Former NICIL CEO remains in police custody over land deals

FORMER Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL), Colvin Heath-London, remains in police custody as the probe continues into a controversial land deal he authorised at Peters Hall, East Bank Demerara (EBD).
The Sunday Chronicle understands that Heath-London was arrested Friday and is expected to remain in police custody until Monday.

The former CEO was arrested after investigators obtained statements about the role played by embattled attorney, James Bond, in the lucrative land deals.
Bond, a prominent People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) member, allegedly benefitted from the flipping of state land at Peter’s Hall.
Heath-London was recently relieved of his duties in light of a series of illegalities and failures during his tenure as CEO of NICIL.

Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, had issued the termination letter on behalf of the government, citing alleged transgressions in relation to the land leases.
Heath-London had also served as Head of the Special Purpose Unit (SPU) which was convened under the former David Granger-led government after it closed four sugar estates.
The unit was responsible for the privatisation and divestment of identified assets of the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo).

Investigators identified that Heath-London issued approximately 14 agreements of sale and leases for NICIL lands located at Ogle, East Coast Demerara (ECD), and the subsequent vesting of seven tracts of land without ensuring that full payment was received for those lands in accordance with the terms of the relevant agreements.

He is also said to have issued the agreements and vesting orders without ensuring that the vesting orders were drafted by an approved NICIL counsel or contained the usual and customary language sufficient to protect NICIL’s interests.

Heath-London also reportedly failed to facilitate and procure the necessary NICIL account reconciliations in order to allow the Auditor General to audit NICIL’s accounts from 2014 to 2019.