Brother’s wife gets $2.8m house

As executor of his late brother’s will, Finance Minister Winston Dookeran has agreed to give ownership of his brother’s $2.8 million Bel Air, La Romaine, house to his (brother’s) wife. This was agreed to in a consent order entered between both parties, before Justice Vashiest Kokaram in the San Fernando Civil Court yesterday.

This brought an end to a two-year legal battle in which Shobha Narine-Dookeran was challenging the ten per cent of her husband’s $8.5 million estate which was left to her in his will. Dookeran was named as the defendant. Narine-Dookeran, who was married to Clyde Dookeran, for 28 years, was seeking the matrimonial house at La Romaine and $1.8 million. According to the will, she was to receive ten per cent, while the remainder of the estate was to be shared among their three children and Clyde’s three other children from a previous marriage.

Yesterday, it was agreed that the property, comprising 10,590 superficial feet, be transferred to Narine-Dookeran free of all taxes and rates and the deed of conveyance be executed by January 31, 2011. Among other things, it was also agreed that Narine-Dookeran was entitled to the rents and profits derived from the property from January 1, 2011, until the tenant vacates the property. In addition, the defendant had to pay legal costs out of the balance of the net estate. Representing the interest of Dookeran were attorneys Federick Gilkes and Gita Maharaj, while attorney Garnet Mungalsingh, instructed by Shakuntala Mungalsingh, represented Narine-Dookeran.