Former Planning and Development Minister Dr Bhoe Tewarie was adamant yesterday that “not a single square foot of land in Chaguaramas” was given away during his tenure.
“Every lease was negotiated above board by the authority responsible, the board of the Chaguaramas Development Authority (CDA). It was negotiated on business and commercial terms. PWC was the chief negotiator appointed by the CDA to do that. This is a professional organisation who looks after matters such as these all over the world,” be said.
Responding to allegations levelled by Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley that the former People’s Partnership administration gave away acres of prime land in Chaguaramas prior to the 2015 general election, Tewarie said the intent to make the CDA viable and self-sustainable. He is challenging Rowley to a public discussion on the matter.
On Sunday, speaking at a PNM Diego Martin West constituency conference, Rowley said his Government is now moving to reclaim lands given away by the previous government. He said land “all the way from Pier 1, all the way past the Convention Centre to the Museum” was made available to one investor, while 100 acres of “the best land in Tucker Valley” was given as a reward to a UNC activist who campaigned against Finance Minister Colm Imbert.
Commenting on the latter, a reference to Joe Pires, managing director of Caribbean Chemicals Ltd, Tewarie said: “It was the PNM government in 2008 who gave him 100 acres of land in Gran Couva where they are now engaged in agricultural production.”
The former minister insisted: “There was no giveaway of land. It was leased based on commercial negotiations.”
Tewarie said the decision by the CDA to lease 100 acres of land to Pires and a company he set up was done on a commercial basis after review by the Ministry of Agriculture.
He said the company identified 20 acres to begin agricultural development over time on the 100 acres.
“Government has basically strong-armed the company, because nobody wants to fight with a government if that government is bent on giving you hell. They have taken back 48 acres of the 100 acre parcel and they intend to distribute it to farmers in the surrounding areas, possibly in Dr Rowley’s constituency.”
On the claim that land given to an investor for a waterpark, Tewarie said the strategy was to develop two per cent of all Chaguaramas lands for tourism boosted by entertainment, leisure and pleasure opportunities. He identified the investor involved as John Aboud, describing him as a “legitimate investor who was making a significant investment.”He is denying Rowley’s claim that Government got them to
withdraw the boundary away from the beach.
On the issue of the carpark, Tewarie said the land was leased to the investor for a dollar who would build the facility and allow the CDA to manage it in a shared business deal.