Dr. Steve Surujbally, who served as Chairman of GECOM for 15 years before retiring in 2017, has taken the government to court over its plans to compulsorily acquire his land situated at Plantation Nouvelle Flanders, Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara).
The government’s acquisition of the land is necessary for the gas to energy project at Wales, West Bank Demerara (WBD).
Surujbally has claimed that the State made a ‘lowball’ offer for his land and as such, is demanding $100 million in cash, before he parts ways with his property, sized 1.5 acres.
Head of the Gas-to-Energy Task Force, Winston Brassington, meanwhile contends in his affidavit to the court that the land is worth nowhere near that amount.
According to Brassington, the 1.5 acres needed for the project was actually valued by the Ministry of Finance’s Valuation office at $7 million.
Brassington noted that government offered to double this amount. However, Surujbally was not interested.
Nor was he interested when the State, in an effort to expedite negotiations, increased its offer to $20 million.
Brassington contends that Surujbally first made his $100 million counter offer in February 2023 and this was promptly forwarded to Attorney General Anil Nandlall for his advice.
Nandlall, in turn, informed Surujbally that this counter offer was unreasonable.
Brassington also claims in his affidavit that even though Surujbally claimed to have a valuation that supported his demands, he refused to show it to them.
The State is seeking the dismissal of Surujbally’s case, with costs.
The gas-to-energy project will see 225 kilometres of pipeline being laid from offshore Guyana, to Wales where it will be utilised to produce energy.
