Submitted by Check-This-Out
I see the BFP site appears to have been taken over by a group of Brits who drank the Harlequin Kool-Aid, and Dave Ames supporters who appear to be either unbelievably gullible and naive or are Harlequin hacks. I know this topic has been discussed ad nauseum; but here’s my kick at the can. Sorry for the length.
First, a couple of Youtube videos:
Dave Ames Presents the Harlequin Business Model – 2010
Merricks Beach Resort – Uploaded March 2010, but apparently produced 2006-2007
Merricks Update August 2012 – Bajanreporter.com
So far – so good
But first, a visit to the Harlequin Properties website. The following is cut and pasted from the Guideline for Purchasers posted on the HP website at WHO IS HARLEQUIN PROPERTY?
Harlequin Property is the trading name of Harlequin Management Services (South East) Limited and is the UK based primary selling agent for the selling/owner companies in the Caribbean. Harlequin Property is not a party to agreements with purchasers.
WHO IS HARLEQUIN HOTELS AND RESORTS?
Harlequin Hotels & Resorts is a hotel operator that oversees the operation of resorts in the Caribbean. Harlequin Hotels and Resorts do not own any of the resorts we market.
WHO OWNS THE LAND THAT THE RESORTS ARE BEING BUILT ON AND WHICH COMPANY AM I CONTRACTING WITH?
For legal reasons, the different resorts being marketed by the Harlequin group belong to different local companies. However, there is a common thread in each of the companies that own the land upon which the resorts are being built – the controlling shareholder of each company is David Ames.
The relevant resorts and owner companies are as follows:
Buccament Bay Resort, St Vincent and The Grenadines – Harlequin Property (SVG) Limited
The Merricks Resort, Barbados – Harlequin Property (SVG) Limited (re-registered as a Barbados company)
The Marquis Estate, St. Lucia – Harlequin Resorts (St Lucia) Limited
Las Canas Beach Resort, Dominican Republic – Las Canas Beach Resort S.A (formerly Promotora San Patricio S.A)
Two Rivers Beach Resort, Dominican Republic – Two Rivers Beach Resort S.A (formerly Harlequin Property S.A)
The Hideaway, Dominican Republic – Waters Meet Beach Resort S.R.L (formerly Marissa Investment S.A)
H Barbados – Harlequin Boutique Hotel Limited (Barbados)
Harlequin Hotel, Barbados – Harlequin Luxury Hotel Limited
blu, St Lucia – Harlequin Boutique Hotel Limited (St Lucia)
The company developing the resort that you choose to purchase a property in will be the contracting party to the contract you enter into. Certain company names have changed to more suitable names since the resorts were first released, where this has happened company details remain unchanged.
YOUR MONEY
What happens to my money when I purchase?
Payments are received by Harlequin Hotels and Resorts. Part of the funds you pay are paid to Harlequin Property to cover marketing expenses and sales costs including commission. It also covers costs associated with hotel operations.
The rest of the money will be used for the development of the resorts in the Caribbean which are being developed by the companies under the control of David Ames. Funds are not specifically earmarked for the construction of the resort you are purchasing in. The resorts are being constructed using purchasers’ money and money provided by shareholders in the landowning companies.
So, the purchaser/investor pays his money to HH&R, who then pays the money to HP to pay its commissions; and then if there is anything left over (yea sure) it goes in a pool with the money provided by Dave Ames (yea sure) to pay for the construction the resorts. I guess that includes the four guys working at H Hotel and all those working at HD Design Studio (formerly Harlequin Developments).
The following is an update at Assets International website at:
Merricks Update for Summer 2012
We can confirm that Harlequin Developments has submitted a full design package to the Barbados Town and Country Planning office on behalf of Harlequin Hotels & Resorts. A letter confirming receipt was received by Harlequin Developments on 14th May 2012. A response is expected by 14th July 2012.
This latest submission improves on the earlier version through changes to the design of the resort to incorporate further facilities and amenities in line with the luxury brand standards. As Harlequin grows, so too do its opportunities to improve its projects, thus increasing their value to both investors, both in capital growth and rental returns, and future customers. The new submission also allows for conclusions drawn from the Environmental Impact Assessment studies, and requests made by Town and Country Planning in previous correspondence.
HP has been flogging Merricks since 2006. They submitted their full design package to the Barbados Town and Country Planning office on behalf of Harlequin Hotels & Resorts in May 2012. Have the plans been approved? What do the purchasers/investors have to show for their Merricks investment in 2013?
Given that both Buccament Bay Resort, St Vincent and The Grenadines and The Merricks Resort, Barbados are allegedly owned by Harlequin Property (SVG) Limited (re-registered as a Barbados company), it would appear that (if there is any money left after Ames and family take their commissions) the Merricks purchasers’ money has gone to pay for BB (which it is alleged has not filed financials for 7 years – that would be the company re-registered as a Barbados company). How can the Government of Barbados stand by and allow this scam to continue?
While I am at it, I think I should share this Youtube video of Sam Lords Castle property shot in 2011
Perhaps a preview of the Merricks’ site in a few years
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