Hon. Richard Lewis,
In the above article, you fallaciously claimed that I lied without any supporting counter-evidence.
Your application for an acre of land at the concessional rate of US$1.50 per square foot, along with the other two from Shuggy and Serpent, is undoubtedly factual.
No one was trying to deprive you and your colleagues of obtaining a prize parcel of land at a concessional price.
The request was approved by the Cabinet; however, the land requested is reserved for Royalton expansion—fact again.
Pensioners Beach is surrounded by the sea and hills, not valleys. This is widely known by all—fact.
Richard, are you so dunce that you would apply for land in a valley when you currently live on a hill at Cooks Hill?
Are you suggesting that Shuggy and Serpent would leave their respective constituencies and prioritize buying land in Rural West, in your constituency, located in a valley? Really?
Land at Cooks Hill, where you live, retails for $15–$20 per square foot. How could you state that the land you seek, overlooking the Royalton, is worth $10 per square foot? The suggested rate of US$10–$15 per square foot is more in keeping with the market value.
If I am at fault for anything, it was for exposing the hypocrisy of you and your colleagues.
Let me remind you. You and your colleagues ridiculed and called me all sorts of names, including Lanny Bozo, for acquiring government land at a concessional rate.
I have served for 26 years and provided solid representation for the people of St. John’s City West.
I do not recall missing or boycotting a parliamentary sitting, other than missing one sitting, which occurred during a period when I was unjustifiably suspended for six months in 2010.
What has maddened you and your colleagues is that I simply exposed your hypocrisy and outlined how undeserving your colleagues are of benefiting from this parliamentary privilege.
Note that Jamale Pringle was sold an acre of land at a concessional rate, which we felt was justifiable considering that he served for a full term and as Opposition Leader.
We made no issue about it.
Pringle, unlike Serpent and Shuggy, has spent a significant amount of time advocating on behalf of his constituents.
Shuggy and Serpent, on the other hand, have spoken for no more than an aggregate of ten minutes each (no exaggeration) during the last two years, advocating on behalf of the people.
They both have been absent for more hours than they attended Parliament.
It is their dismal performance that makes this request reprehensible. If they had performed, there would be no issue consenting that the requests for concessional land were approved by the Cabinet.
They are the ones who characterized the sale of land at a concessional rate to parliamentarians as self-enrichment. Even when my son bought an acre of land at Long Bay from a private owner for $750K and sold it to another private entity, they characterized it as self-enrichment.
Any reasonable person would now see the hypocrisy of Richard et al. If they were so convicted about this rhetoric of self-enrichment, they would not all be rushing at the same time to benefit from an arbitrage profit of up to EC$1.5M each on the proposed concessional land purchase.
Richard, your response has demonstrated that you are the one who is lying to save face from the hypocrisy that you continue to practice.
Your behavior is typical of a sly fox, a charlatan who espouses integrity.
Your UPP colleagues have read you right and do not trust you. In fact, they would like you to leave in peace and allow the party to heal instead of promoting distractions, including this ill-advised land grab.
Kindly note, Gaston Browne does not dabble in lies. He stands courageously on the truth and exposes the hypocrisy, lies, innuendos, and misinformation of unscrupulous politicians who hide behind the cloak of decency and integrity.
P.S.: Richard, your third-rate textbook deal, in which you made nearly $2M from government coffers, was more akin to cronyism and self-enrichment, evidencing your lack of integrity.
Now stop your crying!
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