PNC ignored three ‘illegal occupation’ notices; urged to apply legally for land – Guyana Chronicle
THE People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) had received three letters from regional authorities about its illegal occupation of a state-owned building in Lethem, Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo), Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo confirmed on Friday during his press conference.
The PNCR has come out to claim that it was wrongfully evicted from the building it occupied for decades. VP Jagdeo clarified that the Auditor General’s reports have consistently noted that there are persons and entities illegally occupying government property.
In the 2020 Auditor General’s report, the Region Nine building was raised as a point of concern. Acting on the information contained within the report, the Regional Executive Officer (REO) of Region Nine wrote three letters to the leadership of the PNCR communicating the illegal occupation.
As the official account officer of the region, the Regional Executive Officer reports to the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the National Assembly where accounting officers must answer to the legislature on why recommendations of the Auditor General have not been followed, the Vice President noted, underscoring that the REO was fulfilling a legal obligation.
Dr Jagdeo denied that either the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP), of which he is General Secretary, nor the Government of Guyana have directed the REO to evict the political opposition from the state-owned asset.
He said that if the PNCR would like to apply for a piece of land, then it can do so through the legal means, but Dr Jagdeo highlighted that the party has operated with impunity for decades, and occupy tens of valuable state properties across the country for which they do not have ownership records.
