66 responses to “Pickering Project Goes BOOM!”

1. 

   Well Well.

   September 22, 2013 at 9:03 am

   
   

   David | September 22, 2013 at 6:30 AM |

   Business facilitation is a mantra of the government. Coincidentally Minister Donville Inniss is the minister responsible for the transformation and was the former minister of health when the matter of the coming of this hospital was discussed through the years.
   ___________________________________-

   In business, particularly when dealing with international, serious business people, one must be proactive, Inniss probably believed he was dealing with the people he usually does business with, real business people will leave you standing by the road when they have ascertained that you are on BS.

   Let’s hope Kellman knows what he is talking about, Canadian investors do not have to go anywhere to source funds, right now investors are reluctant to put any money out there since Blackberry (RIM) just took a near billion dollar loss and have to lay off 40% of their work force, don’t these local ministers read the news and/or understand what is happening around the world.

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2. 

   Due Diligence

   September 22, 2013 at 10:40 am

   
   

   Well Well

   Canadian investors do not have to go anywhere to source funds,

   Should read:

   REAL Canadian investors do not have to go anywhere to source funds,

   Are these the same Canadian “investors” behind the Pure Beach project?

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3. 

   Due Diligence

   September 22, 2013 at 11:37 am

   
   

   This is from a January 2012 article in Business Barbados.

   Barbados has recently launched an initiative to bring its emerging medical tourism sector onto the world stage. With the selection of American World Clinics – Barbados, Ltd. (AWC), for the development of an international healthcare complex at the St. Joseph’s Hospital property in St. Peter,
   Barbados has once again demonstrated its commitment to quality and innovation.

   AWC will develop the 21.5-acre St. Joseph’s parcel into a complete healthcare campus. The hub of the campus will be a 100,000 square feet,

   This is from an August 2012 release from Winners Develops, LLC:

   PHOENIX, Aug. 30, 2012 /PRNewswire/ — Winners Development, LLC, today announced a partnership with American World Clinics (AWC) to jointly develop an international medical center in the nation of Barbados.

   The $100 million project will be located on a 21.5 acre site in St. Peters, Barbados and represents AWC’s first site in a global development program for the export of American medicine to the international community.
   The centerpiece of the project, a surgical specialty hospital will consist of 12 operating rooms to serve both international medical travelers and local patients in the Caribbean region. It will feature 60 inpatient beds, ICU capabilities, 12 operating rooms, an interventional lab, and state of the art facilities for diagnostics and therapeutics. Multidisciplinary clinic space, including dental and concierge medicine, will be located adjacent to the hospital.

   This is from an April 2013 report in a Bahamas

   $200m medical tourism facility proposed for Bahamas

   April 16, 2013

   NASSAU, Bahamas — Executives from the global health care venture American World Clinics (AWC) are in The Bahamas this week to discuss the establishment of the country’s biggest medical tourism facility — a $200 million-plus venture to create over 200 jobs post construction.

   President of AWC Robert Priddy will be meeting key officials in healthcare, tourism, finance and the business sector. The three-day schedule will include stops in New Providence at the Office of The Prime Minister, Tourism and Health Ministries as well as in Grand Bahama to the Port Authority and the Freeport Container Port, among other visits.

   “No one is going to places with cold climates for medical tourism,” said Priddy. “We believe The Bahamas is a perfect location in this region and gives us an opportunity to provide the best of global health care to patients from around the world and here in The Bahamas.”

   This is from an article in the September 22, edition of the Sunday Sun:

   Bumped

   BY MARIA BRADSHAW | SUN, SEPTEMBER 22, 2013 – 12:11 AM
   Barbados has lost its top spot with the American World Clinics (AWC).

   Four years after AWC approached Government about opening a medical tourism hospital here, its directors are now looking at alternative start-up locations because of the time it has taken to get the US$200 million project off the ground.

   AWC president Robert Priddy told the SUNDAY SUN that because of the lengthy delay Barbados might no longer be the location for the flagship mega facility.

   “We are in the process of evaluating opportunities including The Bahamas, the Canary Islands, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Turks and Caicos, Tobago and Nicaragua,” he said.

   “Lengthy delay” What are they talking about, it is only four years since they approached Barbados government.

   Could it be that local builders/contractors – Jada, Williams Construction – lobbied against AWC partnering with Winners Development, LLC. to develop/build the hospital facility.

   Now that this project appears to have been aborted, Minister Kellman can add this to the list of projects he is urging Barbadians not to “bad-mouth”

   The Minister should understand that it is not the projects that people “bad mourh”; it is the politicians that people are “bad mouthing”.

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4. 

   Well Well.

   September 22, 2013 at 12:05 pm

   
   

   Due Diligence sad:

   REAL Canadian investors do not have to go anywhere to source funds,

   Are these the same Canadian “investors” behind the Pure Beach project?

   ________________________________

   Kellman is probably just making it up as he goes along while praying that it all falls into place.

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5. 

   Well Well.

   September 22, 2013 at 12:09 pm

   
   

   As i said, if Inniss continued to act like he was dealing with his local buddies in this very lucrative venture for the island, those seasoned business people would see right through his BS and leave him standing right where he is right now, by the side of the road, unable to attract any real business to the island, word travels really fast in those North American circles……..that happens when you are not proactive.

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6. 

   balance

   September 22, 2013 at 9:28 pm

   
   

   “Let’s hope Kellman knows what he is talking about, ”
   Tell me the honest truth has Mr Kellman ever sounded to you like he knows what he is talking about? Rambling here, there and everywhere like Robocop as he was aptly referred to by Mr Hoyos in his column today. My guess is that people who should know better only humor and tolerate Mr Kellman because he is a politician.

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7. 

   Well Well.

   September 23, 2013 at 7:48 am

   
   

   Balance said:

   “My guess is that people who should know better only humor and tolerate Mr Kellman because he is a politician.”
   _________________________

   These people who should know better are tolerating Kellman at the taxpayers expense, just like themselves and should be ashamed.

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8. 

   DMc

   September 24, 2013 at 10:49 am

   
   

   However we in St. Lucy will always back Mr. Kellman unless the BLP sends a real man down here

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9. 

   balance

   September 24, 2013 at 12:36 pm

   
   

   However we in St. Lucy will always back Mr. Kellman unless the BLP sends a real man down here

   I EMPHATISE WITH YOU

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10. 

    FunmilayJones

    September 25, 2013 at 6:46 pm

    
    

    David, thanks immensely for your blog titled “Pickering Project Goes Boom!” I am fully aware of the probability that the following three ideas I am about to mention may have been suggested earlier and that you may have managed to find facts that negate or make obsolete my ‘two cents’ worth. I am taking a risk, because life without risks is not worth living. I read your piece and I was appalled by your disclosures surrounding the “belly-up” projects, the broken promises, the obvious improprieties and slackness of political leaders and government representatives that leave the Barbadian people at a loss for words.
    I went to the references you cited. I am therefore certain that even the visually impaired can see and understand the sordid aura surrounding the Project.
    Yesterday, 9/24/13 at about 5:30 AM. I woke up with the Pickering Housing & Town Center Development Project on my mind, but I could not compose a reply, because my thoughts were totally out-of-the-blue, pure speculation. Yet, after reading yesterday’s blog on the economy and learning that the MOF, the Governor of Central Banks, a PS and assistants were in London seeking investors, before heading to the US to do the same, I knew I had to say my peace. Criticize me if you will.
    From my perspective, the visits are indicative of desperation- the same desperation that led the late Prime Minister, the Honorable David Thompson to embrace and launch the subsequent aborted Pickering Project-a project surrounded by scandal and threats of lawsuits to be levied against the developers (Bradshaw, Nation News 7/18/13).
    1. Desperate Times Require Desperate Measures:
    The Project was to generate 800 million dollars in revenue. It was to stimulate the social and economic development of the Northern section of Barbados. The late Prime Minister assessed this Project as having the potential ‘to bring economic benefits at a time when foreign investments are desperately needed. ‘The same desperation exists even now. However, has government learned anything from the mess it finds itself?
    With the Pickering Project, 800 million dollars were to be generated, 600 people were to be employed, there was to be sustainable employment to support residential, and business features of development. It was to have brought in an estimated five hundred million US dollars in sales to non-residents. Imagine the joy the then Prime Minister and his party in the know might have felt knowing that all hands would be on deck, all sleeves rolled up to find investors to support their creative program. This was a desperate motley group of Dems working to ensure that they did their best to bring in investors that would help the Prime Minister and the Party realize their short and long-term goals, manage its impressions and be re-elected to another term.
    Denham Jolly purportedly claimed that Reynold Austin, then (and still is) President of the DLP Canada broached him for a loan which was to enhance and secure the re-election of the Party. Whether Austin asked for a loan or had asked him to invest is obtuse-to me. A loan would have required collateral from the borrower who would have agreed to pay an interest to the lender. If the borrower defaulted on the loan, then lender would have the right to place a lien on some property legally owned by the borrower. From my simple approach to this drama that is unfolding, if Mr. Jolly, on the other hand, were an investor, then the contract would be very different. Austin and the Party were desperate, and their desperation probably called for desperate measures and too often short cuts are made when there is desperation. Often more trouble than profit.
    Prime Minister Thompson transitioned and from where I observed, the spirit of the dreams for the nation appeared to have died with him at a time when the Barbadian and the world’s economies were and are still anemic. This was a time of uncertainty and pervasive desperation. It was remarkable that there were investors who could make investments of the magnitude required to develop the Pickering Project. The desperate times had intensified and continued- but there was HOPE, or so it seemed. What could have happened to make Pickering and other projects go BOOM? Was it poor planning? Poor management? Was it hindsight as opposed to foresight? On the other hand – was it no sight at all? Could someone or some entities have been behind a grand fraud to deliberately give nothing while appearing to give something, in order to get something of value for nothing?
    2. Are Governments Exempted from International Scams
    Thousands of individuals are scammed globally- daily. One needs only go to the Internet to discover the myriad frauds that occur in cyberspace. I had never considered government being naïve and capable of being scammed with equity until yesterday, five days after reading “Pickering Project Goes Boom!” The thought kept me awake and I could not go back to sleep. The threat of a lien on the 200,000 square feet of land by Jolly is troublesome. Is this part of a carefully thought out Confidence game? Is this a scam, or scams, that happened to a government desperate to prove itself and to attract foreign investments and investors to its shores. As the MOF and other members of Barbados’ delegation go a ’hunting for investors, have they taken time to learn the lessons associated with Pickering Project and others. Have they developed a mechanism to avoid a repeat performance?

    Before one gives a loan or invests in anything of such magnitude as $750,000.0, does it not make common economic sense, and is it not prudent to investigate the party or parties involved? Similarly, if a government is directly involved, then should said government not conduct a thorough investigation of prospective investors and their teams, before placing its representative’s signature on any agreement? What’s more, would on site visits not be made to the prospective project headquarters?

    In an era where fraud and inauthenticity appear pervasive, any public and private entity failing to be thorough is either incompetent, or consciously engaged in a brand of fraudulence of its own.

    If Danny Martinez, the Cuban architect, based in Florida was the designated architect and developer responsible for this billion-dollar development, then I agree that a field visit should have been essential. That it was not done speaks to incompetence and slackness on one hand, and a willful plan of fraud on the other.

    The Government and its affiliates were either willing or unwilling parties to a swindle culminating from desperation and possibly short cuts. If this is true, then how can it be avoided in the future and will the people of Barbados ever know what happened?

    3. The Questions Presented-
    I am going to examine the three questions you posed. Too asked:
    1. Why isn’t there anything of substance about possibly one of the largest projects of its kind in the Caribbean to be found in the public domain?

    This is a “helluva” good question. I too tried to find information on this project and you are not exaggerating. I can only conclude that there may be a very logical reason for this. It may not be found because, it is part of a CONFIDENCE game, and a major fraud played on the people of Barbados and the Caribbean.

    2. Why did the President of the DLP Canada Branch solicit funds from a Canadian investor for the Project? Is this not a conflict of interest?

    All Barbadians abroad are ambassadors of the country- that is the perspective I claim as my own. In my short term stint as Honorary Vice-Consul of Barbados to Boston, identifying prospective investors was part of the portfolio.

    I believe that every Barbadian living abroad has a responsibility to not only contribute to tourism, but to identify people to invest in projects that are profitable to Barbados and its people. This should be done for love of country, but too often one does not have the time to research prospective investors-some of whom may not be paragons of virtue.

    Unless the recruiter has worked with prospective investors, it is difficult to know the code of ethics under which the investor operates.

    In Reynold Austin’s case, it is highly feasible that he, guided by ego to ensure the re-election of HIS Party was motivated to bring home the bacon. He could have succumbed easily to a Confidence game.

    Could he have accepted a challenge from a prospective investor, to demonstrate his confidence in the Project by investing his own money? Could he, in good faith and expecting the project to soar, have found that he was in an ideal position to solicit more investors, simply because he was also one of them?

    In this case, I do not consider this a conflict of interest. How can Barbadian expect others to use their money, when they refuse and are unable to invest in their own country?

    David, you were able to locate a list with the name of the investors, but how much money did each investor make? How much did Austin lose and who received the receipts?

    3. How can the Barbados High Commissioner be Director and an investor in a private sector…?
    Again, he may have invested in something he believed in and agreed to serve, not only to protect his interest but that of everyone else involved. Barbadians should invest in Barbados. Is the HC not a Barbadian?
    Additionally, if he was unwittingly part of an attempt to defraud – and had in fact invested his own or other people’s money. Is he culpable? Is he not as much a victim as the government and the people of Barbados?
    In conclusion, it is unfortunate that the Pickering Project, the project of many identities, along with many other projects has gone and are going ‘belly-up”- the most to have occurred between the last three years. It is highly feasible that our leaders and we Barbadians have compromised our standards and methods of diligence required to recognize quality investment.
    It is highly feasible that in this compromise, if hard monies were there to finance the project, we have unwittingly opened the country to scammers who may still seek to recover their monies by trying to extort valuable collateral.
    It would be easy to blame Prime Minister Freundel Stewart for the economic woes of the country; it would be equally easy to affix blame to Minister Mia Mottley’s Opposition Party. However, from my perspective, blame cannot be the name of the game. Folk need to learn from the outcomes of desperation, that taking short cuts and political naïveté can be dangerous.
    Standards of operation must be put into place and implemented- to ensure that people or organizations with whom Government and/or its representatives are considering to negotiate are investigated and approved by UWI Multi-disciplinary team of researchers.
    I hope that by now there is a collaborational non-partisan mechanism between the University, Government and the corporate sectors to investigate potential investors targeted to meet national and regional developmental needs of these entities mentioned. I hope that by now there is a University Developmental Program Review Committee- a watchdog agency to look after Barbados and Regional interests.
    I trust that the delegation comprising the Governor of the Central Bank, the MOF are successful in their quests for money, but I hope that they would have already checked out would-be investors and make sure that any incentives will not compromise the sovereignty of Barbados or bring on a more rapid devaluation of the Barbadian dollar. In other words, I hope they are not demonstrably desperate

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11. 

    Due Diligence

    September 26, 2013 at 12:55 pm

    
    

    FunmilayJones | September 25, 2013 at 6:46 PM |

    It appears from your comments that you believe that there was some scamming going on with Pickering Court project, but it is not clear to me who you believe is the scamee and who is the scamer.

    Here is some info I gleaned from internet searches.

    Denham Jolly is a successful Jamaican Canadian businessman, and business associate of Reynold Austin, a Barbadian Canadian businessman. Given his long history in the business worlfd, i am sure Denham Jolly knows the difference between a loan and an equity investment.

    In 1988, Milestone Radio Inc. was formed by Denham Jolly, Reynold Austin, Zanana Akande, Carl Redhead, and Tony Davy. Their goal was to obtain a broadcast licence to operate a Toronto radio station with an Urban format.

    In 2000 Denham Jolly on behalf of Milestone Radio Inc. was granted a licence for a new FM station at Toronto, which became known as 93.5 The Flow FM. Milestone Radio Inc. was controlled by Foundco Inc. (70.1%), which was controlled by five individuals (Jolly, Austin, Akande, Redhead and Davey) with Mr. Denham Jolly being the major shareholder. Standard Radio Inc. was a minority shareholder in Milestone (29.9%).

    See: http://www.broadcasting-history.ca/index3.html?url=http%3A//www.broadcasting-
    history.ca/listings_and_histories/radio/histories.php%3Fid%3D401%26historyID%3D329

    In February 2011, CTV concluded the $27 million purchase of The New Flow 93.5 FM.

    See: http://www.thestar.com/entertainment/music/2011/02/02/ctv_takes_over_flow_935_fm.html

    In February 2011, Mr. Jolly, Mr. Austin and the other shareholders, then came into some serious cash. Assuming that as the major shareholder of Foundco, Mr. Jolly owned 50% of Foundco, his share of the $27 million would be about $9.5 million.

    In addition to being a minority shareholder in Foundco/93.5 FM, Reynold Austin is the President of DLP Barbados (Canada) and Principal of Austin Global Insurance and Financial Services inc.

    According the website http://reynoldaustin.com/austin_global.html

    “Austin Global Insurance and Financial Services is a full-service advisory firm offering comprehensive and integrated financial services in the fields of investment management, financial planning, taxation, and risk management. We have guided individuals, families, businesses, estates, trusts and qualified retirement plans to reach their goals since 1971.
    At Austin Global Insurance and Financial Services, our Advisors are experts in financial planning. Our experience has taught us to listen and learn, and then advise. We work hard to make our client partnerships successful.

    Knowing which way to turn in a financial world in flux requires experience and creativity. We have the insight to choose the right course no matter where you’re heading.”

    The above are the facts.

    What follows is an attempt to connect the dots.

    February 2011 Denham Jolly sells 93.5 Flow FM, and comes into a big chunk of cash, say $9.5 million. Reynold Austin says to his business associate, Denham Jolly, that his firm, Austin Global Insurance and Financial Services is is a full-service advisory firm offering comprehensive and integrated financial services in the fields of investment management, financial planning, taxation, and risk management. We have guided individuals, families, businesses, estates, trusts and qualified retirement plans to reach their goals since 1971. Can I help you invest your money. Mr Jolly agrees and Reynold Austin recommends an investment in the Pickering Court Project through the developer North Ridge Development Company Limited, which Austin assures Jolly it is a great investment because it was a centrepiece for the Government and the enhancement of their re-election.”

    Mr Jolly agrees to invest $750,000.00 in Pickering the project through a $750,000.00 loan to developer North Ridge; based on the recommendation of his long time business associate and financial planner Reynold Austin..

    Two years later (July 2013), Jolly claims he has received no principal or interest payments on the loan to North Ridge; so he contacts a local (Barbados) attorney to pursue a lawsuit against Pickering Court Development and North Ridge Development Company, in an effort to recover his $750,000.00,plus interest and fees.

    In hindsight it is easy to say Mr. Jolly should have done his own due diligence rather than simply accepting the advice of his long-time business associate and financial planner.

    So, assuming his claims are true, it appears that Denham Jolly was a scamee, not the scamer.; or at the very least was misled. That is up to the courts to decide. And there may be others.

    As far as ever seeing his $750,000.00 again, Mr. Jolly should not hold his breath while the courts hear the case he is bringing against North Ridge. That should be resolved in 10 or 20 years or so,

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12. 

    FunmilayJones

    September 28, 2013 at 3:07 pm

    
    

    David, I appreciate the time you have taken to respond to my lengthy comments, including my speculation re Pickering Project. You have re-stated and offered more facts for which I am genuinely grateful. . I would like to believe that the successful businessman Mr. Holly had to have known the difference between a loan and an investment. I was however unsure what it was. My comment was not intended to be contentious, nor was it questioning Holly’s business savvy or knowledge. Instead,, I am questioning what appears to be how this mess could have occurred. That there were short-cuts and betrayed confidence are clear. However, I would be irresponsible and reckless to speculate on the scammer and the scammee. You can appreciate that. Yet, the more I read, the more convinced I am that we have only touched a tip of the iceberg.

    I do not get worked up over much these days, but believe me- there is something about this Pickering Project that troubles me deeply. If there is fraud associated with that, it seems doubtful that the monies will be recovered. Things are not always what they seem. So the question is, since we are living in a time where there is desperate need for foreign investments, and Barbados needs to put its people to work, what measures can be taken to avoid giving HOPE to the people, only to have it killed. How can you, BU, act to not only inform the people, but what can be done to mobilize Barbadians to act decisively? I am not referring to getting people to behave contentiously and confrontationally with each other – without any direction. What can be done? The idea that the issue (Jolly’s) may not possibly b resolved for another 10 to 20 years is troublesome. How might this impact on future investors to Barbados?

    Thanks for the hard work you are doing. I appreciate your efforts. Let us know more about the projects that have gone BOOM.

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13. 

    David

    September 29, 2013 at 8:09 am

    
    

    @Jones

    It is Due Diligence who you need to congratulate. BU also appreciates the hours which he does to the benefit of the BU family.

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14. 

    Due Diligence

    September 29, 2013 at 4:13 pm

    
    

    David

    Thank you for you kind comment.

    So the question is

    Who is the scammer(s)

    Pickering Court Develoment?

    North Ridge Development Company Limited?

    North Ridge Development Directors (According to a June 20, 2010, article in the Nation) Evelyn Greaves, Stanley Yearwood, Wayne Cumberbatch, Rayhana Rahim and (Chairman) Yussuf Mohamed?

    Cuban American architect Danny Martinez?

    Can someone help us to further connect the dots?

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15. 

    PLANTATION DEEDS FROM 1926-2013 AND SEE MASSIVE FRAUD ,LAND TAX BILLS AND NO DEEDS

    September 30, 2013 at 7:02 am

    
    

    Pickering Project Goes BOOM! ,, more BOOMs to come,
    no clear title , so it will go boom at some stage .

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16. 

    Due Diligence

    September 30, 2013 at 9:47 am

    
    

    Plantation

    When will PURE Beach go BOOM

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