Slater – Edwards can request to have his money refunded

A Vincentian resident in the United States is being advised to request a refund for land he bought from the Housing and Land Development Corporation (HLDC) if he feels that he is being cheated.{{more}}

Land owner Paul Edwards is upset that he is not able to commence construction on residential land he bought from Government several years ago at Golden Grove, because of what he claims is inadequate infrastructure in the area.

In a letter to SEARCHLIGHT dated April 27, 2012, Edwards, who lives in New York, stated that “As of today, construction is ready to break ground, but we have reached an impasse with the Housing and Land Development office. We are unable to continue construction until roads are put in, however, it is now being communicated that roads are not going to be put in…,” the letter stated.

Edwards said he made several inquiries at the Housing and Land Development Corporation (HLDC) about the matter, but all resulted in “dead-ends”.

“I have spoken numerous times with Morris Slater, the director of the Housing and Land Development Office, the most recent being in March, during which he informed me that the roads would not be constructed due to the price point at which parcels were sold,” the letter stated.

Edwards said “It is utterly ridiculous to expect that land sold, with the expressed intent of building homes, would not require a simple necessity such as roads to facilitate transportation. Mr Slater is vehemently denying the addition of roads to this region and as such, we have no other redress than to come with the public…”

When contacted on Monday, Slater told SEARCHLIGHT that there was an understanding between the Government and persons purchasing those lands that they would be selling the lands without infrastructure.

“People were asking to buy the lands and the Government decided to sell the lands as is, without road, water and infrastructure…because you buy lands at $3 per square foot, the infrastructure alone in that area costs more,” Slater explained.

According to Slater, the residential lands at Golden Grove were sold at $3 per square foot, without infrastructure between 2008 and 2009.

“If we had put in all these infrastructure, we would have had to charge at least $6 per square foot. Not only that, but we would not have sold the land, because the road below the land is not properly developed… As an engineer, if I go and put in proper drains and all that, I will bring the water and throw it out in the road. If I want to avoid that, then the Government will have to do infrastructure that will cost millions of dollars to put a drain by the road…,” Slater continued.

He said the landowners were told that they were buying land as is and they agreed. He also noted that there is a main road in the area and the lands are easily accessible by vehicle. Slater also disclosed that besides the main road, the HLDC has put in drains and water at a total cost of $112,000. He explained that the money to do that work was taken from other money which the HLDC had for other projects.

Slater told SEARCHLIGHT that if Edwards wants, he can request that his money be refunded because the Government does not have money to put other infrastructure in the area right now. “If he has a problem, he can come to me and I will give him back every penny he paid for the land.”

Slater said he has even asked the Government for money to help develop the infrastructure for them, because they want to see that people are living comfortably.

“If he feel he is being cheated, let him come to us and we will give him back his money and that would be the end of that..,”

Slater said the HLDC has done what it can and it is the intent of Government to eventually put in roads and proper drainage as part of normal capital expenditure, but that would be when the HLDC receives money from the Government.

As of right now, Slater said they have no plans of putting in any further infrastructure.(KW)