Twenty-nine-year-old Shereeza Sahid of Diamond Scheme, East Bank Demerara, should have received the keys to her new home since 2023, but after the contractor Omar Malik disappeared suddenly, she is now left with an unfinished house and a higher mortgage while at the same time having to pay a rent.
Sahid, a health and safety officer who works at least 12 hours a day to make ends meet, while also studying at the University of Guyana, is said to be among 23 young professional homeowners who were affected by Malik’s departure. Malik is said to be a foreign national who had been entrusted with over $100m from the families.
It all began for Sahid at a building expo where Malik had a booth encouraging persons to sign up with him as their building contractor. Questions will be raised about the type of due diligence that is done for exhibitors like Malik. The process seemed legitimate because for him to start building, persons would have had to pay the Ministry of Housing in full for their land. In Sahid’s case, it was $750,000 at the time. “In Guyana, it’s hard to get a land, so you meet someone at housing and obviously it seems legit, so you go with it,” Sahid said in an interview with Kiskadee Watch yesterday.
The woman explained that she paid for the land in early 2023 and went to the New Building Society (NBS) to sign documents authorising the release of funds in four phases for the construction of the house. She said she had approved the release of the third tranche, amounting to $13.5 million, leaving approximately $3 million outstanding for completion of the project. However, after about five months, she began contacting Malik who claimed that the contractor he had initially hired had taken the money without carrying out any work and that he would have to use his own funds to continue the project. She said she never heard from him again.
Sahid then began reaching out to the Housing Ministry, sending about six letters along with numerous phone calls and emails, but was unable to obtain any meaningful feedback or transparency regarding the matter. On one occasion, she said she was even advised to use her own funds to complete the house. She added that she has visited the ministry so many times that staff members now recognise her by name, yet she has still been unable to secure a meeting with the minister.
Despite the project remaining unfinished, she continues to pay a monthly mortgage of $100,000, explaining that because NBS refused to release the remaining $3 million, she was forced to refinance her loan at another bank. As a result, instead of the house costing $16.5 million, she now has to secure an additional $7 million, bringing the total cost to more than $20 million.
She described the situation as a severe financial burden, noting that she is simultaneously working, pursuing her studies and paying rent. She had expected to receive the keys to the house in 2023 and had planned to get married the following year, but those plans were put on hold. According to her, the structure currently consists only of a roof and walls, with no windows, doors, ceiling, plastering, electrical wiring or plumbing.
It was Leader of the Opposition, Azruddin Mohamed who brought the situation to light last Friday night in a post on the Team Mohamed’s Facebook page. He alleged that Malik, who is based in Canada, established DreamVu Homes in Guyana and secured contracts and land linked to the project, with “support” and legal documents prepared through Minister Anil Nandlall’s law firm. “How could a project facilitated through a government housing initiative become a nightmare for Guyanese? How can Nandlall allow him to come to Guyana and demand upfront payments before laying a single block?”
Mohamed further alleged that Malik used local connections to facilitate the venture and later exited the jurisdiction. He also charged that the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CHPA) issued notices regarding outstanding financial issues despite knowing that Malik had already left the country.
When contacted by Kiskadee Watch, Nandlall denied knowing or ever meeting Malik and said all of the transactions occurred after he turned minister. Managing partner of his law firm, Manoj Narayan told this publication that Nandlall was not involved in his law firm since his appointment to Cabinet in August 2020. He stated that he met Malik in 2021 when Malik introduced himself as an overseas builder seeking to incorporate his company in Guyana.
He further noted that Malik later secured a government contract through the CHPA to construct turnkey homes and that his firm was engaged only to prepare contracts between the developer and the prospective homeowners allocated units by the Ministry. Narayan added that the firm did not facilitate any agreement between Malik and the government but only provided standard legal services at a reduced fee of about $30,000 for first-time homeowners.
He further said Malik later disappeared, still owes legal fees to the office, and became uncontactable despite attempts to reach him. Narayan added that he informed the Ministry of Housing of this after they contacted him and rejected what he described as “irresponsible and reckless” comments made by the Opposition Leader.
While Malik’s address in the country is listed as Lot 217 South Road, Lacytown – the same as that of Nandlall’s law firm – Narayan said that, like all law firms in Guyana, his office provides a registered office address for clients who do not yet have a local office, allowing them to receive mails until they establish their own premises. He said this is a standard service offered by attorneys in such circumstances.
Meanwhile, about three hours after Mohamed’s post on the issue, the Ministry of Housing issued a statement in which it said it is actively pursuing enforcement actions and investigations into Malik. It said multiple public notices were issued, including in August 2025, urging Malik to address outstanding financial matters. Following his non-compliance, the matter was reported to the Guyana Police Force, and international agencies, including INTERPOL, the FBI, and CARICOM IMPACS, have since been engaged due to his departure from Guyana.
“The Ministry reaffirms its unwavering commitment to pursuing all available legal, administrative, and international avenues to ensure accountability and secure justice for the families affected by Mr. Malik’s actions.
“Over an extended period, the Ministry has taken definitive, documented steps to address the serious concerns arising from Mr. Malik’s failure to honor his contractual obligations regarding the construction of Young Professional Homes. Contrary to external commentary or misinformed narratives, the Ministry has been actively investigating this matter well ahead of recent public discourse:
“●Public Notices: The Ministry issued multiple public notices on social media and in the national daily newspapers, including those published in August 2025, formally urging Mr. Malik to report to the Ministry to settle outstanding financial matters.
“●Domestic Criminal Reports: Following non-compliance, formal reports were submitted to the Guyana Police Force (GPF).
“●International Law Enforcement Mobilization: Due to Mr. Malik’s departure from the jurisdiction, the Ministry’s Enforcement and Compliance Department has formally engaged regional and international security organizations. Relevant information has been shared for immediate review and cross-border action with:
INTERPOL (The International Criminal Police Organization), The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), CARICOM IMPACS (Implementing Agency for Crime and Security) and other pertinent international authorities.
“Throughout this process, the Ministry has maintained close contact with affected individuals and continues to explore all lawful options to assist those impacted. Efforts are ongoing to collect information, support investigations, and facilitate resolutions where possible. While every effort has been made to act swiftly and responsibly, the situation remains unfortunate and has caused significant distress to those involved”, the ministry said.
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