The Mayor of Georgetown, Alfred Mentor, has announced that the City Council will write the investor of the US$300M Qatari Hotel – Assets Group – to officially inform the company of the dispute over the land earmarked for the hotel along Carifesta Avenue.

Earlier this month, the Council had given the Government an ultimatum to respond to its concerns over the usage of the land.

Mentore had warned that failure to respond to the Council’s concern would have resulted in legal action. However, at today’s Statutory Meeting, he told the Council that based on legal advise, the investor should be informed directly of the Council’s concerns before legal action is initiated.

“Before we even proceed to Court, as a Council, we need to write to the other party that is getting involved in this transaction. Outside of government, the Qatar investors will need to be written to, and to let them be aware that the Council’s position still stands, that the dispute is still alive,” the City Mayor said.

By a majority vote, the City Council agreed to have the Mayor and not the Town Clerk, write the Qatari company, Assets Group.

The dispute over the ownership and usage of the land remains unresolved, although the Council had penned a letter to President Irfaan Ali almost a year ago on the issue.

The land was a gift to the City of Georgetown from former plantation owners in 1887.

According to the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission, the land which is located at Lots 1 and 2 of Plantation Thomas lands, has been the property of the State since 1966, but the Council maintains its ownership.

In February, 2024, Mayor Mentore presented the 30-member Council with a copy of a Land Transport issued to the Municipality, which was in the possession of the National Archives.

The Mayor has said that while the Municipality is not against development, the Council has the right to defend its property.

He said there are systems to follow even in the execution of development projects.

The Government, while maintaining that the land belongs to the State, has said that the hotel will add to the country’s tourism product.

The hotel is expected to include 260 rooms and 150 apartments along with conference and other facilities.

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