The principal of the Institute of Motivational Training, formerly Shortwood Community College, is angry about what he claims is an attempt by the National Land Agency (NLA) to 'repossess' land which had been leased to him for the construction of a school.

Camara Nkrumah, who visited THE STAR's offices, said the plot of land, some 60 acres in Bernard Lodge, St Catherine (part of Lime Tree Grove volume 1132, folio 19), had been leased from the agency for 99 years, commencing in 1990. He now claims, however, that the land agency is trying to repossess the property and issue it to a 'big name' development company.

"In January, someone called me and told me that there was a bulldozer on the land so I went over there to see what was going on. A manager for the construction company that owned the bulldozer came on the scene and told me that the agency gave them permission to clear off the land for agricultural purposes," Nkrumah said. "So I told him that could not be the case because the land was leased to Shortwood Community College."

Couldn't find lease

The principal said he left for the NLA to enquire about the construction company's presence on the land. "When I went there, the first thing they told me was that they couldn't find the lease file," Nkrumah said. "Then, after that, another man came out talking about the land had been repossessed for non-use. In the midst of this, no one could verify the construction company's presence on the land."

He continued that, by the time he went back, the bulldozer and everything had left. However, they returned a month later, the principal said.

The operations manager for the development company Nkrumah named however said he had no knowledge of the company carrying out any work on the plot of land about which the principal was speaking.

When THE STAR visited the NLA's North Street office, the lease file for Shortwood Community College was located. An employee also pointed out that the land had actually been repossessed for non-use since July 2008 and that the move was communicated to Nkrumah. However, the principal denied this.

The land was leased by Shortwood Community College in 1990 for a school to be built on it, but the institution is yet to be erected. The source at NLA also said that the construction company named by Nkrumah has no connection to the property.

The land agency said that they would provide further update on the situation, including whether there were any arrears on the lease.