Under Article 187 of the constitution, the DPP has the power to institute and undertake criminal proceedings against any person before any court and to take over and continue any such criminal proceedings. In the exercise of these powers, the Director shall not be subject to the direction or control of any other person or authority.

Any charges stemming from the SOCU probe would have to be articulated through her Chambers. Observers note that even if there was nothing adverse against Ali-Hack from the probe, the mere fact that she has been questioned in connection with it could cast a pall over the DPP’s handling of the results of the SOCU probe.

Ali-Hack and her husband, Moeen ul-Hack, were represented by attorneys Nigel Hughes and attorney Jamela Ali.

Hughes yesterday played down concerns about the questioning of the DPP and her husband. He said that neither of his clients was a suspect in the matter and that a call to have Ali-Hack step down from her substantive position to facilitate the investigation was not necessary. Ali-Hack, he said, was only called to SOCU as she is one of many allottees of land under government housing.

“I can say without fear and contradiction that neither of them is a suspect. The investigators made it very clear that the position is that they are assisting them in the fact-finding mission in relation to a lot they acquired at Pradoville. I have made it pellucid, that they are not suspects, that they are not the target of any investigation and that all they are doing at the present moment is gathering facts in relation to the acquisition of properties at Sparendaam.

“In the light of that statement being made public…I don’t see the basis for you to ask someone to step down. She is not the target of any investigation and they have said she is not a suspect, she or her husband,” he added.

While he feels it is unlikely, he said that should Ali-Hack be a person of criminal interest in the matter, he doubts that the police or Ali-Hack would want her to remain in her post as DPP. “I certainly think that Mrs. (Ali-) Hack, were anything to be sent to her office where in relation to which she is a potential party, would not in any way participate in that process,” he said.

SOCU has not made any statement on any of the people it has questioned in connection with this probe. However, it has been clear for several months that all of the allottees including Jagdeo and former Head of the Presidential Secretariat, Dr Roger Luncheon who was also placed under arrest on Tuesday, are on the radar by virtue of having acquired land in the scheme at rates far below the market price.

Ali-Hack and her husband paid $1,488,744 for 0.2767 of an acre and currently reside in a house on the property.

‘Market value’

Meanwhile, former Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Chief-of-Staff Rear Admiral (rtd) Best does not believe that owners of land at ‘Pradoville 2’ should pay any more than the price they originally paid for their land since there was no way to determine market value for lands that government allocates.

“The assets in the country belong to everyone. When you pay taxes, you become a beneficiary in …when the government sets a price, whether it is Parfait Harmonie, whether it is for young professionals etcetera  …there is no longer market forces,” Best said yesterday.

Best owns 0.3005 of an acre of land in the scheme. He had paid $1.5M for the land. It was registered in his name on September 2nd, 2012, at which point he headed the GDF. Best, who was appointed in July 2015 as a Presidential Adviser on the Environment, retired from the GDF in 2013.

Detailing the acquisition of the property at Pradoville 2, Best said, “There was a process. The [Government of Guyana] offered lands at Sparendaam. There was paperwork, an invoice was generated, a title given and then I constructed.” He also noted that prior to the Pradoville 2 house lot, he had also acquired another property further up the East Coast of Demerara.

He said that he had owned that property for more than ten years, the period stated before which one could sell government lands allocated, and knowing that he was in his legal remit, he sold that property. All this information, he said, was told to SOCU investigators.

He explained to this newspaper that the reason for him selling his first property was because he had heard that lands were available at Sparendaam and that area was closer to the capital, where he worked.  “At the time I had a previous house lot but the 10 years had passed so I made it quite clear that my ten years had passed,” he said.

Best maintained that he was not given any preferential treatment in the acquisition of the land and that he became aware that the lands would be available “indirectly.” “I didn’t know it would become the infamous Sparendaam,” he said.

Best reasoned that the logic behind the state potentially asking persons to pay additional amounts for the properties was contrary to government housing policy since, from a historical perspective, no beneficiary through this process ever pays market value for lands given. “So wherever you are living, since in the 60s with South Ruimveldt and so on, my view, once  the government enters the market and sets a price, that is the market value …If you look, once government is involved in housing, this government or the other , it has always been subsidized…it must be subsidized,” he stated.

Further, he posited “The whole issue of market value has to be looked at. When I bought my land I had to build the land up. Next to where my house is there is a swamp. There is still a swamp there …and there is no seashore for me …I see mangroves I do not see the sea as people are saying. I prefer the mangroves. I know the market value thing is coming up and whether it will be revalued and so forth, I think, is a very delicate question and if it is done it is done. But generally it is one where there is a big issue.”

‘A poor man’

He told Stabroek News that if asked to pay market value for his land now, he could not afford such. “I am a poor man and if that is case and I can’t afford that. I might have to sell my home to pay,” he lamented.

Best’s attorney, Senior Counsel Bernard De Santos, was adamant that no one should pay. “That was a free contract entered into. Why should he pay more? Because somebody decides it values more? Why should he pay more?” De Santos asked.

The SOCU probe is based on an investigation of the Sparendaam Housing Project, known as ‘Pradoville 2,’ which was part of a larger probe of the financial operations of the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CHPA) that was conducted by accounting firm Ram & McRae and which concluded that a criminal case for malfeasance could be made against the PPP/C Cabinet members who benefited.

The firm found that awardees grossly underpaid for the lots by a total of nearly $250 million, while the state-owned National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL), National Communications Network (NCN) and Guyana Power and Light Inc. (GPL) were never reimbursed for millions spent to execute preparatory works.

On Tuesday former President Jagdeo was arrested at the Leader of the Opposition’s office on Church Street, Georgetown by SOCU head Sydney James and taken to SOCU headquarters for questioning.

Jagdeo’s arrest followed that of former Cabinet Secretary Dr Luncheon, who was served his arrest notice in front of the local media corps at a press conference the PPP had called to talk about the pending matter. Five other persons were also questioned on Tuesday. These were former Minister of Natural Resources Robert Persaud, Lisaveta Ramotar, who is the General Manager of the Guyana Gold Board and daughter of former president Donald Ramotar; Ramesh Dookhoo, former Chairman of the Private Sector Commission and Dr Ghansham Singh. They were also beneficiaries of house lots in the scheme. Marcia Nadir-Sharma, former Deputy Director of state holding company NICIL was also questioned. They were all released without charge.

On Wednesday, former prime minister Samuel Hinds and six other persons—former Minister of Housing and Water Irfaan Ali, former Minister of Home Affairs and former People’s Progressive Party General Secretary Clement Rohee, former Minister of Education Priya Manickchand, former Chief Executive Officer of the Guyana Water Authority Shaik Baksh, former Minister of Labour Nanda Gopaul and former Public Service Ministry head Dr Jennifer Westford—were questioned by SOCU.

Thursday saw only two persons being questioned, former Office of the President press officer Kwame McCoy and former head of the Officer for Climate Change Andrew Bishop.

Former Minister Persaud hinted that he would be ready to settle the price difference with the state, if it proves that the land was sold to him at an undervalued price but counsel for the PPP, Jagdeo and other former ministers, said that option has been “ruled out.”

From day one, the former PPP ministers’ legal representative, Anil Nandlall, has maintained that his clients have broken no law, since subsidised housing has been a long part of Guyana’s history. He has emphasized that his party comrades would not relent on this position and thus would not come to any settlement that disputed this theory.