One of Abu Bakr's properties at Dibe Road, Long Circular,which was bought by Bakr's family for $1.3 million
Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar on Wednesday expressed satisfaction over the sale of properties owned by Jamaat al-Muslimeen leader Yasin Abu Bakr.
The auction Tuesday resulted in the sale of 10 of 11 properties. However the state was only able to get $5.2 million of the $42.5 million that Bakr owed the state for the destruction of government properties during the failed 1990 coup that Bakr led.
Bakr had said the sale was illegal because he had settled his debt through an agreement with former Prime Minister Patrick Manning.
He claimed that the deal with Manning was that Bakr would help the PNM win the 2002 general election in return for favours, including the forgiving of the debt. Manning has always denied that.
A total of 62 potential buyers registered for the auction in Port of Spain. The most expensive was a property at Marabella which was bought by a former UDeCOTT board member, Anthony Cherry, for $1.6 million. Bakr's residence in Diego Martin was offered for $1.1 million but remain unsold.
In a media release, Press Secretary Gavin Nicholas said Persad-Bissessar noted that the sale was conducted under a cloud of threats and intimidatory rhetoric", adding that the Prime Minister said her government stood by its resolve and oath of office "to protect the interest of all law abiding citizens of Trinidad and Tobago".
He said Persad-Bissessar noted the shortfall and said the government is considering its options with regard to recovering that shortfall of the debt owed to the people of Trinidad and Tobago by the Jamaat-al-Muslimeen.
"Despite attempts at intimidation and threats the government remains undeterred and continues to be fully prepared to act without fear or favour in all matters of public interest which are brought to the government’s attention," she said.
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