Chief co-ops officer no show at hearing over role in land sale

Chief Co-operatives Develo-pment Officer Kareem Abdul-Jabar failed to show up to a Public Service Commission hearing held last week over his involvement in the sale of a Lamaha Gardens property now the subject of a dispute.

A reliable source told Stabroek News that the Commission will hold another meeting to deliberate on the matter and Abdul-Jabar will have an opportunity to explain his role in the Lamaha Gardens land dispute and his absence.

Kareem Abdul-Jabar
Kareem Abdul-Jabar

Abdul-Jabar was sent on indefinite administrative leave on February 18, pending a disciplinary hearing on his role in the sale of the property.

The 5500 sq ft property was sold on January 13, 2013.

The Guyana Public Service Union (GPSU), which claimed to be the owner of the property, however, said it became aware of the move to sell the land in November last year, when a notice, inviting bids by November 23, 2012, was placed in the Guyana Chronicle by Liquidator Cecil Ramnarine.

The union released a cease and desist letter that its attorney Joseph Harmon had sent to Ramnarine, dated November 20, 2012, in order to prevent him from moving ahead.

In his letter to Ramnarine, Harmon identified himself as the lawyer for the Civil Service Association Coopera-tive Housing Society.