Dear Editor,
I have been following all commentaries regarding the disgraceful and shameful revelations involving a senior official at Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA. These allegations have caused Guyana a “national embarrassment!” It must be of concern to all Guyanese how these revelations are currently being handled by Mr. Irfaan Ali, who has a responsibility to hold his ministers accountable! His initial reaction just cannot be a mere excuse that “Government is following the housing policy.” This very Irfaan Ali served as Housing Minister from 2006 to May 2015 and is fully knowledgeable of how swathes of lands were issued and sold to friends, families, favourites, and flatters, at peanut prices for acreage.
The PPP/C has caused the CH&PA to stray from its core mandate; which is “to provide housing for working class Guyanese…” Rather, they converted this Authority into a major commercial entity, where friends of the PPP/C can purchase lands at reasonable prices, hold them for years; and then sell them off for millions, bleeding the pockets of vulnerable and ordinary Guyanese, who are struggling to acquire lands from the Authority to build their dream house, leaving a legacy for generations.
At his usual one man ‘Press Conference’ on Thursday, February 6, 2025, Mr. Jagdeo, in his attempts to castigate and blame others and the Coalition Government for approving and allocating lands to Guyanese, without removing the blinkers from his eyes; must say to Guyanese how he surreptitiously benefitted from two (2) acres of lands (amounting to approximately ten house lots), after disposing of his initial Pradoville land, in less than ten years, while serving as President.
Editor, it is timely that I remind Guyanese of an audit, conducted on the Central Housing and Planning Authority by the Coalition Government and the report submitted in May 2017. When one examines section 3.3.1, under ‘Private Developers,’ it explains how acres of lands were allocated to friends of the PPP/C, and the costs associated with each purchase (I provide the attached photos for ease of reference). What was shocking was that just before the Coalition took Government on May 16, 2015 under the watchful eyes of then Minister of Housing, Mr. Irfaan Ali, deals were sealed with close allies of the PPP/C.
With all the underhand dealings at CH&PA, it is ordinary Guyanese who continue to suffer. Just take a visit on any working day, you will be amazed to witness hundreds of persons sitting for long hours to be attended to. Many will tell you how long they have applied and are waiting between one-three decades to receive a call from the Authority, inviting them for their allocations, while there are those who applied, never got a call, but have gone to the great beyond, without having the opportunity to bequeath generational legacy to their loved ones. On the other hand, the exorbitant prices set for ordinary Guyanese to purchase a regular house lot is another challenge for our people.
Last year (2024); I tabled a motion calling on the National Assembly to convene a Special Select Committee to examine and review the costs for house lots. Rather than debating the merit contained in the motion, the careless and unscrupulous PPP/C voted against that motion. Additionally, several questions were tabled by me to Minister Collin Croal on the allocation of lands parallel to the Mandela-Eccles access road and Heroes Highway. These questions never made the ‘Order Paper,’ but were disallowed by the PPP/C gatekeeper for a Speaker, Mr. Manzoor Nadir, citing my questions contravened section 20 of the Standing Order, under ‘Contents of Question.’
Editor, on November 25, 2023, through my Letters to the Editor, I made a public call for a ‘Forensic Audit to be conducted on the operations of CH&PA,’ since I received several complaints of corrupt practices, allegedly involving high officials, ministers, and the now embattled CEO, who has since resigned. In addition to my call, I have seen receipts bearing names of private businesses, who Guyanese were forced to pay millions for a piece of land, or to have their applications expedited. This again, involves senior officials at CH&PA. Another reason for my call for a Forensic Audit of CH&PA.
Therefore Editor, I conclude by joining with all right thinking and decent Guyanese, to call on Mr. Irfaan Ali to take the necessary actions and avoid being complicit. Finally, I reiterate my call for a forensic audit to be done on the operations of CH&PA from August 2020 to February 7, 2025. Mr. Irfaan Ali, prove to Guyanese that you are in control of your government, act now, or resign!!!!!!
Sincerely,
Annette Ferguson, MP