If former president Donald Ramotar had signed a lease authorising the Cheddi Jagan Research Centre Inc. (CJRCI) to use Red House, he should’ve said so months ago, according to Minister of State Joseph Harmon, who says the document is in the public domain to be judged.
“The document is now public record, so whether or not he signed or didn’t sign it, it is in the public domain for all to see,” Harmon said at a post-Cabinet press briefing.
Ramotar, in a sworn affidavit, has stated that as President of Guyana he authorised and sanctioned the issuance of the lease of Red House to the CJRCI.
The affidavit was sworn to on Tuesday for the case brought by CJRCI against the Attorney General over the planned eviction of CJRCI from the historic property, which is now a repository of the works of the late President Cheddi Jagan.
In the affidavit, drawn up by attorney Anil Nandlall, Ramotar states that “at all material times, I was aware of, authorised and sanctioned the issuance of a lease of government land for educational/research purposes, number 3068, dated 30th of March, 2012, in respect of Area “A” now called Red House, comprising lots 65, 66 and 67 High Street, Kingston, situate in the City of Georgetown, County of Demerara, by the Commissioner of Lands and Surveys acting on behalf of the Government of Guyana and the Cheddi Jagan Research Inc.…”
The affidavit is seen as significant as it has been argued by those who believe that the lease is invalid as it required the imprimatur of the sitting president for validity. Ramotar was President between November 28, 2011 and May 16, 2015. The lease was finalised in March of 2012.
Asked to address Ramotar’s statement, Harmon questioned why he didn’t provide this information when the Red House lease was made public during the 2015 budget debate.
“I wouldn’t want to question the capacity of the former president to remember things but certainly if that was so, then the public ought to have known months ago after it was raised in the National Assembly and all that,” Harmon stressed.
On December 29, 2016, President David Granger had ordered that the controversial lease for the building be revoked. President Granger has said that he believes that the PPP has been very disrespectful to other presidents in its justification for using Red House and had pointed to a November 6, 2015, article in the Stabroek News titled ‘PPP rejects use of Red House for other presidents – says would be anathema to have Burnham, Hoyte in same building’ as evidence. Granger said that the divisive and “vile” tone of party must never go unnoticed.
A battery of lawyers representing the CJRCI moved to the High Court following the revocation order seeking to prevent its eviction and orders were granted on consent to prevent the removal of property from the premises.
The PPP/C administration in 2012 had quietly leased Red House to the CJRCI for 99 years at a rate of $1,000 per month.
