BV/Triumph residents invited to meeting on controversial lands deal

To discuss the issue surrounding their 143 acres of land aback the community which is now before the courts, Residents of the Beterverwagting/Triumph (BV/Triumph) communities are being asked to attend a meeting this evening.

“Attention! Attention! Attention! Residents of Beterverwagting and Triumph, you are invited to a community meeting tomorrow Monday 31st October, at 6 pm in the Anglican School Building. This is to discuss issues relating to the backlands...Come One, Come All! ,” a notice from the community leaders being shared with residents stated.

Villager and BV/Triumph Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) Councillor Elton McRae yesterday told Stabroek News that while the issue has been publicized in the media, there are a lot of persons in the village who still are not au fait with the entire issue.

“The meeting will give villagers the opportunity to air their concerns and discuss their options and overall bring them up to speed. They get to share their opinions and share what they believe is best for the village,” he added.

In addition, he pointed out that some residents are also mobilizing to hold a fundraiser for legal fees for residents who might need counsel, independent of the NDC.

Last December, this newspaper reported on the controversial agreement between John Fernandes Limited (JFL) and the BV/Triumph NDC. Details of the $35 million deal had only come to light when the agreement document was leaked, according to McRae. The terms of the agreement stated that JFL was supposed to pay the NDC $20 million on the signing of the agreement and the remainder when the transport was passed. Observers had deemed the $35 million figure as paltry but more importantly, the deal related to some lands which the NDC had no jurisdiction over.

After negative publicity over the deal, JFL backed out of it. It was later, however, revealed that JFL transferred its interest in the arrangement to the mystery company, Mohamed Sons and Daughters Trading. Further, it was only earlier this month that JFL disclosed that it had accepted $20 million from the company in return for the transfer of its interest in the matter. This had become known when JFL returned a cheque to the NDC for the $20 million refund on the down payment.

The NDC had earlier received a lawyer’s letter from Mohamed Sons and Daughters Trading, directing it to make preparations for the passing of the transport, a development which set off alarm bells among residents who feared efforts were still being made to take their lands despite the disavowal by JFL.

At a recent protest in front of the company’s Water Street offices, residents noted that JFL appears unperturbed that it had transferred its interest in a matter where private holdings are at stake, property that the NDC has no control over.

McRae noted that if JFL was no longer interested in the land, they should not have gone to a third party, rather they should have simply asked the NDC for the $20 million refund. “Why [did they] have to go to a third party…?” McRae questioned.

“We have not given anyone permission to transfer our properties – to sell, lease, rent or occupy and we will challenge the council’s right to attempt to [usurp] our lands,” he added.

Mohamed Sons and Daughters Trading has since taken the NDC to court for it to be ordered to release to it the 143 acres once it would have paid the balance of the $35 million purchase price as had originally been agreed between the NDC and JFL.