Attorney General Basil Williams sought to set the record straight yesterday regarding the controversy surrounding the acquisition of the two plots of land on Middle and Carmichael Streets owned by Guyana’s High Commissioner to Canada,Cheap Football Jerseys,Attorney General,Basil WilliamsClarissa Riehl and her husband, and the Beharry Group of Companies.His comments come on the heels of accusations that he was covertly trying to acquire the private lands for the expansion of his ministry.Prior to his statement to the media yesterday, the Minister had said that this was a situation he inherited from the former regime. But the Opposition has since denied this claim and challenged Williams to bring the evidence to support his statements.Nevertheless,Soccer Jerseys Outlet, Williams told the media yesterday that the APNU+AFC Government has pledged, and will continue to uphold the rule of law in all that it does.The Minister of Legal Affairs stressed that any acquisition of the land could not be accomplished without the owners’ knowledge or affording them the opportunity to enter into negotiations for the purchase of the land before any acquisition could be occasioned.Williams said that the two lots have no building or erections. He said,Wholesale China Jerseys, too, that it is relevant to note that the PPP/C Government passed in 2001, the Acquisition for Public Purposes (Amendment) Act 2001 which says, “….it shall…be lawful under this Act to acquire land for the proposed construction of a public work or for a public purpose whether or not there is any building or erection on such land.”With this in mind, the Attorney General said, “Now I don’t want the Guyanese people to believe that I entrapped (former Minister of Legal Affairs Anil) Nandlall or his Party. But any lawyer worth his salt would first seek to read the relevant law on the subject and not be hysterical after leaping into darkness.”The Minister stressed that the relevant law enables him to declare a work, a public work.He said that Section 4 of the Act, empowers the Minister by order, to authorize the Commissioner of Lands or any other person, their agents, servants or workmen to enter upon any land specified in the order for the purpose of surveying or otherwise examine it with a view to the acquisition of the whole or part of it for the construction of a public work.He said that in Section 5 of the Act, the authorized person is empowered to enter upon and survey and take levels of any land where the public works are intended to be executed; or to dig or bore into the sub-soil of such land, or to do all other acts necessary to ascertain whether the land is adapted to the purpose.Williams said that one could consider that the provisions of sections 4 and 5 speak to a scoping mission.He continued, “Section 6 provides that the report of the authorized person together with a plan of the land must be laid before the Minister, who after considering them may enter into negotiations for the purchase of the land or if for any reason he deems it advisable,Cheap Soccer Jerseys, may by order, declare that the land or any part thereof is required for a public work,Wholesale Soccer Jerseys Online, and may alter or annul any order so made.”The Attorney General said that it is manifest in this legal framework that the first option is to engage the owners on the question of a voluntary sale before resorting to compulsory acquisition.He said that for the “Nandlalls” and “Ramotars” of this world to accuse him compulsory acquiring the lands in question and blindsiding Mrs. Riehl,Cheap Authentic Jerseys, shows a blatant lack of knowledge of the law and an affinity for premature eruptions.The Minister of Legal Affairs then referred to Section 8 of the law which ensures that an owner’s land cannot be acquired by covertness.According to the law, “When an order is made under section 4 or section 6,Cheap NFL Jerseys China, notice thereof shall be served personally on the proprietor or his attorney if either is resident in Guyana and if he is not so resident or cannot be found shall be considered duly served if it is published in the gazette and in one local newspaper and a copy is also affixed upon a conspicuous part of the land.”Williams emphasized that as Attorney General he will always endeavour to follow the letter of the law. He said that to indulge or engage land owners whose lands are under consideration, with a view to their acquisition, on the question of purchasing them by private sale, could open one to severe recrimination, if not done under the protection of a section 4