At a press conference hosted by Local Government Minister Kellawan Lall on Wednesday, it was disclosed that the council had agreed to sell the property via tender. However, the council was required to seek the final approval of the Local Government Minister before the sale was completed.
In a release on Wednesday, the Eccles/Ramsburg NDC stated that a prominent, “very well connected businessman” approached an official of the NDC, whom he asked for permission to purchase the Nandy Park playground by way of a private agreement. The statement said that the official rejected the proposal and advised the businessman that the NDC would have to determine the issue and the property would have to be put up for sale by way of public auction.
According to the statement, after the matter was brought to the attention of the NDC, the body requested and secured a valuation from the Government Valuation Department for the playground, which gave an estimate of $64M on January 29. The NDC further stated that at its monthly statutory meeting held on February 1, 2010, the NDC unanimously agreed that since there were two recreational playfields which were not utilised, one of the fields would be sold and the proceeds of the sale would be deployed to develop the other field. A development plan and other proposals for the recreational field were then considered by the NDC and the Overseer was instructed to advertise the property for sale.
According to Minister Lall, the Overseer and the Chair-man of the NDC were summoned to his office and according to him, the two pleaded not guilty, “in that they did not know the law.” He said, however, based on all available information, “it was quite clear they are all knowledgeable of the law,” noting that the Overseer /Chairman advertised the sale of the property internally and “went ahead and collected 9 bids,” which the NDC confirmed in its statement.
The NDC, however, noted that without any investigation and in spite of the protests of the Chairman and the councillors, the minister orally directed that the Overseer be sent on immediate leave without conducting any hearing.
Lall stated that the authorities had since disciplined the Overseer, who was given one month’s suspension without pay. He added that he may even be fired. As regards the Chairman of the NDC, Lall stated that the issue is more of a political matter and the authorities have to consider what disciplinary action should be taken against him.
The NDC maintained in its statement that at every stage of the process, the steps taken in the proposed sale of the playground were open, transparent and a matter of public record.
