Rescind Red House deal – Goolsarran
Former Auditor General Anand Goolsarran has called for the revoking of a peppercorn lease of historic Red House for 99 years to a PPP outfit.
The deal was disclosed last week by Minister of State Joseph Harmon during his presentation on the 2015 budget.
Writing in his accountability column in Monday’s Stabroek News, Goolsarran said it had come as a shock to many that the building housing the Cheddi Jagan Research Centre had been leased to a private company bearing a similar name – Cheddi Jagan Research Inc.
“Considering that this building was completely refurbished at enormous costs to the State, the shock was even greater to learn that the property was leased since 2012 to this company for a nominal sum of $1,000 per month for a period of 99 years. To add salt to injury, the staff of the Centre continued to be paid by the Treasury.
“The agreement should therefore be rescinded, and those responsible should be held personally responsible for this abuse/misuse of public resources, which by definition constitutes an act of corruption”, Goolsarran urged.
Harmon told the National Assembly on Friday that up to 2012, Red House was state property. He said the national monument, which was once the home of late President Cheddi Jagan, was rehabilitated to the tune of millions of dollars and then leased by the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) government for 99 years to a private company, Cheddi Jagan Research Inc.
Describing the situation as a “bone” which stuck in his throat, Harmon added that “the people who are the directors it clearly looks like the central executive of the PPP.”
Harmon further revealed that even after the entity was privatised, the staff at the Cheddi Jagan Research Centre was paid with state funds.
