Attorney General Anand Ramlogan intends to refer to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) and the police information about a $13 million land deal involving Independent Liberal Party deputy political leader Anna Deonarine.
Ramlogan, speaking at United National Congress (UNC) public meeting in Princes Town on Tuesday night, during the party's presentation of local government candidates, read details of the land transaction in which 20 acres of agricultural land was purchased by Deonarine's parents, Shama and Inal, for $225,000 in April 1997 and later sold to Clico for $13 million in March 2005.Shama Deonarine was a former Clico executive prior to its collapse in 2008.
The funds from the sale, according to the Attorney General, were deposited into a Executive Flexible Premium Annuity for the benefit of Deonarine in March 2005.He said he intended to seek permission from Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar to refer the matter for a criminal investigation.The parcel of land, at Warren Road, Cunupia, originally belonged to Thackoor Boodram, the brother of Dole Chadee, who was kidnapped and murdered in December 1997.
Ramlogan claimed the sale of the land to Clico was based on a condition that Town and County planning approval had to be granted for the land to be used for residential purposes. He claimed Town and Country Division had not granted such approval.Deonarine said yesterday the allegations made on the political platform will be referred to attorneys Andrew Mitchell, QC, and Keith Scotland.