Dear Editor,
The Guyana Chronicle carried an article under a banner, front-page headline on Sunday, October 7, 2012, in which it falsely accused me of the following:-
1. That NICIL has paid me “almost $7M for processing of land transports” for relocated D’Edward (Berbice Bridge) residents, but I “failed to deliver”.
2. That I demanded from the wife of one resident $300,000 “in order to ensure she received her transport for the land”.
3. That I asked residents who received compensation for legal fees to help them get their cheques.
4. That I failed in my professional duties to provide legal services for the Berbice Bridge compensation/re-location project.
All of the above are absolute lies.
I was identified in the publication as AFC’s Vice-Chairman and a Member of Parliament, and there is no doubt that these wicked and malicious lies are intended to damage my character, my profession and standing in the Guyanese community.
I call on Chronicle Editor Mark Ramotar, to immediately withdraw these defamatory allegations, and tender an open apology for publishing outright lies.
I also call on NICIL’s Executive Directors, Winston Brassington and Marcia Nadir-Sharma, to disassociate themselves from the publication, and to publish both my contract with NICIL and the amount of moneys paid to me for the D’Edward (Berbice Bridge) project. Already, in breach of client-attorney privilege, NICIL has shamelessly and unethically released to the government propaganda mill, copies of cheques paid to me!
Every Unity Street resident was dear and important to me. I once lived on that street and had a school in this community.
I negotiated a fair and reasonable compensation for every home-owner who was relocated, and a package that included:-
* A house-lot for every home-owner who was removed from D’Edward;
* Payment of $1.00 (yes, one Guyana dollar) for a house-lot in Ketting (Cotton Tree);
* Streets plus water, electricity and telephone services for the re-location area;
* Extended time for affected residents to re-locate;
* Assistance to remove their houses and structures.
It was never my job to provide transport to the Ketting residents. However, when asked by then President Jagdeo and Minister Irfaan Ali to expedite transports for citizens on the Corentyne and in West Berbice, I was offered and I accepted legal fees of only $2,500 (two thousand five hundred Guyana dollars) for each transport passed.
It was left to Government to pass transport to the Ketting residents, and it is a shame it has not done so after six years. I demand transports for the residents immediately!
Over a two-year period (2006-2007), I was paid $1,450,000 (one million four hundred and fifty dollars) as legal fees based on my request for $30,000 or US$150 for each completed Compensation Agreement, plus allowance for clerical assistance, travelling and miscellaneous.
I deny asking any resident for legal fees, and I put the PPP Government and their propaganda cronies on notice for proof of this!
In the meantime, I have consulted my lawyers on this matter.
Yours faithfully,
Moses V. Nagamootoo
AFC Vice-Chairman &
Member of Parliament
