A tense property dispute at Guyana’s historic Critchlow Labour College (CLC) nearly escalated into physical violence on Thursday when an excavator arrived to demolish perimeter structures, prompting a dramatic confrontation between competing claimants.
The incident unfolded at the Woolford Avenue, Georgetown property as Stanley Paul, Principal of the University of Excellence, Management and Business (UEMB), physically intervened to prevent demolition crews from breaching the compound’s gates and fencing. Mr. Paul asserted his rights under a 15-year commercial lease agreement signed June 4, 2025, with CLC Principal Dr. Ivor English, which grants UEMB “full, exclusive and uninhibited possession” of the premises including security control.
CLC Board Secretary Lincoln Lewis immediately challenged the lease’s validity, stating that only he possesses authorization to execute agreements on behalf of the institution. “Nobody can sign any lease for Critchlow Labour College unless the Board has permitted me,” Lewis declared, emphasizing that the college remains an incorporated entity despite Mr. Paul’s claims that it became defunct in 2013.
The conflict is further complicated by the property’s underlying lease from Georgetown City Council, granted in 1968 for 99 years with renewal rights. This original agreement stipulates that the land must be used exclusively for CLC purposes and prohibits assignment or subletting without municipal consent—a requirement both parties acknowledge was not sought for the UEMB arrangement.
The physical standoff occurs against a backdrop of devastating fires that destroyed significant portions of the building in 2025, including sections housing the Guyana Trades Union Congress offices and college auditorium. Mr. Lewis reported that since the blazes, Mr. Paul had locked the gates preventing even legitimate tenants from accessing their workplaces.
Legal proceedings initiated by UEMB on January 5, 2026, seeking validation of their lease were unexpectedly withdrawn eight days later, while Georgetown City Council had issued cease-work notices in December 2025 demanding removal of unauthorized construction. Mr. Paul countered that restoration efforts were stalled because CLC officials refused to provide necessary no-objection letters to municipal authorities.
The confrontation highlights deeper institutional conflicts regarding property rights, contractual validity, and the preservation of educational heritage in Guyana, with both parties preparing for prolonged legal battles over this strategically significant campus.