State to pay Dipcon US$2.2m

The Government of Guyana will have to pay the US$2.2 million awarded to Trinidad road construction company Dipcon in 2015, after losing its bid to appeal the judgment before the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ). The Regional Court yesterday, among other things, ruled that the Attorney General (AG) of Guyana (the appellant), failed to file an application to the court for special leave to appeal, pursuant to Section 8 of the CCJ Act. As a result, the October 21, 2015 $455 million judgment of then High Court Judge, Justice Rishi Persaud, in favour of Dipcon, for road and infrastructural works done under the former administration remains intact. The AG, Basil Williams SC, had appealed against the refusal of the Guyana Court of Appeal to extend time for appealing after more than six months had passed since Justice Persaud’s judgment. The State applied for, and obtained leave on May 30, 2017 to appeal to the CCJ against the refusal.

Sunset Lakes, the 100-acre Providence, East Bank of Demerara property sold by Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) to Brian Tiwarie, has been repossessed by Citizens Bank and sold to Tamesh Jagmohan of Precious Mining Inc. for over $1 billion. Works have started again at the site in preparation for the resale of individual lots, even as the CH&PA mulls its next step after losing a High Court case challenging the bank’s sale of the property following a defaulted mortgage. “Agreement of sale and purchase was made on October 9th with Precious Mining Inc. There was a bidding system, which saw seven bids and that company made the best bid. It was sold for between 1 and 2 billion, 50% of which has been paid,” a source close to the process told this newspaper yesterday. The lands were sold by Nigel Hinds, who was acting in the capacity of receiver/manager for Citizens Bank Guyana Inc.