BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – FORMER government minister Hon. Dwyer Astaphan has spoken out against rumours that the government has cut a land deal with foreign investors to prevent the prosecution of local attorney Vernon Veira.
Two weeks ago, purported Cabinet documents containing the said transaction began circulating on popular website - the SKNList. The first is a proposal on behalf of these investors which stated they would underwrite Veira’s liability if the government allows them to purchase 123 acres of government-owned land at a concessionary rate.
The rationale is that they could use the sale of those lands, in addition to the money gained from the sale of Veira’s assets, to recover their losses, which they claim is approximately US$9M.
The other document is a memo from Cabinet Leader Prime Minister Dr. the Hon. Denzil Douglas explaining that Veira has been unable to meet his financial commitments to these investors and revealing the land deal would consist of projects to support the development and expansion of the Rawlins Plantation Inn and Golden Lemon Hotel.
The validity of these documents is still unknown. SKNVibes was unable to obtain clarification from Douglas or his Cabinet Secretary Joseph Edmeade.
Despite the questionable status, Astaphan called on Cabinet to clear the air about the issue, noting it was a matter of great public importance.
“Cabinet ought to give a full report on the matter. My understanding of it is that the government thinks that in order to cut their losses and save the country from embarrassment, they must assist Veira with the sale of these lands to his creditors,” he said.
“If that is correct, it represents the government getting involved in a private matter. Is it right for government to provide developers with additional land so they can recover their losses from a private transaction that has gone sour, maybe even with criminal implications? Is it right for them to step in and provide that relief to the investors and Veira?”
Astaphan added, “I am not accusing Veira, but if this is white collar crime, can the government be perceived as being soft on crime? Is this an incentive to people to do the same thing down the road? It’s a very dangerous step and they need to advise the country on where it stands. That’s walking on shaky ground.”
The former Tourism Minister quickly added he had no problem with investors making deals with government or landowners, but stressed that the process must be transparent and in the best interest of the country.
“Land is perhaps the quintessential ingredient of our patrimony,” he noted. “We must be careful with how we distribute and utilise it.”
