Landlord takes GECOM to Court for over $9M in rent owed
The Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) is currently the subject of a Fixed Date Application (FDA) filed by Anand Sanasie over some $9.2 million in rent owed due to a rate increase.
In the Court document seen by MTV News Update, Sanasie said that on November 23, 2021, he and GECOM entered into a separate written Agreement of Tenancy for the rental of the buildings at Lot 9 Fort and Barrack Street, Kingston and Lot 31 Fort and Barrack Street, Kingston.
The duration of the tenancy in respect of both properties was for the period January to December 2021.
As for the property at Lot 9 Fort and Barrack Street, Kingston, GECOM agreed to pay Sanasie $1,332,500 per month in rent while paying $717,500 per month for the Lot 31 Fort and Barrack Street, Kingston building.
According to the plaintiff, the Tenancy Agreements expired on December 31, 2021, and both parties agreed that they would continue with the same terms but with a 50% increase in rent for both properties, effective January 2022 for three years.
During a statutory meeting held on January 28, 2022, the Election Commission approved the increase, which allowed the Chief Elections Officer (CEO) Vishnu Persaud to sign the three-year contract.
Owing to the signed contract, the rate jumped from $1,332,500 to $1,998,750 per month for the Lot 9 Fort and Barrack Streets property, while the Lot 31 Fort and Barrack Streets climbed to $1,076,250 per month.
However, Sanasie advanced that the Commission continues to pay rent at the old rate and is indebted to him for $9,225,000.
In fact, he noted that he had made numerous oral and written demands for the payment to be made, but GECOM has refused, failed and neglected to pay the rightly due sum.
In light of this, the plaintiff is asking the Court for orders, directing the GECOM to pay the sum owed as well as to pay the rightly monthly rent.
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