A dispute erupted yesterday over a parcel of land at the corner of Vlissengen Road and Thomas Lands between the administration and the Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU) with both sides claiming ownership.
A stand-off at the site yesterday saw several van loads of police being brought to the scene to assist workers attached to the Public Works Ministry who were in the process of erecting a fence on the parcel of land.
President of the GPSU, Patrick Yarde, speaking to Stabroek News at the scene yesterday, said that the land belongs to the GPSU and noted that the union had been paying its rates and taxes on the land over the years. He said the parcel of land, which measures 145,000 square feet, was given to the body some 40 years ago by the then PNC government to construct recreational facilities for public servants. According to Yarde, the GPSU and the authorities had been discussing plans to erect recreational facilities on the land at meetings held at the Office of the President (OP), noting that he along with other GPSU officials met with government officials, including Cabinet Secretary Dr Roger Luncheon, twice last year to discuss funding by the administration of such facilities.
According to a release issued by the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL) on behalf of the government yesterday afternoon, the land is owned by the Government of Guyana under Transport #1510 of 1974. The release stated that the parcel of land was leased for a brief period of time by the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission (GL&SC) on May 30 last year. GINA stated that the plot of land is demarcated on a survey plan dated May 30, 2008 for an area measuring 2.31 acres. The release added that the lease was subsequently relinquished to the GL&SC this year.
According to Yarde the GPSU has adequate documentation which gives an indication of the union’s ownership of the land in question. He provided a Certificate of Value in respect of the property and according to the document, freehold interest in the land is vested in the name of the GPSU via transport. The document states that the land and other installations on it are valued in the range of $82-$85M.
Yarde said that while he was overseas some two weeks ago, he was informed by union members that officials from the Public Works Ministry were in the area to occupy and carry out work on parts of the land. Yarde said since his meetings with the administration last year, there was no new development, stating that he had subsequently raised the issue with the authorities as regards developments coming out of the meetings.
He said the recent moves by the government were most alarming and termed it “an act of deceit”.
Yesterday’s events commenced during the morning hours when officials from the Works Ministry made attempts to erect a bridge linking Vlissengen Road to the parcel of land. Yarde said that the Works Ministry officials were stopped by union members from accessing the land, since he noted, the parcel of land “rightfully” belongs to the GPSU.
He said the Works Ministry officials left the scene and he was told that they met with Works Minister Robeson Benn sometime thereafter to discuss their next move. Yarde said the government officials then returned to the scene yesterday afternoon, this time with the police in their company. He said the police were led by Deputy Commander ‘A’ Division of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) David Ramnarine, who upon arrival on the scene, informed that the police were there to carry out orders and to allow the Works Ministry officials to access the land. The GPSU president said that the government workers were allowed to access the land, sometime after 4 yesterday and commenced work, erecting a fence on part of the land.
He said that City Mayor Hamilton Green was also on the scene to provide support to the GPSU.
Minister Benn was also on the scene late yesterday afternoon, some distance away from the GPSU officials, interacting with officials from the Works Ministry who were constructing the fence.
Yarde said that the GPSU intends to consult with its attorneys as it determines the way forward, noting that “this is a matter which will not end easily’. When Stabroek News left the site last evening, Works Ministry officials removed the “no trespassing” signs and placed them in a tractor before leaving the scene in the company of the police.
