Sharon Pitts Headed to Mediation for Land Compensation; Will Andre Vega Follow?
There is a significant development tonight after months of silence concerning the infamous Haulover Bridge land compensation case which exploded in 2016, costing former Minister of Natural Resources Gaspar Vega his job. Sharon Pitts’ case with the government over improper compensation for a land purchase is headed to mediation. Solicitor General Nigel Hawke says Government accepted the offer during a case management conference on Wednesday. But it still wants back all of the money paid out to the pair – if they can get it. Hilmar Alamilla was named as the man who originally bought just over an acre of land near the Haulover Bridge, at Mile five between the Caribbean Sea and the Philip Goldson Highway, for two thousand five hundred dollars, on a discount given by Vega himself. Employees made their higher-ups aware that the land was already privately owned, but the sale transactions to Alamilla and Pitts were still approved. Alamilla’s portion was sold on to Andre Vega for fifteen thousand dollars at the end of 2013. But the Government took it back as part of its plans for the area and compensated Andre Vega and Sharon Pitts to the handsome tune of four hundred thousand dollars each, which they are now reclaiming. Hawke details what the plan is moving forward in both cases.
Nigel Hawke
Nigel Hawke, Solicitor General
“The Attorney General against Sharon Pitts; that matter came up in the courts yesterday for case management before Her Ladyship, Madam Justice Arana. Mr. Hubert Elrington, Senior Counsel, appears for the defendant in that matter. What they indicated is there is a provision in the agreement which requires some level of conflict resolution and the proposal was for the matter to go to mediation. We are going to mediate to see if we can arrive at an amicable resolution in that matter.”
Reporter
“Is there a timeline set for that mediation?”
Nigel Hawke
“In accordance with the rules, there are forty-five days which we have now to select a mediator, both sides will consent; and then we propose dates that we can meet to do the mediation.”
Aaron Humes
“And the related matter of Andre Vega?”
Nigel Hawke
“The outstanding matter of Andre Vega – that is before Justice Courtney Abel and I think that is at the stage also of case management. But we haven’t progressed in relation to that one as yet.”
Reporter
“Sir, would you reject this interpretation that mediation of this particular case is somehow softening the blow, or rapping the defendants on the knuckles, when the situation is that the Government ought not to have sold these parcels of land because they were already private?”
Nigel Hawke
“Remember, we as the Government, we are trying to recoup the monies that would have been paid. And in a mediation process, we have to give it a fair chance; I don’t want to preempt anything. But the idea of going to mediation is that the parties are saying that we are willing to sit down and try to see if we can arrive at a settlement. So that’s what the hope is. And I don’t think it’s, as you put it, a knock on anyone if you are settling a matter without going to adjudication. As it were, if we are supposed to arrive at a settlement, the taxpayers will still be at least recompensed, depending on what we arrive at in terms of figures in terms of a settlement.”
Reporter
“So settlement would not necessarily mean getting back the entire amount; it could mean working out a payment plan?”
Nigel Hawke
“It could mean getting back the entire amount; it could mean getting less. We don’t know, we don’t want to pre-empt. But it could mean getting the entire amount.”
