Dear Editor,
In response to Mr. Ramdial Balbadar’s letter in the Stabroek News `An unpleasant experience with the Registrar of the Land Registry’ dated 20th July, 2010, the following is what transpired.
Sometime in March, 2010 an officer of the Lands & Surveys Department came to see me saying that someone went to see Mr. Doorga Persaud, Commissioner of Lands & Surveys concerning a matter he had with this department and that he was at the counter.
I went to the counter accompanied by the Lands & Surveys clerk and met Mr. Balbadar. He was furious and in the presence of the customers and staff he accused me of having his transfer for seven years and with nothing being done about it. He mentioned a land registry staff whom he said knew of the transfer.
That staff member was on vacation. I invited Mr. Balbadar into my office along with the Lands & Surveys clerk and another land registry staff and a telephone call was made to the staff on vacation, who said that the transfer was filed either February or March, 2010. Before exiting my office Mr. Balbadar apologized and I told him I would like the apology to be made in the presence of the public and the staff.
He did not acquiesce.
Upon checking the register the transfer was filed on the 26th February, 2010 so how could I be holding it for seven years. With regards to the affidavit attesting to the death of his mother-in-law, she had a life interest leaving the property at her death to him and another person. She died on the 2/12/85 but this was not recorded in the Deeds Registry when the Land Registry was housed there.
Therefore anyone checking the register who is aware of the law would know right away that something was amiss, hence my request for the affidavit of proof of death and this was sworn to on the 6/7/10.
This office has been served with many summonses to attend court to answer for titles signed in the past when the Land Registry was in the Deeds Registry and they are alleging that the titles were obtained by fraud, in this regard I am extremely careful before I issue a Title and for that I am deemed difficult and I have noticed that when the lawyers themselves speak to me on the telephone, the queries put to them by their clerks are entirely different to what I requested and they in turn comply.
As for the title being signed on the 31/5/10, the life of the compliance lasted up to 30/4/10, but I gave a month’s grace taking it to 31/5/10 thus enabling the transfers to be passed once they were here by that date, if not then a new compliance would have to be issued. Did Mr. Balbadar know all of this before he joined the bandwagon against me?
Just after the incident at the counter, Mr. Balbadar visited this office accompanied by his Attorney-at-Law who apologized to the entire staff for Balbadar’s outburst. I invited both of them into my office and checked the transfer.
I found that a title was missing and Mr. Balbadar said that he had the said title and would submit it to this office.
I never boasted to Mr. Balbadar or to anyone for that matter that I am answerable only to the Office of the President. He claimed that he suffered “at the hands of the Registrar of Lands” when it is the other way around, he embarrassed me in the presence of the public (and there were several here at the time) and also the staff of Land Registry and Lands & Surveys. When this episode occurred I never complained to his lawyer which I could have done, I let the matter go.
Everyone is entitled to say what they want under the constitution of Guyana, but they must get their facts straight first before venting their anger on me.
Yours faithfully,
Juliet Sattaur
Registrar of Lands
