Pradoville 2 controversy: Court case commences

TIMES INT'L
Former Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall
Former Attorney General and Minister
of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall

The matter involving the controversial Pradoville 2 State lands was on Wednesday called before Chief Justice Yonnette Cummings-Edwards at the High Court.

During the hearing, former Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister Anil Nandlall represented former President Bharrat Jagdeo, Clement Rohee, Lisa Ramotar, Dr Jennifer Westford, Dr Rajendra Singh, George Hallaq and Nada Hallaq, and submitted an application to raise certain preliminary legal objections.

The matter was adjourned to March 8 for reports so as to ensure that all persons affected by the proceedings were served with copies of the proceedings.

The legal proceedings have begun after a group identifying itself as the Committee for the Defence of the Constitution Inc, which is led by Desmond Trotman, moved to the Court by way of an originating notice of motion to repossess lands they claim have been fraudulently developed at Sparendaam, East Coast Demerara better known as Pradoville 2.

The originating motion accused the former Jagdeo-led Administration of appropriating lands in 2010 through the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL) without approval for personal purposes.

Speaking to Guyana Times International after the proceedings, Nandlall stated that it was necessary that these proceedings be situated in a context so as to understand their true nature and purpose.

“In my view, they exemplify the authoritarian philosophy of this Government and they present another irrefutable piece of evidence that we are moving quickly into establishing an authoritarian state where private property is no longer safe and the constitutional rights of the citizens are subservient to this dominant philosophy of authoritarianism.

In these proceedings, one sees the properties of a former President, other top politicians and persons holding significant positions in both the Private and Public Sectors are at stake,” the Attorney stated.

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