HGP Nightly News – APNU Member of Parliament Dr. Dexter Todd says President Irfaan Ali may have contradicted himself in his response to the farmland controversy by rejecting the Opposition’s estimates without clearly stating the actual size of the property.
Speaking alongside APNU MP Sherod Duncan, Todd said the President attempted to bring some perspective to the issue, but he believes Ali’s response has not settled the matter.
According to Todd, the President pushed back against the Opposition Leader’s claims about the acreage, but did not provide a firm figure of his own.
“The President is saying that the Leader of the Opposition’s estimation might be wrong, but he has not said what the amount is,” Todd said.
Todd said that gap has only deepened public concern, especially as other claims circulating publicly have placed the acreage even higher.
He argued that the situation is worrying and requires immediate intervention.
Todd said the President should step aside and allow a full investigation, since many questions remain unanswered.
He also said the issue has damaged Ali’s reputation and triggered strong reactions on the streets and across social media.
For Todd, the controversy cannot be separated from the struggles ordinary Guyanese face in accessing land.
He said thousands of citizens have applied for leases along the Linden-Soesdyke Highway and are still waiting.
Many, he noted, are seeking only one acre to build a business, develop themselves, or improve their lives.
Todd said people are looking at their own situation and asking why they cannot get small plots while those in power appear to have access to large tracts of land.
Sherod Duncan also said the controversy has struck a deep nerve because it touches on housing and land ownership, which he described as basic human concerns.
He said many Guyanese have waited 13 to 15 years for a house lot.
According to Duncan, the frustration does not end even when a person is allocated land, because they still have to fight to access it, secure title, build, and deal with contractors.
He argued that public anger is natural when citizens see claims of large properties, developed estates, swimming pools, and major infrastructure connected to powerful figures while ordinary families continue to struggle.
Duncan said the issue reflects a wider feeling that many Guyanese do not truly share in ownership of the country or the benefits of the oil economy.
He said the controversy has become bigger than one property because it speaks to inequality, land access, and public trust.
