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Saving Almond Beach Village At What Cost

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Almond Beach Village beachfront

Neal & Massy (52% shareholder) delivered the Almond Mess lo Barbadians last week which has knocked CLICO from the front page of the Nation newspaper for the moment. A scan of that paper’s front page this morning should create some concerns for Barbadians. Bjorn Bjerkham is mentioned as one of about four parties bidding for the 30-acre beachfront Almond Beach Village property in St. Peter. If Bjerkham gets his wish a small island is about to be divvied up between COW Williams and himself with CLICO’s significant land holding currently encumbered as a result of its publicised demise.

In the case of Bjerkham Barbadians may want to sit up and take notice. If he is able to acquire the Almond Beach Village property, he gets control of the greatest portion of St. Peter coastline – he already owns St. Peter’s Bay in the Road View area. Remember he is currently working on redesigning the Six Mens area with the Port Ferdinand marina project. For those who are familiar with the area try to visualize if Bjerkham is able to acquire Almond Beach Village property with its vast beachfront.

Officially our government boasts that there are no private beaches in Barbados but if Bjerkham is allowed to acquire Almond beach front it is akin to creating a private beach front in Barbados by effectively blocking off access at both ends. Whether by accident or design our laws of public beach access in Barbados are being circumvented by those who have deep pockets.

So what is new anyway!

If that was not enough to consider look who else is reported to be in the bidding for Almond Beach Village, none other than Paul Doyle of Skeete’s Bay fame! His plan to privatise Skeete’s Bay did not go well after protests by Mac Fingall and residents of Bayfield, he seems to be trying a thing on the west coast. It makes one wonder how did Neal & Massy (ARI) manage to lose this property screwing the 48% minority shareholders along the way.

To cap it all, our sources suggest to be wary of Ritz Carlton. It is true that we need brand name hotels in Barbados but at what cost. Take a look at what happened in St. Lucia when Ritz Carlton was supposed to be built there.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OeDnsncap1s

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tEYaVOVDkv4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O4y4pB2H_l8

It is now going to cost the new Ken Anthony Government in St. Lucia almost US$60 million to buy back their own lands in very difficult economic times. This story has other meanings for Barbadians as far as the Four Seasons project here is concerned.

Barbados is a one leg economy, we all know it. Tourism is all we have for the moment and BU believes it must be treated as a strategic asset. There is no doubt the government has to make a deal happen. There is the impact to our major forex earner in a recession which cannot be ignored.

Yes we need to save Almond Beach Village but at what cost.

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  1. Random Thoughts Avatar
    Random Thoughts

    I think that both St.Peter’s Bay and Port Ferdinand have very, very ugly buildings.

    We don’t need more ugly buildings.

    Where are the good architects?

  2. B/o ARI's shareholders Avatar
    B/o ARI’s shareholders

    The more interest there is in the property, the better the recovery will be for the current shareholders. If the property has strategic importance for some of the interested parties, such parties simply need to offer a premium price – even better for the current shareholders.

  3. Barbados' Land Avatar
    Barbados’ Land

    Remember that Sagicor owns Barbados Farms…

  4. Clone Avatar
    Clone

    David
    Why did you not mention Butch Stewart? He bought Paradise to build a hotel and about ten years past before he sold it. Would he not do the same thing to Almond? Just asking not like JUST ASKING
    Onions where are you? Normally you would have already posted ten times in two minutes.

  5. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    Buh David wuh wrong wid you?

    De people need jobs and land must be used to its maximum value.

    Yuh rememba yuh boy talkin bout de concrete doughnut ?
    Yuh rememba de idea to move de low road inland to create bigga betta resorts?

    Stop wasting time talking about Beach access for “locals”. The “locals” can hear bout de beach from de waiters beach cleaners.

    De people need jobs not sea baths. An to besides de politicians cuh afford to guh to Miami fuh dey sea baths.

  6. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    A few years ago a colleague was trying to persuade me to buy a new bimmer.
    I said to him I could not afford it.

    he said ” you have to give up something to get what you want”.

    Barbados wants (something) Foreign Investors to build resorts.
    In these tough times the “Investors” will demand what they want.

    Dah beach ain’t mine ah can’t bade anytime!

  7. old onion bags Avatar
    old onion bags

    Hants..I see you have plans of taking the calypso monarch title this year..Gabby go sue ya for property rights first doa..lol

  8. John Avatar
    John

    Hants, you on it!!

    If Bjorn gets it probably will end up in Condos for sale to overseas buyers.

    If Ritz gets it, whatever it does, ownership gone to overseas interest.

    Ditto Doyle

    Ditto Butch.

    Long gone are the days when (if my memory right) the Barbados taxpayer paid to build it and then watched it sold to BS&T, then a locally owned Company.

    We may have built it but it ain’t ours no more!!

    Sow the wind, reap the whirlwind!!

  9. RUBES Avatar
    RUBES

    this reminds me of the opposition to wind turbines in ontario ,people want cheap clean power but dont want to sacrifice ( see the towers)
    barbados needs jobs both high tech and low tech ,right now tourism is the number one job provider, opportunities need to be pursued, if you are unemployed you have lots of time to go to the beach

  10. John Avatar
    John

    … and no Union bout hey can tell people from over and away wuh fuh do!!

    Best they could hope for is the overseas people include them in their plans so the rest of us could see their relevance to the Bajan worker.

    I figure the overseas people will though so they could rest easy.

    Perceptions!!

  11. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    @old onion bags, respect due to Gabby. He is a master. I just plagiarizing a little bit of “Jack”.

  12. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    @RUBES

    People need jobs but you cannot create an environment that has profound social implications.

    Communities along the west coast have been moved inland. It is a reverse of the plantation days when tenantries were created “in dead sand”.

    It is only a matter of time before Carlisle bay is put to its best value. Good ting Butch ent see dah beach yet.

  13. John Avatar
    John

    Hants

    A foreign firm suing the GOB over that Beach!!

  14. John Avatar
    John

    … dah lock off too!!

  15. Random Thoughts Avatar
    Random Thoughts

    No more ugly buildings.

    Whoever buys the place god looking buildings please.

    And the low road should have been moved inland long time.

  16. David Avatar
    David

    @Clone

    See today’s Nation interview with Butch Stewart.

  17. islandgal246 Avatar
    islandgal246

    I agree with Random thoughts, St Peter’s Bay or home of Ali Babba and the forty thieves is one ugly building. I heard that no millionaires want to buy any of their ugly condos. Apparently the real estate people are avoiding them like poison.

    What I really can’t understand is why wunna peoples speculating bout who gine buy Almond and who wunna doan want own it. Why can’t a group of Black businessmen get together and bid for it. It is time to stop flapping wunna gums and put wunna money where wunna mout is. Stupse This is why people like Bjerkoff and others could come in and buy property because wunna black peoples waiting tah see who gine be first. Remember the early bird catches the worms. What or who wunna frighten of? White peoples?

  18. David Avatar
    David

    @islandgal

    Isn’t one of the criticisms level at Neal & Massy the fact they have no experience in the tourism business?

    Can you name 2 or 3 Black people in Barbados with the experience and access to capital?

    Leave out Ralph Taylor…lol.

  19. John Avatar
    John

    Bingo David!!

  20. John Avatar
    John

    Then again there was a guy called Grant !!!!

  21. John Avatar
    John

    If the hotels are to end up being owned by someone who actually has a track record in Tourism and Hotel management then we can probably eliminate one of the four suitors.

    All the same when GOB sold to BS&T did BS&T have any track record in Tourism and Hotel management?

    My memory is real fuzzy so I could be wrong on this.

    On the face of it jobs have a better chance of being saved if only suitors who have a demonstrable track record are considered …..

    ….. but I suspect that it will be a matter of who offers the most

    What exactly the suitors want the assets for is something none of us can predict …. besides, they don’t belong to we.

  22. ac Avatar
    ac

    black people wth money gonna think twice before jumping into such investments because the bajan mentality seems to be if you black and rich you thief the money and if the business fail you thief the money why would any black persons of means and wealth want to be ridicule in such a way thats is why the white man can easily own the best property without firing a shot because black people are their worst enemy.

  23. Bazic Avatar
    Bazic

    @ David

    Is the deal with Bjerkham already a done deal?

    The minority (everyone other than N&M) shareholders should be mandating that the property be sold by open and transparent auction.

    1. Auction advertisement in the paper for 4 weeks.
    2. All of the information on the property available to all potential bidders.

  24. David Avatar
    David

    @Bazic

    What is the role of the FSC?

  25. Bazic Avatar
    Bazic

    3. Auction to be held on a Closing Date stated in the advertisement, say 4pm on first Monday in May 2012.
    4. At 4.05pm on first Monday in May 2012 the bids submitted are opened in the presence of the bidders. The name of each bidder and bid amount read out and recorded including determining if the bid has met all of the requirement of the invitation.

  26. Bazic Avatar
    Bazic

    @ David

    I don’t know but one of the investors should be heading to Court to get some protection if not I fear this is already a done deal which could dissadvantage the minority shareholders.

    It could be a stich-up with Bjerkham if the rumours are to be believed.

  27. Bazic Avatar
    Bazic

    @ David

    Can anyone tell us whether the Government of Barbados acting through the Ministry of Finance has given a letter of comfort, to be followed by a Government Guarantee to the developers of the Villages at Coverley?

    If yes, what is the amount being guaranteed as stated on the face of the letter of comfort?

  28. David Avatar
    David

    @Bazic

    Wouldn’t a government guarantee have to be tabled in parliament? Why would a guarantee be needed anyway?

  29. islandgal246 Avatar
    islandgal246

    “Can you name 2 or 3 Black people in Barbados with the experience and access to capital?”

    Good one David! After all these years and 45 years of INDEPENDENCE and we haven’t gotten much further means that we will never get anywhere until we examine ourselves very closely. We are destined to be the serfs and will forever be the serfs in our land. We have been brainwashed by our education system that we must be followers and by the church to accept things without questioning. We will always be controlled by the minority few whose wealth we are responsible for. We must know our place and must remember where we have been placed. LOLLL

  30. old onion bags Avatar
    old onion bags

    Yesterday’s Nation Sunday Sun headlines…..ALMOND TALKS..Major players looking to buy hotel….by Tim Slinger..he writes “Responding to recent appeals for government to step in and save the 400 room property, to be closed by its Trinidad owners Neal & Massey on April 30, Sealy made it clear that the Freundel Stuart administration has no money to pump into the hotel business venture.”
    To save 500 jobs and have far reaching further complications..is this what things have come to.?….investor Bjerkhamm..holding the keys to bail us out ? So wait what has all our belt tightening and sweat of the brow all been for anyway ? a sad state of affairs….

  31. old onion bags Avatar
    old onion bags

    I said it before in another article ….when leadership is weak..all these things will happen ….mice will come out the galley and mutiny the ship.
    Not long before words take effect. Players coming from every where…soon private beaches….to the pleasures of some in disguise in here as well…..be aware. anyone can write in..we not all comrades and buddy buddy as pretended.

  32. old onion bags Avatar
    old onion bags

    We will always be controlled by the minority few whose wealth we are responsible for. We must know our place and must remember where we have been placed. LOLLL……[[[.IslandGirl ( of course)]]]

    Read well, and digest fully !

  33. Adrian Loveridge Avatar
    Adrian Loveridge

    A think any Government will have to think VERY carefully who they allow to purchase ABV. Where else on Barbados could you build a 400 bedroom hotel?
    And if it is allowed to go into mixed use, condominiums/villas, then think about the employment and airlift implications.
    400 rooms x 365 x average 7 night stay x 80 per cent average occupancy equates to 33,371 airline seats per year or 145 full B777’s.
    Beaches really seems to be the best option. A re-built ABV with increased room stock, improved plant, proven management, more employees, higher spending and as very strong brand.

  34. TooManyLawyers Avatar
    TooManyLawyers

    Look out for the Chinese….they could easily buy this thing and turn your world upside down!!

    The only winners out of this whole debacle are Ralph Taylor and the BS&T management…..they made out like bandits in the BS&T sale to Massy …..Massy were had by the BS&T management.

    The minority shareholders should take this to court. Something went very wrong with so many management conflicts:
    – BTA chairman
    – Chairman/CEO/Managing director of Almonds
    – Majority owner of Smuggler’s Cove
    – Multiple businesses owned by RT serving the Almond allinclusive model
    – Government officials involvement
    – Almond & Smugglers Cove being managed by the same individual!
    Were the finances of these two organizations seperate….were
    expenses and revenue treated correctly….did Massy pay for the running
    of Smuggler’s Cove while the revenue was going into other’s pockets.

    Where was the board of Massy? I could understand the lack of Tourism experience but this is the lack of any kind of common sense or oversite!!

    Your turn!

  35. Amused Avatar
    Amused

    @Islandgal. Yes, I can name 2 or 3 or 4 or 5 Black people in Barbados who can easily raise that kind of money. Trouble is, they are or were in high political office and would find themselves having to explain to the electorate how come they got that kind of money.

  36. islandgal246 Avatar
    islandgal246

    Too manyLawyers….”Massy were had by the BS&T management.”

    And were HAD big time too!

    Amused…..”I can name 2 or 3 or 4 or 5 Black people in Barbados who can easily raise that kind of money. Trouble is, they are or were in high political office and would find themselves having to explain to the electorate how come they got that kind of money”.

    True true LOLL

  37. ARI's directors at Sep 30, 2010 Avatar
    ARI’s directors at Sep 30, 2010

    – John Bellamy (6,000)
    – Arthur Lok Jack (0)
    – Gervase Warner (0)
    – Kelvin Mootoo (0)
    – Paul Altman (0)
    – Anthony King (18,585)
    – Philip Osborne (9,000)
    – Ralph Taylor (1,570,860)

  38. David Avatar
    David

    What is it the N&M directors knew that the Bajans didn’t?

  39. ARI's freehold land and buildings at Sep 30, 2010 Avatar
    ARI’s freehold land and buildings at Sep 30, 2010

    Cost or valuation: BDS$171,477,594 per 2010 Annual Repoer

    For the village alone:
    – 400 rooms at $300,000/room – BDS$120,000,000
    – 400 rooms at $400,000/room – BDS$160,000,000
    – 400 rooms at $600,000/room – BDS$240,000,000
    – 400 rooms at $800,000/room – BDS$320,000,000
    Let us hope that the shareholders are well represented in the sale

  40. B/o ARI's shareholders Avatar
    B/o ARI’s shareholders

    Do the owners of Sandy Lane Resort (http://www.sandylane.com/) have no interest?

  41. Peltdownman Avatar
    Peltdownman

    I’m with Adrian on this, for employment, airlift and more publicity for Barbados, Beaches seems to be a perfect fit. There really should only be an hotel in that location, as there are more than enough empty condo’s waiting to be sold, and apart from a few maids and gardeners, they employ no one. One thing that government can and should do is step in now and declare that the land can only be used for hotel purposes. Planning applications for any other type of development should be refused.

  42. Random Thoughts Avatar
    Random Thoughts

    How much hotel experience did Peter Morgan have before he got into the hotel business?

    How much hotel experience did Adrian Loveridge have before he got into the hotel business?

    How much hotel experience did Ralph Taylor have before he got into the hotel business?

    How much did Sue whatever her name is have before she got into the hotel business?

    How much hotel experience did most owners and managers of successful hotels in Barbados have before they got into the hotel business?

    This business that people need to have 300 years of “hotel experience” before they get into the hotel management business is a load of crock.

    Whoever buys the hotel will purchase much of the expertise they need right here in Barbados.

    Barbados has excellent actuaries, accountants, managers, cooks, barmen, gardeners, front office clerks, housekeepers, advertising people, construction workers

    Why do we feel that one needs some “magical” hotel experience to manage a hotel?

    Running the business/accounting side of a hotel is exactly the same as running the business side of any other successful business. Ensure always that your income is more than your expenses. Sit down and plan the thing. See how much you have to charge to pay your bills and made a profit for the shareholders. Find our what other people are charging. Find your visitors. Use demographic/income data from the targeted markets, and advertise there in the appropriate seasons. In a hard winter step up your advertising.

    Running the people side is exactly the same as the people side of any other business. Treat your visitors and your staff respectfully. give the visitors good food, clean rooms, some entertainment, beautiful gardens, clean beaches and peace and quiet when they are ready to sleep. Ensure that you have their money BEFORE they leave your place. Invite them back for another visit.

    Why are we making this seem like nuclear physics? and even if it was nuclear physics I am sure that Barbados had produced dozens of people you can be (or are in other places) excellent nuclear physicists.

  43. David Avatar
    David

    Based on what ARI Board communicated to the Special Meeting recently the suitors for ABV is doing so on the basis of mixed use.

  44. Random Thoughts Avatar
    Random Thoughts

    With family members in the business of providing housing for the past 15 years. Only 16 bedrooms, but in a 15 year period we’ve had zero vacancy loss (except for brief periods for refurbishment) but the you have to have excellent workmen on call. Pay the men a fair wage and pay them on time.Always, always, always present your place in excellent condition. Even if you are only charging $1,000 per month there is NEVER any excuse for showing a dirty place. Always show the tenant a place that is clean enough for the Queen of England.

    Hate to tell you this but was recently looking at some hotel rooms and I was surprised at how many hotels did not have a room clean and ready to show even though I called the day before. Telling me the housekeeper was just about to get to it ain’t good enough. I was surprised at how many had shabby gardens.

  45. islandgal246 Avatar
    islandgal246

    Random Thoughts you talking nuff sense girl. Some of those places shabby shabby and the grounds stink stink. I who don’t have the money or budget like some of these places for the upkeep of their grounds they make mine look like a park. Something real wrong here.

  46. islandgal246 Avatar
    islandgal246

    An I doan mean Queen’s Park doah.

  47. Checkit-Out Avatar
    Checkit-Out

    Isn’t the property big enough to accomodate all the likely mixed uses without significant discomfort to any particular use? Why should the ultimate use be constrained to rebuilding a replica of the current ABV? Couldn’t 500 or so attractive modern rooms with modern service facilities and beach access be allocated for a portion of the property complemented with a separate section of upperscale mansions / cottages on another? Wouldn’t it be possible to ensure beach rights for locals also in any new design? and what about Casinos? Is it time to revisit these?

  48. old onion bags Avatar
    old onion bags

    Queens Park is such a big nasty place…I wonder how trini’s duz piss all bout like slut dog with no respect or affections.

  49. David Avatar
    David

    @Old Onion

    You are out of line.

  50. old onion bags Avatar
    old onion bags

    Oh sorry David ..i loss myself there..Pointin just been ran out an all…let’s take that back….trini’s in hay….no malice intended. We got pissy streets too an back alleys an ting dun kno..

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