Retired army chief-of-staff Gary Best yesterday confirmed that he is living on property located in the controversial Pradoville 2 Housing Scheme, where the State Assets Recovery Unit (SARU) has said lands were “grossly undervalued” and sold below market value to members and associates of the former government.
According to a report recently completed by the SARU, Rear Admiral (rtd) Best owns 0.3005 of an acre of land in the scheme. The land was registered in his name on September 2, 2012, at which point he headed the army.
Best, who was appointed in July as Presidential Adviser on the Environ-ment, retired in 2013.
Attorney-General Basil Williams has signaled plans to initiate civil proceedings against five former ministers under the PPP/C administration over the controversial land sales.
Williams has also said that he would be recommending that the SARU submit its report to the Chambers of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for the start of a criminal investigation.
However, it is unclear whether there will be plans to pursue charges against any of the other recipients, including Best. Stabroek News was unable to make contact with Williams yesterday for an update as he was on his way to France on official business.
Best yesterday confirmed that he lives at Lot 180 Sparendaam, East Coast Demerara.
“I live here,” he told Stabroek News.
Best confirmed that he was aware of an investigation done by the SARU and that the matter is now engaging the attention of the Attorney-General’s Chambers and may be referred to the DPP’s Chambers.
However, he said there has been no conclusion. He said that when a conclusion has been reached, whatever are the findings, “it will take its normal course.”
The SARU report, seen by Stabroek News, stated that the lands were sold to former ministers and known friends and associates of the previous regime. “At the time of the sale the lands were grossly undervalued and sold substantially lower than the market value for the land thereby depriving the state of its full benefits,” it said, while noting that the lands were sold for $114 per square foot.
The ministers who were said to have benefited are Jennifer Westford, Priya Manickchand, Clement Rohee and Robert Persaud. Former president Bharrat Jagdeo owns almost two acres of land in the scheme, where he currently lives.
The report also noted that transfers and subsequent sales of properties had conditions attached, including that the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) would have to sign off on any sale before 10 years of ownership.
The report said Manickchand sold her land to Dave Naraine for $100 million on February 21, 2013, three years after the purchase of the land, without any written permission from the CH&PA. The report added that Persaud’s land was transferred into the names of relatives and later sold on September 18, 2014 for $90 million without any written permission from CH&PA.
It further says that the overseer of the Industry/Plaisance NDC indicated that no rates and taxes have been paid since occupancy of the land.
The SARU’s investigations have revealed that a decision was taken by Cabinet in 2010 for the land to be privatised.
This decision was done without any authorization and approval bodies from the relevant bodies.
Several feasibility studies were conducted at the behest of Cabinet and huge sums of monies were spent to develop the land.
The SARU, in its recommendation said the former ministers could be held liable for misconduct in public office and that the Attorney-General may institute proceedings against them.
It said the actions of the former cabinet ministers have shown that they have willfully neglected to perform their duties without reasonable excuse or justification to such an extent that it amounted to an abuse of the public trust in the office holders. It further said that a strong message must be sent to offenders and potential offenders and that the former ministers should not benefit from their acts of misconduct while being holders of public office.
