Is Andre Vega Evading Court Action for Haulover Compensation?

Andre Vega

Andre Vega, son of former Deputy Prime Minister Gaspar Vega, remains at the heart of a land scandal involving a parcel of prime real estate near the Haulover Creek and for which he was handsomely compensated.  The land in question was acquired from the Ministry of Natural Resources by Andre for a paltry sum back in 2013.  Despite warnings that it was privately owned, the tract of land was subdivided into two plots, one went to Andre and the other to U.D.P. insider Sharon Pitts.  The ensuing scandal, almost three years later, led to the resignation from Cabinet of Gaspar Vega, who was the Minister of Lands when the transaction took place.  When the matter came to light, public outrage blew up and government informed that it was proceeding to recover roughly eight hundred thousand dollars which had been disbursed in smaller amounts to both Andre and Pitts as compensation for the cheaply purchased properties. 

Sharon Pitts

The attempt by former Attorney General Vanessa Retreage, for all intents and purposes, was futile and the monies remain uncollected even to date.  Her successor, Attorney General Michael Peyrefitte, says he continues to pursue the collection of the outstanding money, but Andre has interestingly not been located and legal documents have not been served.  Pitts, however, is in receipt of her summons. Earlier today, AG Peyrefitte and Solicitor General Nigel Hawke gave the media an update on the matter.

Michael Peyrefitte, Attorney General

“It is strictly a legal matter and the SG is the person who is the… He is the head litigator for that case.  As he has told me, he has difficulty locating Mr. Vega to serve him personally and we may have to do substituted service, but we have served Ms. Pitts.  But it’s purely a legal matter that went into the system before I became Attorney General.  I have no intentions of discontinuing it, the courts will decide what they have to decide.”

Michael Peyrefitte

Reporter

“Certainly for the benefit of the public it must be clarified that it’s the specific person that needs to be served.  It cannot go, say through his father who is very well known.”

Michael Peyrefitte

“No.  Absolutely no.  The honorable Dean Lindo said, “If I dead deh noh wahn bury you.”  So what happened is that we have to serve him personally.  If a certain amount of time passes and we can’t serve him personally then we would have to go to substituted service.  But there are no political considerations or favors here.  The decision was made that we should go after the monies and we will go after the monies.  What the court decides they will decide.”

Reporter

“Sir, what kind of measures are being put in place to locate Mr. Vega?”

Michael Peyrefitte

“Well the SG would give you more details of it but we have our process servers and we have to find him personally.”

Nigel Hawke

Reporter

“Do you still believe that he’s in the country?”

Nigel Hawke, Solicitor General

“Well I wouldn’t know but that is the assumption.  I wouldn’t know.  But certainly in relation to the matter with Ms. Pitts she has filed her defense.  Her matter was served on her and she’s filed a defense so we now await a date from the court for case management in relation to her matter.  We are still attempting to serve on Mr. Vega.”

The Attorney General, following the interview, has informed the media that Vega’s papers will instead be served on attorney Estevan Perrera who is representing the embattled businessman.