Strong systems in place to prevent corrupt land deals

– Jagdeo rejects corruption claims in land policy

Amidst ongoing attempts by the opposition to depict the government as corrupt, General Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP), Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, has reiterated that strong measures are in place to prevent fraudulent land deals and protect national wealth.

Unlike past practices under the previous coalition government, the PPP/C administration ensures that housing investors pay the full market price for state lands before they are granted a Certificate of Title.

Dr Jagdeo reminded reporters that it is against the law to vest state lands to an individual unless they pay in full, the market price. However, under the coalition’s tenure, hundreds of acres of land were vested to seven individuals – far below the market price, under questionable circumstances.

“They only collected 44 million and vested land worth, $2.7 billion based on the agreement of sale to these individuals. This is criminal. And really, Jordan should have been charged for this…Because this is a purely criminal act,” Dr Jagdeo revealed during a press conference on Thursday at Freedom House, Georgetown.

Additionally, Alliance For Change (AFC) leader Nigel Hughes personally benefited from approximately 75 acres of prime land during politically sensitive periods, including after the 2018 no-confidence motion and the 2020 General and Regional Elections.

The coalition also facilitated the allocation of 10 acres of land to a Trinidadian company, which Hughes represented.  The land, according to Jagdeo, was granted on the condition that the company would develop a 72-apartment luxury complex within four years, but nothing has been built as yet.

“Only if you develop the land and do what you say, a year, 18 months later, or two years later, then you will receive title to the land because you fulfill your promise to develop the land,” he further explained.

Notably, all these land transactions were facilitated when the APNU+AFC coalition was in a caretaker mode and without any public tender. In stark contrast, the PPP/C administration has ensured that when facilitating a land deal, it is done lawfully and through a public tender.

Additionally, “Not a single housing developer that was awarded agreements through a bidding process has received a land title yet. And they could. But if they fail to meet the stipulated covenants, they will not receive the title. That is why we have seen such massive developments—because we hold people to their business plans,” he made clear.

It is against this backdrop, that the PPP’s general secretary dismissed the corruption allegations as part of a smear campaign orchestrated by the APNU+AFC ahead of the 2025 General and Regional Elections. Similar tactics were used leading up to the 2015 elections he noted, which eventually contributed to the PPP/C’s loss at the polls.

“They did it in 2015—using innuendos and lies to create the impression of massive corruption under the PPP,” he reminded.