Georgetown: People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP) heavyweight Irfan Ali who is a former Minister of Housing, Water and Tourism was arrested Wednesday morning at his home by Special Organised Crime Unit officersand is expected to be arraigned before a City magistrate.
Reports indicate that SOCU officials arrested Ali at 5:50AM after investigations fingered him in the processing and sale of land at Goedverwagting-Sparendaam to then President Bharrat Jagdeo, several of his cabinet members and other prominent government officials.
Amidst questions over ongoing construction at what seems to be an exclusive housing scheme at Sparendaam, East Coast Demerara.
There have been questions whether a large piece of land located behind the Sparendaam Police Station, next to the East Coast Demerara seawall was distributed in a fair and transparent manner.
The land formerly housed a transmitter belonging to the National Communications Network which has since been relocated to Parfait Harmonie, West Bank Demerara.
The land was sold in pieces to several government officials, including President Bharrat Jagdeo, Minister of Agriculture, Robert Persaud, and the army chief, Commodore Gary Best.
According to Ali, when he was a Minister, the Ministry follows a clearly defined and well-documented process in land allocation.
“The process was no different in the case of the East Coast Demerara housing development at Plaisance. The CH&PA (Central Housing and Planning Authority) has elaborated several mechanisms which include Public/Private partnerships, high income development, middle income development, medium income development and our internationally acclaimed low income settlement programme.
“The land itself was subject to approved valuation and sold at market value,” Ali said in his statement to the media previously.
You must be logged in to post a comment.