HGP Nightly News – The Georgetown Mayor and City Council has moved to the High Court in a new legal battle over control of municipal property, filing proceedings against the Attorney General and businessman Roshan Khan over what it claims is the unlawful occupation of the City Constabulary Training Complex at Water Street. The court action marks a sharp escalation in tensions surrounding the management and control of city assets, with City Hall now asking the court to intervene in what it says is an unauthorised takeover of property that remains under municipal ownership.
In its Statement of Claim, the Mayor and City Council, through the Town Clerk, is contending that the complex was allegedly occupied without the Council’s permission by police and private security personnel. According to the claim, city officials were reportedly denied access to the property, even though the Council maintains that the land has never been sold, transferred or otherwise lawfully removed from municipal control. On that basis, City Hall argues that the continued occupation of the complex is unlawful.
The Council is now seeking a series of declarations from the High Court, including that the alleged actions amount to trespass. It is also asking for the removal of all persons currently occupying the property, along with an injunction to prevent any further activity on the land. In addition, the Mayor and City Council is seeking damages in excess of US$5 million, signalling the seriousness with which it is treating the dispute and the scale of the loss it claims to have suffered.
At the heart of the matter is City Hall’s insistence that the Water Street complex remains the legal property of the municipality and cannot be taken over without due process. The case therefore raises broader questions about authority, municipal rights and the extent to which central government or private interests can become involved in assets that the Council says remain fully under its ownership. With legal proceedings now before the court, the dispute is likely to draw close attention as both sides prepare to contest control of the property.
