‘Why the rush?’

Government’s handling of the acquisition of the Merchandani family’s property at Lower Bay Street has been described as “insensitive, inconsiderate and inappropriate”.

During a press briefing yesterday, the People’s Party for Development and Democracy (PdP) questioned why government rushed to have the police lock down the building just a few days away from Independence Day and mere weeks before the busy Christmas season.

Reverend Paul Leacock, the PdP’s spokesman on values and human rights, said this was even more perplexing when no construction was yet being done on the site for the proposed Hyatt hotel.

“What would be lost if government had waited to use the long arm of the law in the New Year in these hard times? What consideration is there for the workers gainfully employed at that establishment, however meagre, who are now unemployed and perhaps without compensation before Christmas and unable to provide for their families? Why isn’t the owner allowed to sell their property to the interested party directly?

“Why is government disinheriting its own citizen to benefit a foreign entity? What was the process used to identify Hyatt as a company to benefit from the acquisition as opposed to any other? Is it true that the principals of the Liquidation property themselves had applied for permission to pursue a similar development on a smaller scale? Why the haste to lock down the property while the negotiation is still ongoing? Is government offering fair market value for the property?” he questioned.

Speaking in the conference room at the Leader of the Opposition’s Office in the Parliament Buildings, he opined that when government exercises the power of compulsory acquisition it must be for “good national purpose”.

“Power must never appear to the citizens to be abusive by the state,” he added.
Insisting government was accountable to citizens and not the other way around, Leacock accused it of being heavy handed in its dealings with not only the acquisition matter, but also in defaulting on its bonds and adjusting the terms and conditions, leaving investors no recourse. (JMB)