Anil Nandlall, former attorney general under the People’s Progressive Party believes the use of the Compulsory Acquisition for Public Purpose Act by the APNU/ AFC Coalition government to seize private property for alleged public use is demonstrative of the authoritarian governance style.
Nandlall during an interview with News Room on Tuesday said the act should only be used in rare circumstances because it, in essence allows the government to purchase a private property at a determined market price whether or not the owner is willing to sell.
He was specifically referring to government’s recent acquisition of a plot of land between Middle and Carmichael Streets for “public use.”
Nandlall expressed the view that the government has coveted the property from the owners, who, according to him had indicated their reservations with selling the property.
According to Nandlall several properties along Brickdam, Hadfield Street and other locations around Georgetown were compulsorily acquired by the former late president, Forbes Burnham and were not put to public use.
He is contending that the major party in the coalition government, the People’s National Congress has used and abused this power for sinister reasons and claims that persons whose lands were compulsorily acquired have attested that they had personal problems with “powerful persons.”
He expressed fear that in a period where democracy is taking the Caribbean by storm, Guyana has a government that is using this draconian power against the citizenry.
The Official Gazette of September 24, describes the land as “East quarter of Lot numbered 92 …Middle and Carmichael Streets …with all the buildings and erections thereon, save and except the building and erections situate on sub-lot lettered ‘A.’”
The Order was signed by Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson however the exact purpose is yet to be made public.
