GS Jagdeo exposes Nigel Hughes’ hypocrisy as he secured a 75-acre land deal

– Following the 2018 no-confidence motion, 2020 elections

Alliance For Change (AFC) leader Nigel Hughes has been exposed for hypocrisy as he personally benefitted from some 75-acres of prime land during politically sensitive periods, including after the 2018 n0-confidence motion and the 2020 General and Regional Elections.

These questionable transactions were exposed by the General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), Dr Bharrat Jagdeo during a news conference on Thursday at Freedom House.

Hughes had publicly stated that the government should pause all land transactions in 2025, since it is an election year.

“On the face of it, it sounds reasonable,” Jagdeo stated, arguing that Hughes own past actions have contradicted his position.

In fact, Jagdeo provided evidence that implicates the AFC leader in a number of questionable deals during politically sensitive periods, including when the APNU+AFC was in a caretaker status.

Based on the documents provided to the media, Hughes was first granted permission to lease 25 acres of State land at the left Bank of the Essequibo River, near the mouth of Groete Creek on October 24, 2019. This was four months after the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) declared that the 2018 no confidence motion was valid.

“You should see what the definition of a caretaker [government] means. You can’t conclude any of these transactions,” Jagdeo explained.

Additionally, Hughes was granted a provisional lease for an additional 25 acres of land at the left Bank of the Essequibo River, near the mouth of Groete Creek, two weeks after the coalition lost the March 2 elections. He was granted another provisional lease for an additional 25 acres of land in the same area.

“Imagine two days ago he said we must pause a legitimate government; not a government on caretaker mode, and he secured for himself, 75 acres of land after the CCJ had ruled and after the elections,” he pointed out.

Not only did Hughes secure lands for himself, but acted as a lawyer for a Trinidadian company which secured 20 acres of prime land at Ogle, near the ExxonMobil Headquarters, just before the 2020 elections.

These lands were sold at $26 million per acre; however, he is now criticizing the government for selling lands near to ExxonMobil’s headquarters for $30 million.

“That again represents the duplicity of Nigel Hughes,” he underscored.

The same Trinidadian company also received 10 acres of prime land at Earl’s Court for $10 million per acre. And according to Jagdeo, the deal was justified on the basis that the company would build a 72-apartment luxury complex within four years.

Jagdeo pointed out too, that Hughes was not just the lawyer for the company but also became a director and company secretary after the land acquisition. This means he was not merely representing a client but was personally involved in this deal.

“They were vested the land [and] they had the land. But nothing has been built as yet and there are penalties under that agreement. So, this is Nigel Hughes … in everything that is controversial, he has his hand in it,” he asserted.

The general secretary also pointed out that several members of the People’s National Congress/Reform (PNC/R) received large number of lands under similar circumstances.

He expressed fraustration that these questionable transactions are constantly ignored by the media, while accusations against government officials like Minister Susan Rodrigues receive immediate scrutiny.

“There is a wild accusation about Susan Rodrigues but already she is questioned as though she is a criminal,” the GS bemoaned.