Veteran lawyer George Dhanny,82, dies
Dhanny probably went to his grave a bitter man. He lost his beloved Woodford Street property and died fighting to regain it.
Veteran lawyer Dr George Dhanny, 82, passed away last week- and, probably, died a somewhat bitter man.
Dhanny had an unresolved five- year battle with The Home Mortgage Bank (HMB) who foreclosed on his property, at Woodford Street, Newtown, Port of Spain.
He had taken a $200,000 mortgage on the property from Clico in August 1978. This was the normal cost of a property in this area in those days. Currently, a property there is valued at over $6 million.
Dhanny wanted to make the two-storey building his nest egg in his golden years and, apparently, got into further debt when he did some much needed home renovations.
The upshot of all this is that he got into financial trouble, the mortgage was transferred to HMB by Clico and on September 8, 2005, HMB foreclosed on it.
His precious property was sold for a mere $1.7 million, according to him a fraction of its true value.
As an experienced lawyer and a man well versed in the ways of the world, Dr Dhanny was suspicious of the transaction.
He took his case to the Financial Services Ombudsman but was told by then Ombudsman Judy Chang that HMB was one of some six commercials banks that did not fall under her purview.
He petitioned the Prime Minister who referred the matter to the Finance Ministry.
Dhanny, a big imposing man, was always in the news in the 1960s. He was president of the International Institute of International Affairs.
Dhanny was buried last Saturday.