Several residents of Beterverwagting (BV) on the East Coast Demerara yesterday protested John Fernandes Limited’s (JFL) decision to transfer its interest in a controversial 143 acres land deal to a mystery company.
The protest took place at the JFL wharf on Water Street, Georgetown. “We value these lands and they [JFL] knows full well that these lands belong to us…,” Elton McRae, one of the holders of a transport for the land in question and a councillor of the BV/Triumph NDC, told Stabroek News.
Last December, this newspaper reported on the controversial agreement between JFL and the BV/Triumph Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC). Details of the $35 million deal had only come to light when the agreement document was leaked, according to McRae. According to the terms, JFL was supposed to pay the NDC $20 million on the signing of the agreement and the remainder when the transport was passed. Observers had deemed the $35m figure as paltry but more importantly the deal related to some lands which the NDC had no jurisdiction over.
After negative publicity over the deal, JFL backed out of it. It was later, however, revealed that JFL transferred its interest in the arrangement to the mystery company, Mohamed Sons and Daughters Trading. Further, it was only last week that JFL disclosed that it had accepted $20m from the company in return for the transfer of its interest in the matter. This had become known when JFL returned a cheque to the NDC for the $20m refund.
The NDC had earlier received a lawyer’s letter from Mohamed Sons and Daughters Trading directing it to make preparations for the passing of the transport, a development which set off alarm bells among residents, who feared efforts were still being made to take their lands despite the disavowal by JFL.
At the protest yesterday, residents said that JFL appears unperturbed that it had transferred its interest in a matter where private holdings are at stake, property that the NDC has no control over.
McRae noted that if JFL was no longer interested in the land, they should not have gone to a third party, rather they should have simply asked the NDC for the $20 million refund. “Why [they] have to go to a third party…?” McRae questioned.
“We have not given anyone permission to transfer our properties – to sell, lease, rent or occupy and we will challenge the council’s right to attempt to (usurp) our lands,” McRae said.
Mohamed Sons and Daughters Trading has since taken the NDC to court for it to be ordered to release to it the 143 acres once it would have paid the balance of the $35 million purchase price as had originally been agreed between the NDC and JFL.
In a fixed date application, the company is seeking among other orders, that the NDC forthwith transfer the property to it once it would have paid the outstanding balance on the purchase price. The court date is scheduled for November 1st.
However, BV/Triumph NDC Chairman Jimmaul Bagot says the council will not be bullied.
‘We’ve made it clear to them in several letters that we cannot sell what we don’t own. Hence, we had to rescind the agreement. However, they’re still pursuing it…”, Bagot said.
‘John Fernandes would have published a notice in the Stabroek newspaper where they would have indicated that they have no interests—that they’re distancing themselves from any agent or anyone whatsoever who are claiming to have some vested interest in the lands located in Section G, BV,” he said before noting that to its surprise, it received the notice of the court action filed on behalf of Mohamed Sons and Daughters, although it thought the matter had been put to rest. (Laurel Sutherland)
