est. 2007

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Bringing News and Opinions to the People

Remove the Silence Shrouding Sam Lord’s Castle Project

Sam Lord’s story needs to be shared with us. It’s been a while now and it is important that the developments in the hotel sector are shared with all. The debt restructuring starting is also positive for us. Again they have only spoken to $500M worth of the debt so we need more info on the bigger picture here too – John A

Barbadians in this forum and elsewhere have expressed deep concern about how successive governments have allowed the idyllic Paradise Beach location to rot. It is an unpardonable sin what we have permitted and it is time Barbadians wake up and demand accountability for managing our affairs.  To rub salt in the wound Avinash Persaud and Prime Minister Mia Mottley played leading roles in what is popularly referred to as Four Seasons project. Shame!

As if it is not enough for our leaders to demonstrate contempt for the electorate and continual misuse of public funds seen at Paradise Beach, the potential exist for the same to occur at another idyllic and historic location.

In 2015 the former government negotiated concessionary financing to  restore the historic Sam Lords Castle. It is useful to remind Barbadians that Sam Lord’s Castle was built in 1820 and like Paradise and several other historic sites have been allowed to run to ruin. The most recent occurrence – deliberately destroyed by government with the blessing of the Barbados National Trust –   an archeological find at Fort George.

It is approaching 2 years since the former government broke ground at Sam Lord’s Castle to mobilize a loan of $170 million from the Chinese Export-Import Bank. Sam Lord’s when or if completed will be operated by hotel management company Wyndham Hotels and Resorts. Another project with a similar feel is the hotel to be built next to the liquidated Liquidation Centre on Bay Street reported to be managed by Hyatt when completed. What is positive about the Hyatt project is that there is an individual driving about Barbados in a duty free gifted Mercedes associated with the project. Maybe, just maybe this project will be completed.

It has been reported that the Chinese have vacated the Sam Lord’s Castle property and like Paradise, Merricks and several other tourism projects scattered across the island have been left to rot. Will we ever learn?

How will this government and others achieve objectives set to turn around the economy if projects cannot be brought to completion? This is where BLP, DLP and others will enter the debate to point fingers. Silly!

This blogmaster joins with John A to ask the Mia Mottley government to update the nation on the status of the Sam Lord’s Project. A followup question – has the default on debt affected this project? It is the right thing to do by a government preaching a message of being transparent.

 

 

68 responses to “Remove the Silence Shrouding Sam Lord’s Castle Project”

  1. WURA-War-on-U Avatar
    WURA-War-on-U

    Wuhloss…can’t even blame me for that one…ah said what i knew…and STILL….silence.

  2. bajanfreeparty Avatar
    bajanfreeparty

    Mia is in everything, she is the Roots with Cheltenham of all government land scam fraud in Barbados with CLICO and COW, If you all dont want to listen to find someone white to listen to, Very hard to wake up slaves, Massive Land fraud and PONZI Masters are now in power of Fraud, DLP was removed who cover for the BLP MIa family while made money now rich and gone far East, No 1.5 Billion Investment By China on Sam Lords when they found out then turn into 1.5 Billion Loan now DEAD, FOUR SEASON SAME CRIME BT MIA AND COW NOW DEAD,All things stink of Fraud and fake media, Nothing but lies by liars and dirty government You all warned over the years and during elections, You wanted nasty Mia now Enjoy her games to fools, PLANTATION DEEDS AND BFP DONT HAVE TO CHANGE ONE WORD, DPP, AG, COP 1 AND COP 2 ALL CROOKS and old pigs selling bullets to kill each other on the street and drug lords and white rich drug lords on the street , but nail clipper man did more time and people who took food, So Food is a bigger crime above all even murder by police! BFP

  3. John A Avatar
    John A

    Well I glad to see this question has been asked so let’s get some answers now.

    Why was the project stopped and what has caused China to pull the cord on this project? Will the project now be put on the market for sale? Is there a pending liability to China that must be settled first? Who is the legal owner of the project today?

    Lord have mercy so many questions, Mr Minister please come forward and answer them. As a tax payer I want to know the status of my asset and don’t make the mistake like the last set and sell it to Maloney so it can sit there and rust like Paradise is doing.

    Also why the useless RH press haven’t focused on this? Then again all dem good for is advertising fetes anyhow!

  4. BajanFeeParty 2023 or Sooner Avatar
    BajanFeeParty 2023 or Sooner

    Its very hard to find Investors in any projects in Barbados when the real people and their real banks are looking for ‘ Clear Title Land” to put their money, No one but COW and MIA will knowingly invest in Fraud and Trespass with other Peoples money acting as if the land belongs to them, and that to be their part of the investment of overpriced stolen land, , its a Matter of time before the truth comes out and all will be jailed , Only a Matter of time before Barbados government is taken to the International courts where they will be exposed and a Lien will be put on their overprices airplane TAXES to recover their money!Alex Mitchell BFP

  5. Miller Avatar
    Miller

    (Quote):
    Why was the project stopped and what has caused China to pull the cord on this project? Will the project now be put on the market for sale? Is there a pending liability to China that must be settled first? Who is the legal owner of the project today? (Unquote).
    +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

    It would be interesting, indeed, to find out what kind of security was pledged to obtain the loan from China.

    Was it the air or seaport, China’s favourite means of exercising its modern-day colonial-type control of these hand-to-mouth countries which pretend to be punching above their weight?

    But MAM need not worry too much.
    Her administration can always draw on the massive grant sitting in some offshore account which China ‘donated’ to Barbados under the Stuart administration to build a Performing Arts Centre at Brandons just off the Mighty Grynner Highway.

    The lies that politicians tell sometimes live after their demission or forced removal from office but the damage they cause always remains as tombstones to their immorality.

  6. David Avatar
    David

    This article is dated February 2019 and quotes Stuart Layne a respected civil servant?

    ‘Late 2020 opening’ for Sam Lord’s hotel

    Article by
    Emmanuel Joseph Published on
    February 19, 2019

    The redevelopment of Sam Lord’s Castle into a hotel carrying the Wyndham brand is expected to be ready for business toward the end of 2020, almost a year behind schedule, Parliament was told today.

    But Government funding for the project has been cut from the initial $30 million, according to the 2019/2020 Estimates.

    The hotel resort was scheduled to be completed this winter, but Chief Executive Officer of the Barbados Tourism Investment Inc, Stuart Layne, revealed today that there are two major obstacles in completing one of the blocks of close to 200 rooms.

    Layne, who did not elaborate, told this to the newly-established standing finance committee of the House of Assembly. He is among the first technocrats to appear alongside ministers to answer questions from lawmakers under revised rules of the lower chamber for the annual appropriations debate.

    Minister of Tourism and International Transport Kerrie Symmonds had asked Layne to update the House on the Sam Lord’s project in response to a request from Opposition Leader Bishop Joseph Atherley.

    Stuart said: “The project itself is 450-room hotel to five-diamond specifications. It is a Wyndham brand. In other words, the Wyndham brand would be responsible for managing the property.”

    He said the funding was provided by Government in its Estimates through a $170 million loan from the Bank of China.

    But the BTII chief executive noted that the estimated cost of the overall project is $200 million with Government to provide counterpart funding.

    In response to the Opposition Leader’s other request to know the amount of money owed to landowners whose properties were compulsorily acquired by Government to facilitate the project, Layne could not give a figure.

    Layne told the House: “In relation to the issue of land, yes, there is an outstanding amount. The land was compulsorily acquired by the Government and there is a balance which I don’t have with me since it is calculated daily; but there is some outstanding balance still to be paid on the land.”

    But this answer did not satisfy the Opposition Leader.

    During her time asking questions, Minister of Economic Affairs and Investment Marsha Caddle revealed that the capital spending of $30 million in the Estimates was to be slashed by almost half.

    She said Government was willing to have a “marginal contribution” in some projects in order to prove to investors they were viable.

    “The $30 million that is seen here as allocated to Sam Lords Castle, which is to be officially reduced in these Estimates to $18 million, and the reason it is to be reduced to $18 million is because of this Government’s intention to sell it on as been reference earlier,” said Caddle, who indicated that Government was keen on being more of a facilitator.

    She told fellow lawmakers that so far US$42 million has been drawn down from the Exim Bank of China “with another US$9 million pending”.

  7. Vincent Codrington Avatar
    Vincent Codrington

    Wuh Loss. What kind of dodgy financing is this? Is GoB the chief squatter? Who owns the title deeds to Sam Lords Castle?

  8. Vincent Codrington Avatar
    Vincent Codrington

    I asked before and I ask again:” How come a 450 room hotel can be approved for an area with a tiny shoreline?

  9. ks Avatar
    ks

    Oh dear…. I smell a rat!!!

  10. Miller Avatar
    Miller

    @ David October 19, 2019 9:15 AM

    If only this same “respected civil servant” could provide a similar report on the status and an account of the expenditures incurred in respect of the Pierhead Marina and the Bridgetown Sugar Point cruise ship terminal; both of which were widely touted as economic and tourism game changers for the ailing country during the tenure of the previous DLP administration.

  11. Vincent Codrington Avatar
    Vincent Codrington

    @ Pachamama

    Is this a new concept of Strategic Finance? Please explain. I cannot afford to wait for 20/20 vision.

  12. TheOGazerts Avatar
    TheOGazerts

    I am counting on others to demystify the accounting.

    The idea of the cheating Chinese running amok in Africa, but scampering away from Barbados brings a smile to my face.

  13. Vincent Codrington Avatar
    Vincent Codrington

    @ TheOGazerts at 9:49 AM

    If I did not know better I would be skinning my “teets” too.

  14. John A Avatar
    John A

    @ Vincent.

    Just carry your cheque book to the 2020 and all miracles will be revealed!

  15. David Avatar
    David

    Where are the DLPites on the blog who should be aware of the original deal?

    Where are the BLPites on the blog who should be aware of the current status of the project?

    One politicial class.

  16. WURA-WAR-on-U Avatar
    WURA-WAR-on-U

    “She told fellow lawmakers that so far US$42 million has been drawn down from the Exim Bank of China “with another US$9 million pending””

    ah can’t remember how much the petty little yardfowl said was already drawn down, but what was noted is according to the lenders, the work done…DID NOT MATCH THE DRAW DOWN…and to date, many buildings are incomplete….that is what i was told, am just the messenger.

  17. John A Avatar
    John A

    @ Miller

    This maybe another one of those deals we never get the truth on. One thing is for sure China don’t ever offer a deal without securing it well. That may well be another white elephant that will sit there now as a result of the “structure” of the deal.

  18. WURA-WAR-on-U Avatar
    WURA-WAR-on-U

    So if 51 MILLION US was drawn down…it is really, really easy to TIEF 50 or 75 MILLION BARBADOS DOLLARS outta that, trying to remember the exact amount i heard disappeared, but according to those in the know it disappeared under DLP and if true, the present government is helping cover it up with their SILENCE………..to what end we have to ask…but because of that, work had to be halted am told, while investigations by lenders continue.

  19. Enuff Avatar
    Enuff

    David
    But the knowitall already tell you what she was told. You don’t trust her? Murdaa de cat got pups!!🤣🤣🤣

  20. WURA-WAR-on-U Avatar
    WURA-WAR-on-U

    The know it all did not believe it either…and said so, but somehow none of yall big mouth fowls can explain anything, neither ya masters, people were DEPENDING on that project for jobs…no reason for them to lie and those who oversaw the project had to explain to them what realy happened…

    …yall like to hide and tief money and land…but can never hide and work it..

    BTW…ya see the elderly in US and other jurisdictions whose land and money ya tiefing lawyers stole years ago, not all of them died, and they are being ENCOURAGED to come forward……ticktock says the clock..

    me nah tief from a living nor dead soul….

  21. NorthernObserver Avatar
    NorthernObserver

    “I asked before and I ask again:” How come a 450 room hotel can be approved for an area with a tiny shoreline?”

    I believe the shoreline is quite large. It runs on both sides of the Lookout/Turtle Crawl point, meaning above and below. Last time I went and looked, a few squatters had established themselves in ramshackle huts on the below side, which is a great beach.
    And it appeared the construction was extending up to the property limits on the Cave Bay side of the property. I would “guess” there has to be 800ft of waterfrontage or more. Nor was it using any of the area in the old “castle”, or at least construction did not currently extend into that area.

  22. John A Avatar
    John A

    Wait in other countries they have this thing called an opposition party that supposed to bring things like this to light, we don’t have one of them here? Plus we had nuff want to be politicians at the last elections wanting my vote. All dem dead. I wonder if this deal is ISO9000 compliant if not I better ask Grenville too if he would look into it, surely if we had ISO9000 this would stop thiefing and cure cancer too!

    The other thing I see on CNN is a type of person called ” an investigator journalist” we ain t got them here either then? I mean I know It is Tv and nuff things does get make up, but I said I would still ask.

    Bunch of poor ass excuses for each we got here drawing salaries.

  23. NorthernObserver Avatar
    NorthernObserver

    While it is always useful to have information, this current administration likely has great insight into the Four Seasons property, and that “special purpose vehicle” which was created, Clearwater Bay, to guarantee monies. The PM represented at least one company involved, Persaud was supposedly at the helm.

  24. David Avatar
    David

    @enuff

    Nobody knows every thing.

  25. Pachamama Avatar
    Pachamama

    Hotels come and hotels go but where is this model of development taking us?

    Have not seen its limitations?

  26. Pachamama Avatar
    Pachamama

    We

  27. Piece the Legend Avatar
    Piece the Legend

    It is a vert interesting thing that The BTII and one Suart Latne A RESPECTABLE CIVIL SERVANT, has featured recently in ever RH failed tourism project that his agency has had the displeasure to touch.

    But hold on a second is that agency not the same one that Darcy Boyce also served on?

    Dat is very interesting but probably just a coincidence?

    On an unrelated topic, I wonder if a careful examination of overseas accounts in names of family members studying overseas might reveal?

  28. Piece the Legend Avatar
    Piece the Legend

    Stuart Layne

  29. Wily Coyote Avatar
    Wily Coyote

    Bloggers have to ask themselves and THINK about all these recent hotel project cancellations. The CANCELLATIONS are the result of IMF putting the BRAKES on all this frivolous living above your means SPENDING. IMF is holding Barbados Government FOOT to the FIRE, so to speak.

    Another question bloggers should consider, now that Barbados Government has agree to a Foreign Debt Restructuring settlement, what are the consequences going to be on the Barbados Banking system. Wily predicts Scotiabank will leave Barbados, RBC ? and First Caribbean(CIBC) will re-list their Caribbean division for sale on the New York Stock Exchange. Debt settlement has now freed up these large Canadian Banks of the Debt Albatross that was restricting their ability to SELL.

  30. John A Avatar
    John A

    Republic will undoubtedly end up taking over Scotia here in Barbados as soon as they are finish with the take over of Scotia St Maarten, which should be finished by the end of November.

    The Canadian banks can then lick their wounds compliments of the restructuring, book the losses and head home.

  31. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    How come a 450 room hotel can be approved for an area with a tiny shoreline ?

    Who says a hotel has to be near a shoreline ?

    Years ago I spent a week in August and 3 weeks in November at a resort in Nashville. Best work / vacation ever.

    At the time they had 1200 rooms and the entire resort was climate controlled.

  32. Vincent Codrington Avatar
    Vincent Codrington

    @ Hants at 2:19 PM

    Barbados hotels should. Very few tourists to the Caribbean come to work in a climate control environment. Where are most of our hotel plants located ? On the coast. That is our main attraction. What has been the recent controversy on the South Eastern,South and West coasts? Beach space. Fit for purpose my dear Hants.

  33. David Avatar
    David

    The BLP labeled the ten years of DLP government a government of silence. What are we seeing with the Sam Lords and a couple other matters?

    Silence!

  34. John A Avatar
    John A

    David remember the same BLP were in the house when the DEMS slid the Accra Beach Lot into the Blue Horizon sale and said nothing to us the public. Unfortunately I never shared your optimism about the transparency they promised and said so from day 1.

    As many say here the duopoly rule

  35. John A Avatar
    John A

    The other question is how much did China lose in the just finished debt restructuring and how does that loss reflect on the stoppage at Sam Lords? Is it in any way related and what security does China hold on the Sam Lords project? They like to hold earning state assets for security, so tell us Mr Minister what state asset are we at risk of losing?

    I will not hold my breath for a response of course.

  36. NorthernObserver Avatar
    NorthernObserver

    @JohnA
    to be fair, the beach front lot had always been part of the Blue Horizon property. What wasn’t done, when the GoB acquired the property, was to remove the seaside portion, and/or to place restrictions on the said water/beachfront lands.

    @Pacha
    many moons ago I found my ass in Doha. It was +/-1988, and there was a building boom. I often wondered what these people would do, were it not for the oil. The revenue from which went into a few pockets. Since then I have wondered likewise in several places. The Barbados natural resource is its climate. A great many places survive on Tourism of one kind or another. It is not something to be ashamed of. Yes it is nice to have ancillary forms of revenue, but making small of tourism doesn’t develop alternates.

  37. John Avatar
    John

    Vincent Codrington
    October 19, 2019 9:36 AM

    I asked before and I ask again:” How come a 450 room hotel can be approved for an area with a tiny shoreline?

    +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

    There will be plenty caves under the site for the simple reason that sea level is where it is.

    It the 450 rooms are vertical, the foundation of the hotel needs to be seriously good.

    Nowadays there are technologies that show up the voids and no engineer is going to take chances.

    My guess is the foundation will burst the budget before many of the 450 rooms can be built!!

    Remember the VAT building in Warrens?

    Barak (no relation to Hussein Obama as far as I know) got $84 million because no one had planned on meeting a cave.

    Remember the Dome had a collapse and someone got killed when it was under construction.

  38. John Avatar
    John

    Isn’t $84 million the sum of money blown on Sam Lords to date?

  39. WURA-WAR-on-U Avatar
    WURA-WAR-on-U

    If there was an over 400 million dollar loan, they had to have been a drawdown to start the project, those local thieves lie so much ya don’t know how much of taxpayer’s money was used or stolen…sitting in someone’s offshore account, we are left to speculate, but i doubt China would be investigating money the Bajan belonging to taxpayers that disappeared, me thinks they would investigate their own losses..

    If China got robbed by the local crooks, they might have to set up their own complaint bureau..

    Am sure these tiefing lawyer’s victims in US willl set up their own complaints office at some point in time….lol

    “Barbadians whose properties have been stolen by corrupt lawyers.

    Nationals and non nationals are urged to write your complaints to:

    London Foreign & Commonwealth Secretary, Caribbean Section,
    King Charles Street,
    London 1AA,
    England”

  40. WURA-WAR-on-U Avatar
    WURA-WAR-on-U

    dah is wuh happen wen ya bite off more than ya could chew…eyes bigger than ya stomach..lol, lol, ha, ha, ha…murdahhhh!!!

    what are the petty little fowls saying now…

  41. Tron Avatar
    Tron

    Today I have to interrupt my silence for once.

    As predicted, our beloved government has reached an agreement with the international creditors on the debt denominated in foreign currency.

    What a difference to the cavemen from the DLP, whose ministers couldn’t even eat with a knife and fork. Our Most Honourable Prime Minister is making a great gift to her people before Christmas. It is now time for the opposition to fall in the dust before Mia Mottley and kiss her feet.

  42. David Avatar
    David

    The Chinese lent to restore Sam Lords and it was done with Chines labour, Connect the dots. Before posting we should THINK!

  43. Wily Coyote Avatar
    Wily Coyote

    @John A

    Here’s Wilys thoughts…..?

    POSSIBLE SCOTIABANK BARBADOS HAPPENINGS

    Scotiabank continues to operate as is.(Not likely)
    Scotiabank bank sold to Republic Bank.(Likely)
    Scotiabank sold to Government of Barbados to act as NEW   NATIONAL BANK.(Possibility, If GoB can find funds)
    Scotiabank taken over by Guyana Central Bank.(Not Likely)

    Guyana Central Bank(GCB) being part of the New DEBT Consortium creditors it’s likely that GCB is going to take over Scotiabank Guyana as NEW NATIONAL BANK.

  44. WURA-WAR-on-U Avatar
    WURA-WAR-on-U

    Me thinks some are missing the part where the accusation states, …there was a LOAN…the loan was NOT TO THE CHINESE………money went missing UNDER the previous government…NOT THE CHINESE……i mean it’s easy…all the government has to do is come out and SAY WHAT REALLY HAPPENED…how hard is that…if there was no loan and no money missing say that too…

  45. WURA-WAR-on-U Avatar
    WURA-WAR-on-U

    ah getting me wine and popcorn ready for when those CATS HAVE PUPS…lol, lol..

  46. David Avatar
    David

    @John A

    Several hours later and not a single iota of info to suggest the current status of Sam Lord’s Castle. Maybe the Nation newspaper will surprise the nation tomorrow morning with a headline. The Sunday editor Carol Martindale may yet deliver.

  47. John A Avatar
    John A

    Wily I agree with you on your prognosis. Guyana with the boom they have ahead can easily find the foreign exchange to buy Scotias operation there. If they did acquire it now I would say their timing is excellent, as they would own their own bank to deposit their foreign oil earnings into. I don’t think alot of people understand the power and wealth Guyana will be in control of shortly.

    As for Barbados I doubt the IMF would entertain our government buying Scotia. I like you see it going to Republic which I support 100 percent.

  48. John A Avatar
    John A

    @ David.

    Even if the Nation come with a story it will be short on important facts. What ever the reason behind this is it seems to be an embarrassing one for us and I believe will be withheld. Don’t get me wrong we will be told some watered down short on detail explanation, but it will lack facts.

  49. David Avatar
    David

    On another note.

    Facilitation of business improving
    Article by
    Marlon Madden
    Published on
    October 17, 2019

    Following recent rounds of Social Partnership talks, the private sector says it is pleased with progress being made by Government to address the vexing issue of business facilitation.

    However, while indicating that the business community would be doing all it could to help speed up the process, Chairman of the Barbados Private Sector Association (BPSA) Edward Clarke is cautioning that changes will not take place “overnight”.

    Representatives of the tripartite Social Partnership arrangement – labour movement, Government and the private sector – recently had closed door meetings to discuss a range of national issues from doing business, appointments of public servants and public sector reform.

    Clarke said he was satisfied that a lot of work had gone into trying to reform state-owned entities and “trying to ensure that we transform how things are being done in Barbados”.

    However, he warned that there was still a lot of work to be done.

    “People are expecting things to happen overnight but you cannot correct systemic problems overnight. These things take time,” he said.

    “We have to transform how we do business. Certainly the ease of doing business is a general target of the Social Partnership to try and improve in that area wherever we can, to pick the low-hanging fruit and fix them quickly, but there are some systemic issues that have to be addressed and the Prime Minister and the Government have set certain targets and we are working with them to try and achieve these targets,” said Clarke.

    He said one of those targets was getting public sector employees to adapt to new technology to make doing business in Barbados easier.

    “In Barbados we have a lot of methods and processes of doing things because it was done so for the last 25 years, and we need to move away from that and try to look at improving how we do business. I think the Government has started to do that, rightfully so, and we are going to work with them to try and achieve the targets that are being set,” he said.

    The BPSA head said while the transformation targets set by Government under the Barbados Economic Recovery and Transformation programme were “very aggressive”, he was pleased that several committees have been established to help in the process.

    “So wherever the private sector can help we are going to work with Government and the labour unions to resolve the issues,” said Clarke. marlonmadden@barbadostoday.bb

  50. John Avatar
    John

    David
    October 19, 2019 5:34 PM

    The Chinese lent to restore Sam Lords and it was done with Chines labour, Connect the dots. Before posting we should THINK!

    +++++++++++++++++++++

    Trump got the Chinese in sh!t!!

    Like everyone else they got to watch their coppers!!

    An unbudgeted item could send things south and not so much money to launder.

    Oh, by the way, The Hilton, Hyatt and Marriot families all passed through here and almost certainly, were all Quakers!!

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