Croal calls out Hughes over his participation in land sales as low as $30M during APNU+AFC tenure
Minister of Housing and Water, Collin Croal, has hit back at Leader of the Alliance For Change (AFC) Nigel Hughes over what he described as “hypocrisy and dishonest” in his statement regarding the land allocations at Ogle, East Coast Demerara (ECD).
In a social media post, Hughes, an attorney-at-law and AFC’s Presidential Candidate, attempted to cast aspersions on a transaction by the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CHPA) and Edul ‘Ed’ Ahmad.
Reports surfaced that Ahmad benefited from lands at Ogle near ExxonMobil’s headquarters for $30 million per acre.
However, Minister Croal pointed out that Hughes’ firm, Hughes, Fields & Stoby, represented multiple beneficiaries of corrupt land deals during the APNU+AFC’s illegitimate tenure.
Under that administration, land at Ogle was handed out at $30 million per acre or less, with some transactions completed in record time and minimal payments made upfront.
“In one instance, property valued at $2 billion was transferred on payment of less than 10% of the value,” Minister Croal explained.
The Housing Minister added, “Mr. Hughes’ party’s actions in government with regard to the illegitimate transfer of lands in the same area not only occurred in the lead up to elections, 2020 but after when they were involved in seeking to rig those elections in the clear view of the rest of world and in the middle of a global pandemic, something that is public record.”
Furthermore, Minister Croal questioned Hughes’ morale and credibility as he was silent when the APNU+AFC Administration sold prime lands below the market value.
The Minister pointed to several articles that reported during the elections that the Granger-led administration had rushed to sign away prime lands along the East Coast while simultaneously attempting to rig the polls.
