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Inos to mediate Garapan land dispute
Gov. Eloy S. Inos plans to mediate an ongoing legal tussle between two investors over a property in Garapan.
According to acting press secretary Ivan Blanco, the legal dispute is one of the issues that is keeping the governor “busy.”
Blanco said the governor wants the opposing parties to settle the row. “Governor Inos wants to help both companies,” Blanco said. He declined to give more details.
H.S. Lee Construction Co., which is constructing a four-story commercial building on public land in Garapan, earlier asked for a temporary restraining order that prevents the Department of Public Lands from conveying any part of a 1,950-square meter property to another company or business entity.
H.S Lee Construction plans to build parking spaces for its commercial building, but Best Sunshine International, Ltd., another investor, reportedly opposed the carving of the lot because it is part of a big land that Best Sunshine needs for a casino project.
Superior Court Associate Judge David A. Wiseman issued the TRO on Friday, pending a hearing and determination of its motion for preliminary injunction.
Assistant attorney general Peter Prestley, counsel for DPL and DPL Secretary Pedro A. Tenorio, opposed the TRO, saying they do not see any “irreparable harm” to H.S. Lee Construction.
Prestley also said there’s no lease agreement yet between DPL and H.S. Lee Construction regarding the land.
Attorney William Fitzgerald, counsel for H.S. Lee Construction, said the court can issue the TRO based on his client’s verified complaint.
Fitzgerald said DPL first agreed to reserve 1,950 square meters for the 68 parking spaces of H.S. Lee’s building, but the DPL later claimed the land will be needed for the casino project. Fitzgerald said if his client is not given the piece of land, the company will lose its investments.
