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Chefette's Halloute Sells Out

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Visitors to BU would have sensed by now that we are appalled at the rampant construction which has been taking place on our coastal regions unabated in recent years. More of concern is the unregulated building of large and ugly edifices which have been rising-up to spoil our beautiful coastline or as Reverend Andrew Hatch would say – our windows to the sea are being closed.

We thank a BU commenter who is equally concerned and reminded us this morning about the deal to sell the Chefette Restaurant Holetown property to a British Investor. From all reports the site will be replaced by you guessed it, another condominium. The report in summary:

The sale is expected to pave the way for a new flush of condominiums along the upmarket West Coast.

Should Barbadians feel sadness and betrayal that Chefette Restaurant which has been supported by locals for all the years has succumb to foreign investment?

Related Link: Barbados Coastline Gone!

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66 responses to “Chefette's Halloute Sells Out”

  1. justice Avatar
    justice

    SUCCUMB to foreign investment? Are you serious? There but for the grace of God…

  2. Jukecheckedeyskirt Avatar
    Jukecheckedeyskirt

    In the name of investment we continue to sell prime real estate to foreign investors. The beaches are slowly but surely becoming no longer our very own. The stench of racial discrimination, segregation and isolation continues to raise its ugly head in light of the specific class groups this particular type of investors are interested in. Blacks are slowly but surely being marginalized for the sake of not having the monetary power to combat the invasions of the rich nations. In the name of foreign dollar, jobs are created by these investors very much to the pleasure of the powers that be but Barbadians, in my opinion are working for mere scraps and in the same are exploited in environments that depict a New Age type of slavery. They are labouring intensively for these new rich masters at the cost of ‘pocket change’ salaries compared to the millions raked in by these big shots. Our country is developing and we have prestigous proclamations of being the number one developing country but at what cost to our nation andd its people. Investment Yes, marginalization, racial discrimination and reserved preferential treatment for a specific elite group, NOOO!

  3. John Avatar
    John

    Should Barbadians feel sadness and betrayal that Chefette Restaurant which has been supported by locals for all the years has succumb to foreign investment?
    +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

    At the bottom of the article in the Nation of today it is claimed that the actual price is subject to a secrecy clause and the documents have not been filed in the land registry, etc.

    This poses an interesting dilemma to both the Government and by extension, the people of Barbados.

    Will the GOB charge taxes on the $40 million price or will it pick a number out of the air?

    Transfer tax and Stamp Duty at say 10% that’s $4 million…. oops wasn’t all that lowered recently? ….. aaah, but it’s not really $40 million, it is a secret …

  4. PI VIEW Avatar
    PI VIEW

    We have arrived at the end of NATIONHOOD for sometime now. It has NO FURTHER RELAVENCE. Save yourself the trek to the Garrison and STOP fooling your children that there is still such a thing. FATE has been SIGNED, SOLD AND SEALED.

    GEM IS INDEED GONE.

    WHAT REMAINS IS A GLOBAL OUTPOST FOR THE INFAMOUS, THE WEALTHY AND THE NEW MIGRATING PEOPLES OF THE GLOBE .

  5. Visitor Avatar
    Visitor

    I am not a Barbados resident but I have been visiting for several years. I to am appalled by the amount of sensless construction on prime sea front land.
    You need to take action now!
    Lobby your government to place restrictions on building development in coastal area’s limiting the amount of floors (prefferably only 2) and the spacing between subdivisions and lots (preferably a minimum of half the property lot size between lots).
    If planning consent is to be given the developer should be responsible for improving the infustructure to gain the required access. (The roads in other words).
    Designes should meet strict guide lines to make sure any new development is in keeping with the local archictecture.
    Not all us foriegners want to buy a condo, infact I can’t think of anything worse. I have been trying to find a traditional building to renovate but all those have also been snapped up by developers.
    It will be interesting to see what will happen in the comming global recession, I think allot of these fat cats will have egg on there faces as well as alot of unsold empty condo’s maybe then the government will realise it’s not such a good idea to approve these fancey developments that will become eye soars and drive there precious tourists away.

  6. Othneil Williams Jnr. Avatar
    Othneil Williams Jnr.

    What a bunch of pathetic BU idiots and immature cry-babies.

    Business is business whether it is a fast food restaurant or a block of condominiums… they BOTH generate employment.

    Anyone who wants a view of the sea can go to the beach or take a drive along the East Coast.

  7. David Avatar
    David

    We have received emails from readers who have questioned why BU continue to lobby on this issue of raping of our windows to the sea. Their argument is to say it is legal. This position does not was with us simply because laws are made by man to reflect changing positions. The pulse of the PEOPLE suggests to us that we are fed up with our dissapearing windows to the sea for the almighty dollar.

  8. Straight talk Avatar
    Straight talk

    The West is lost , the South is going the same way, which Govt. prosciptions are to halt this slide into a Berlin Wall around our coasts.

    Haloute may be a Syrian, $40m is a shrewd business decision, good luck to him, I, like many other Bajans before me, make that same decision.

    It’s a crying shame that all the windows to the sea are being curtained, but who is selling our coastline?

    Where is the planning?

    Where, indeed, is the access for our citizens?

    Lost in planning permission. lack of strategic foresight, and downright corruption.

    One bright spot for Peak Oil believers, is that in 10 years the wannabees will have disappeared and their blighting condos will be affordable to ordinary Bajans.

  9. Othneil Williams Jnr. Avatar
    Othneil Williams Jnr.

    In this case, any talk about windows to the sea is nonsense.

    How much of the sea can be seen from the Chefette Holetown location at the moment?

    Can you see through the Chefette building?

    How much of a window to the sea can there be if a restaurant is located there?

    Useless, pathetic and brainless dunces.

    Go jump in the sea.

  10. PiedPiper Avatar
    PiedPiper

    This deal has been in the works since early 2007 and had nothing to do with the DLP but everything to do with the BLP. You can bet that Haloutte had to grease somebody’s palm in order for this deal to go through.

  11. Krzysztof Skubiszewski Avatar
    Krzysztof Skubiszewski

    No profits selling fast food in Holetown, eh? That won’t stop Chefette opening another branch in Holetown with interest on the $40 million before the condos build their restraining wall, hire security guards with dogs and block another 100 yards of sea view.

  12. watching Avatar
    watching

    When you follow the money it always leads to white people or people who look like Haloutte. $40 million? Does Haloutte take us for fools? How much did he pay for the plot and restaurant? Six million tops. The man made a killing thats why he sold. Shrinking tourists my botsy.

    Do blacks own any of the gazillion condominiums blocking the west coast? Never heard of any. Walcott owner of Carambola Restaurant and the racist Carlisle night club owns at least three. Thats to be expected he is white. Black Bajans landless, land locked, poor and strangers in their own country. What a thing.

    Is the Othneil Williams posting here COW or has COW connections? Sure sounds that way. Father Hatch is a hypocrite. He built a monstrosity for a house on one of the last windows to the sea. Unbelievable, then again its Barbados.

  13. no name Avatar
    no name

    watching,

    I think you will find that the money black Barbadians make is safely invested in properties and condos in other countries like the US, Britian and Canada.

    Black people are not stupid, you know. You think we want our money stolen by poilticians and their cronies.

    We know how to work the system.

  14. no name Avatar
    no name

    watching,

    P.S.
    Follow the money you say “always leads to white people” and you will find politicians attached.

  15. Pat Avatar
    Pat

    Watching:

    Othneil is either a son or grandson. Could be the hard head grand that was failing civil engineering at Carleton University. Spent all his time partying.

  16. The People's Democratic Congress Avatar
    The People’s Democratic Congress

    For sure, only two parties – DLP and DLP – and which have been the only ones alternately holding the reins of government for too long in this country – must primarily be blamed for this very sickening state affairs of Chefette Restaurants Ltd having been allowed by them to sell off prime Barbadian beach front real estate to some supposed British investor for millions upon millions of dollars – only for – as alleged – this so-called investor to start putting in train plans to build a set of unsightly condominiums on the land. Indeed, it is a national tradegy of the gravest and nastiest proportions!! It is these parties that have been dastardly allowing not only Barbadian “owners” of “our” lands, but also foreigner “owners” of “our’ lands to be selling from time to time many of “our” precious real estate to more foreigners. Under a future PDC Government such obnoxious and unpatriotic behaviour shall surely be stopped as a result of progressive laws being passed that would ONLY allow Barbadian “owners” – who shall be the ONLY “owners” of “our” lands – to lease “our” lands to such foreigners for a relatively short period of time.

    Too, and to return to the subject of Chefette Restaurants Ltd – all right thinking Barbadian citizens must come quickly to the understanding that both DLP and BLP
    Governments have stupidly been allowing Chefette Restaurants Ltd to open up too many outlets in this country to continue, et al, being more of the same – a gross and reckless exploiter of the relevant workers at Chefette, a damned hindrance to the growth and development of so many small Barbadian restauranters in this country, a very perverse obstacle to greater and fairer competition coming about among restauranters that pimarily cater to locals, and a money-grubbing corporate disadvantaging those persons who have been asked to pay too much by it when purchasing many of its less than ideal offerings. But, alas, similiar things can also be said about these backward governments allowing the local KFC franchisee/s to open up too many outlets in Barbados and about the local KFC franchisee/s being of such negative things too in so far as they are, et al, a gross and reckless exploiter of workers at KFC, they are an unseemly obstacle to greater growth and development of many small Barbadian restauranters in the country, are a bare-faced opponent of greater and fairer competition coming about among restauranters mainly catering to locals in Barbados, and are a greedy corporate preventing persons patronising KFC from getting equal worth offerings for their money value.

    Surely, with a future PDC Government coming about in this country far greater emphases than now shall be placed on making sure that small Barbadian restauranters are able to benefit greatly and reach their full potential as a result of many of the policies that such a government shall put in place – like the Abolition of Taxation; Abolition of Interest Rates; Making Institutional loans for productive purposes become non-repayable – and, yes, absolute emphases placed on making sure that present day workers at establishments like Cheffete and KFC become partners in these enterprises, which will have to convert from companies to partnerships. SO DOWN WITH BOTH DLP AND BLP – two parties that are relics of political eras long gone by in Barbados!!

    PDC

  17. Carlos Chase Avatar
    Carlos Chase

    Another collection of clueless and uninformed louts.

    None of you lot would ever be able to start either a simple restaurant or a condo.

    Full of brainless yapping yet none of you would ever put a cent of your own money into your own business ventures.

    Keep on griping about us whose hard work and sacrifices have earned us success.

    Empty headed Bajan clowns.

  18. Carlos Chase Avatar
    Carlos Chase

    PiedPiper // April 2, 2008 at 8:13 pm

    “This deal has been in the works since early 2007 and had nothing to do with the DLP but everything to do with the BLP. You can bet that Haloutte had to grease somebody’s palm in order for this deal to go through.”

    Spoken like a typical Bajan idiot.

    Nobody in any Barbados government can stop any private business from selling its property.

    You fools must think we live in Zimbabwe.

    It is really disgraceful that the outside world will see foolish comments like yours and think that all Bajans suffer from your low level of intelligence.

  19. Krzysztof Skubiszewski Avatar
    Krzysztof Skubiszewski

    Carlos and Othniel – The hard work and sacrifices were never actually made by the people selling land for $40 million. And you can see the sea through the Chefette Holetown building.

  20. David Avatar
    David

    One angle which has not been discussed by commenters is the possibility that the Holetown location was not performing financially (suggested in an email received from a BU family member).

  21. Krzysztof Skubiszewski Avatar
    Krzysztof Skubiszewski

    David – That’s the excuse they all use. There’ll be a new Chefette in Holetown long before the security guards train their dogs to patrol inside the wall around the condos built where the old Chefette stood.

  22. Krzysztof Skubiszewski Avatar
    Krzysztof Skubiszewski

    Last one for today. If we don’t stop this unrestricted building madness (now slowly becoming known as “Rape of Barbados”) we too will soon be paying $16 a gallon for petrol and $100 to enter Bridgetown

    http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-congestion3apr03,0,5476674.story

  23. Green Monkey Avatar
    Green Monkey

    Thanks for posting that LA Times link Krzysztof. It shows just how absolutely and completely clueless most people are about energy issues and the looming problem of “peak oil”, i.e. the coming peak in world oil production (some energy industry experts think we are there right now) which will be followed by an inevitable, irreversible and cumulative production decline.

    Quote: from the article

    “It’s outrageous,” said Sarah Hacking, expressing a sentiment that appears to elicit a strong amen from many of those here who drive the big sport utility vehicles that Mayor Ken Livingstone refers to derisively as “Chelsea tractors.”

    “We’d have a massive loss if we tried to sell our cars. And I can’t have a tiny little car because I have three children who go to three different schools,” she said. (“Wah, wah, wah,” Green Monkey added).

    What, she can’t get 3 kids and their book bags into a compact or a 4 door sedan? I grew up with 2 siblings and 2 parents and our family of 5 seemed to manage quite well with Toyota Corollas etc. When we were going to school and both parents were working, we all left home to to to school/work together, all five of us, in the same car.

    I would tell Sarah Hacking to go read this article on Peak Oil from Australia.

    Peak Oil 101

    SNIP

    Q: Are we running out of energy?

    A: Not exactly. It means we are going to be running short of a very convenient form of energy, one that propels our planes, trains, and automobiles! Up until now, it has been a buyer’s market but after Peak Oil, it will be a seller’s market and prices will rise steeply. The signs of this change may already be apparent in the record oil prices we’ve seen in the last year.

    Q: Whose fault is it? Who’s holding out?

    A: Nobody, there’s just a limit to how much oil the world can produce every day. We have been finding less oil than we’ve been consuming since the 1980’s and much of the oil we use today comes from fields over 40 years old. We’re spending our inheritance and pretty soon we will have to learn to live within our means.

    Q: What will the consequences be?

    A: Oil, and everything that depends on oil (which is just about everything) will become much more expensive. This will cause economic turmoil and international tensions as nations compete for dwindling oil reserves.

    Q: What does this mean for me?

    A: Imagine if the cost of filling your car tripled. You might reconsider buying that 4WD in favour of a smaller car, public transport, or a bicycle, or walking. You might wish you lived closer to work.

    Imagine if food shipped from overseas or trucked from interstate became prohibitively expensive. You might start buying more local produce or growing your own.

    Imagine if the oil-shock led to a recession. You might lose your job, making it even harder to make ends meet with the new higher prices…

    Imagine if Australia became embroiled in an oil war and you had a loved-one in the armed forces…

    The consequences of peak oil are potentially very serious and will reach into every area of life. We must take action now. Remember, Noah built the ark before it started raining.

    Q: Won’t we just switch to Hydrogen/ethanol/biodiesel?

    A: Hydrogen faces huge technical challenges and even if those are overcome it will take decades and trillions of dollars to build a hydrogen economy.

    Biodiesel and ethanol will never be available in sufficient quantities to replace oil usage. Australia’s entire wheat crop, converted to ethanol would replace less than 10% of the oil we use.

    In short there is no simple substitute for oil that will available in the near future. Dealing with peak oil will not be easy and will involve re-thinking every aspect how we live.

    Q: When will we reach Peak Oil?

    A: A number of independent scientists believe it will happen before the end of the decade and that it may be here already. Others say we have longer before the peak hits, but can we afford to wait and see?

    http://autospeed.com/cms/A_110211/article.html

  24. Carlos Chase Avatar
    Carlos Chase

    Krzysztof Skubiszewski,

    You can see it much better from the beach. The PUBLIC BEACH.

    And you can see the sea through the Chefette Holetown building.”

    And that’s regardless of whether a restaurant or a condominium is on the land.

    Like I said, you are talking nonsense!

  25. David Avatar
    David

    Green Monkey the Peak Oil theory is a rivetting one and requires some more discussion.

  26. wardenid Avatar
    wardenid

    Please tell Carlos Chase to slow his polo pony from a gallop to a trot when next passing Chefette Holetown. To remember how a sea view looked before they built the condos and put a wall around them.

  27. Karia Avatar
    Karia

    I assume our dear friend Othneil never visited Chefette and sat on the lovely benches on the beach. Othneil its not only about business its about environmental issues pertaining to people living so close to the sea. What about the link between marine life and the sewage system ? What about the coastal decay that will eventually destroy these so call condos.
    Its time Barbadians become more enviromentally aware before a catatrophe like the one in Brittons Hill happen again.

    Again I say wake up my people.

  28. Karia Avatar
    Karia

    David you need to address Mr. Chase’s insults pertaining to “empty headed bajan clowns”. These descriptions were used to describe blacks during slavery. His insults sounded quite racist and disrespectful to Barbadians and supporters of Barbadians world wide.

    Our ancestors worked hard to build and maintain a sense of civility on the island. Why are you allowing such disrespect in their honour from someone quite like Chase who have plundered and exploited our working class Barbadians.
    Hey Chase you owe us a big apology when it comes to our insult on intellect. Shame on you…

  29. The Truth Avatar
    The Truth

    Does Elis Haloute own Cheffette ??

  30. no name Avatar
    no name

    The Truth,
    how does one determine who owns what in Barbados?

  31. warlord Avatar
    warlord

    David you need to address Mr. Chase’s insults pertaining to “empty headed bajan clowns”. These descriptions were used to describe blacks during slavery. His insults sounded quite racist and disrespectful to Barbadians .
    ……………………………………………………………………………..
    Karia my friend these are every day words used by the wealthy minority to describe the black majority. Blacks lazy and looking for handouts are other favourite descriptions of the sons and daughters of slaves who built this country and made the elite who insult us rich.

  32. Carlos Chase Avatar
    Carlos Chase

    You lazy black Bajan louts need not hurt your heads…. I am a black Bajan.

    But according to you brainless fools I would be classified as someone who “thinks white” because I actually WORK HARD TO RUN THE BUSINESS I STARTED.

    Kind Dyal was right when he called you lot “black cattle”.

    Useless, “poor-great” and contemptible dregs of Bajan society who contribute nothing to the development of this country.

    Continue to “wash wunna mout” over those of us who have something and see if that will get any of you losers anywhere.

  33. no name Avatar
    no name

    Stranger to the truth.

  34. Yardbroom Avatar
    Yardbroom

    ” Kiss me, though you make believe;
    Kiss me, though I almost know
    You are kissing to deceive:
    Let the tide one moment flow
    Backward ere it rise and break,
    Only for poor pity’s sake”.
    Alice Cary

  35. me Avatar
    me

    i wish i had the chance to make that 40 million

  36. Pat Avatar
    Pat

    Carlos Chase, you sound as though you have the rear end of a donkey for a head. Who you robbing?

  37. Carlos Chase Avatar
    Carlos Chase

    BU: “Should Barbadians feel sadness and betrayal that Chefette Restaurant which has been supported by locals for all the years has succumb to foreign investment?”

    Did you insert this piece afterwards?

    You really must be going senile.

    Do you remember which country Haloute came from?

    He worked hard as hell to achieve all that he has today, while you lazy black Bajans busied yourselves talking crap about BLP this and DLP that.

    And is it only locals who are Chefette customers? Doesn’t he enjoy the patronage of all and sundry… Bajans black and white, white tourists, Guyanese and other Caricom immigrants and visitors, even the “stranded” Africans must have had at least a meal or two at one of his branches.

    “succumb to foreign investment”??????

    Frankly speaking, you talk a lot of sh*te.

    The man sold one property from a chain of many, but in typical lazy black Bajan style, you are here yapping and moaning away over what other people do with their own possessions while the same people are thinking years ahead and planning the next big deal… and it is ALWAYS in their own best interest.

    Useless lazy black cattle! Always looking for handouts!

  38. Never again Avatar
    Never again

    Carlos Chase you are not dealing with imbeciles.Your kind played major roles in slavery and benefited. We know you are not black and if you are you’re a hired hand putting out race garbage. Dont allow decency and fairplay to get in your way. Go along your merry way degrading ninety percent of the population. My grandfather always said day runs until night catches it. Go play your polo or are you spending the day examining your racing autos and geldings.

  39. The Truth Avatar
    The Truth

    It is amazing that whites can’t speak free regarding the black race but blacks can say what they want.
    Freedom is freedom and racism is racism.

  40. Technician Avatar
    Technician

    The Truth // April 3, 2008 at 11:16 pm

    It is amazing that whites can’t speak free regarding the black race but blacks can say what they want.
    Freedom is freedom and racism is racism.
    ——————————————————————
    It is this way because they had it their way for over 400 years. Some of you just dont understand the concept of slavery or the fallout from it.

  41. Technician Avatar
    Technician

    Doesn’t Carlos Chase sound awfully familiar?

    Useless lazy black cattle! Always looking for handouts!

    I would swear I heard Bizzy use those words before.

  42. David Avatar
    David

    Don’t be distracted PEOPLE. What can Barbadians do to escalate concerns about physical development on little island!

  43. Avatar
    Anonymous

    Carlos chase is BFPE – an arm of the BLP.

  44. Avatar
    Anonymous

    BFPE a.k.a Carlos Chase. You are not fooling anyone

  45. no name Avatar
    no name

    There are people in this country who live in a different world. Be patient with Carlos Chase. Reality to the rest of us is not in his consciousness.

    Resorting to desperation “political” tactics will work on some but not all.

    This is one of the things which make this world such an interesting place.

  46. no name Avatar
    no name

    Race card is a last resort. I do not think Carlos will stick around here for long.

  47. wardenid Avatar
    wardenid

    Carlos Chase – a name to remember. Not to read any further.

  48. KARIA Avatar
    KARIA

    In the event Carlos Chase is white, black , pink, blue there seem to be an underlying anger fermenting there. We could probably say its his hate of being black which we call internalised racism or he is just downright crazy. When last have we heard such a diatribe of senseless hate like that in Barbados unless they had a couple assessments in the Psychiatric hospital or they are marginalized.
    Brothers and Sisters you need to pray for the chases of the world and secondly Barbadians need to get together and purchase property together in order to maintain a sense of economic power. By doing this Chasey can say what ever but we would of known at the end of the day we fought for autonomy. Its people like Chasey that either was the plantation owner or the house slave. Sadly to say he or she is still suffering the trauma of hate and loss his ancestors passed unto him.

  49. KARIA Avatar
    KARIA

    As a kid going to school in Barbados, God bless him in his grave I have never seen King Dyal drive a stroke. Poor reference if you use King Dyals quotes. My friend Chase.

  50. lowbattery Avatar
    lowbattery

    cha. what have we come to.
    1. haloute could be selling sjhare of his compant to his staff. lets wonder why he would never do it.
    2. i shall miss sitting outside Chefette, watching the waves… As the shore line changed from sand to rocks and back again…
    3. do you REALLY think there are many with money, on this island, with a social concience, who have not been run out…?

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