Dear Editor,
I wish to share my thoughts a topic that was stimulated by bloggers‘ comments on the findings of Carl Greenidge’s request to have research done on past and present senior government officials getting state land.
In the case of Mr Greenidge’s request, the findings indicate that Viola Burnham and Ptolemy Reid were granted limited land leases for free, based on their personal positions and service to the nation. The emphasis in on ‘limited.’ Both leases had expiration dates attached and came to an end just before and after the present administration assumed office in 1992.
This indicates a marked difference between the modus operandi of the two administrations. Beliefs are perpetuated and manifested in the way people do things.
The findings of Mr Greenidge’s request indicate that there was no intention to usurp and own government lands forever.
The ability to sell and gain a profit was never intended. The land could not be transferred to offspring and such like. It was a privilege extended to someone in high office for a reasonable duration of time.
On the other hand a lot of previously state-owned lands were allocated and ‘bought’ by this new breed of government officials and associates of these officials. ‘Bought‘ means they were supposedly paid for. What the findings did not address were, in these present cases, how much was really paid, was there a track record to indicate where the money went and if the payment was on par with market values.
One thing about Linden. In a recent letter I asked to halt the destruction of the draglines in Kwakwani. I have seen no response in relation to this matter, which is sad. Are the atrocities still taking place? Mr Lincoln Lewis, Mr Sam Hinds, SN or anyone who knows – what happened to the massive dragline that was christened Sir Walker in the seventies?
Yours faithfully,
F Skinner
