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Submitted by Xavier T

The clip on CBC TV last night about Atlantic Breeze raises a lot of queries for both present and future owners and means that Proconco Housing Ltd who are the developers of the project must answer.  

1. If Proconco is a serious and qualified developer, are they not responsible for repairing these identified defects at the homes in a swift and professional manner?

2. Is it normal for defects/snags to continue to occur nearly two years after the first house was constructed?

3. Why should home owners be burdened by these defects? Did they not purchase a new home in good faith from the developer which should be 100% perfect?

4. Do the cracks in many homes mean that there is a systemic problem? The solution to this problem seems to elude the developer as many appear again some months after being repaired.

5. Should the mortgage lenders have some obligation to inform potential buyers about the problem?  

6. How safe should new home owners feel about purchasing a new home in the development?

7. Due to these problems, should the National Housing Corp (who are the owners of the land), appoint an independent structural engineer to approve the construction of these houses before being turned over to new owners?  

Related story:

Update: Atlantic Breeze Development – a class action lawsuit waiting to happen

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70 responses to “Questions regarding Atlantic Breeze”

  1. Bush Tea Avatar
    Bush Tea

    Amen @ Thunder

  2. M.A.M. Avatar
    M.A.M.

    I am that white lady who spoke – I am not a Bajan but am married to a Bajan. The reason I was the spokesperson for the homeowners is because 95% of the homeowners are local young families with big mortgages facing financial ruin after warranty expires if these homes are not repaired properly. Please bear in mind that most of these young professionals have either government or other jobs and are afraid of speaking out in public and losing said jobs which would bring disaster down upon their families. I am simply someone no longer beholden to a job or career and therefore am not risking financial ruin. I was voted by owners to be the spokesperson. Assumptions now corrected I hope.

  3. Pachamama Avatar
    Pachamama

    Typical of the exceptional Whites.

    A builder, which is supposed to bring all the skills needed to evaluate foundations for example and find technical methods to ameliorate, as one of the valuation metrics, sold houses and mek all the money, but somehow the resident baccra here on BU would find that government and not the builder holds liability.

    This has always been the nature of local Whites and their ilk. They are to get all the upsides but the downsides are and were always to be transferred to the government and by extension the people.

    For White people in Barbados, and by extension their much beloved capitalist system throughout the world, could only mek money through the monopoly over central government.

    Democracy?

    What a fucking joke!

  4. David Avatar
    David

    @M.A.M

    Since the publicity brought to this matter has there been a response from the developer? This AB situation has the potential to set the standard for what is expected from this and other developers going forward.

  5. TLSN Avatar
    TLSN

    @M.A.M.
    February 25, 2024 at 3:33 pm

    There is no real need to pass comment on M.A.M.’s above commentary. Just for the record, Barbados became a republic in 2021 when it consigned her majesty (may she rest in peace) to the scrap heat. We believed at the time that the shackles were removed permanently. That Barbados majority population felt compelled to hide behind the skirt of this heroic lady speaks volumes. Perhaps the momentous event from 2021 was just a figment of our imagination.

    I hope the real “M.A.M”, our dearest prime minister, will address this issue in rapid time. The optics are truly awful. William Skinner’s comments suggest @February 23, 2024 at 8:09 suggests that these controversies are hardly nouveau.

    This case has jogged my memory from a few years back when two British female professors where, unfortunately, raped in Barbados by what was believed to be a black serial rapist. A man was arrested and the case went to court. The two professors made it clear the police inspectors that the suspect in custody was not the man. The case went to court. The two professors were so enraged that the man was not going to get a fair hearing. So they flew out to Barbados to give evidence. If they had not, the man would have be convicted and found guilty.

  6. David Avatar
    David

    Why is it a case of flawed construction must descend into a racist rant TLSN for crissakes.

  7. TLSN Avatar
    TLSN

    @ David,
    How on earth and where have you found racism in my contribution! I have described M.A.M as being heroic.

    I have included the story of the case of the serial rapist as well to point out that something is serious wrong in Barbados. There is absolutely no racism in my piece. Please could you retract your accusation David.

    You have really hit me below the belt. Reread my statement. If you believe it is racist then remove it.

  8. TLSN Avatar
    TLSN

    I wonder how many acres of trees will need to be cleared in order to develop Vaughs Plantation?

  9. Pachamama Avatar
    Pachamama

    Those who presume to confront social problems in the absence of the interrogation of race, class, gender, governance, politics, economy etc are attempting to swim against the tide of a preponderance of work done by far better minds.

    Indeed, everything must to connected to every other thing.

    For there is nothing, nothing, nothing in this world which can be understood abstention these fundamental drivers.

  10. Tron Avatar
    Tron

    Our commentators completely forget that it doesn’t really matter who acts as public representative under Baloney. The White Shadows have ruled the island since 1627. Emancipation is merely a social construct, not a reality.

    Think about it: in the past the white shadows exploited the labour of blacks on their plantations, however they had to provide food, clothes and shelter, today blacks even have to pay to live on the Atlantic Breeze plantation.

    I ask you, the lack of economic freedom was greater in the past or today? It’s all a matter of perception …

    Tron, always fair and balanced

  11. John Avatar
    John

    Pachamama
    February 25, 2024 at 4:05 pm
    Rate This

    Typical of the exceptional Whites.

    A builder, which is supposed to bring all the skills needed to evaluate foundations for example and find technical methods to ameliorate, as one of the valuation metrics, sold houses and mek all the money, but somehow the resident baccra here on BU would find that government and not the builder holds liability.

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

    WRONG as a certain Orange Individual would say.

    Just think about the $84 million the GOB had to pay Barak, the Builder.

    What colour was Barak?

    The VAT Building was built on a cave which became apparent during construction.

    Same Principle in the Warrens area which is intersected by a huge gully and myriad others which is a sure sign of caves and voids in the karst.

    The BS&T Astrodome suffered a cave collapse and killed a man during construction if memory serves me right. The owner, BS&T is probably the one who had to recompense the family.

    Caves are a feature of the area. Other multistorey buildings exist in the Warrens area upstream of Waterford Bottom so clearly engineers have figured out what to do to mitigate the risk.

    The builder enters into a contract to build according to plans and specifications laid down by the owner.

    He only has to meet the specifications. He is liable if he doesn’t.

    The owner has recourse against the Registered Professional Engineer who draws up the plan and who will or should have Professional Insurance,

    Mistakes do happen.

    If the mistake in specification is egregious enough, the Registered Engineer himself bears the consequence.

    Arch Cot cave collapse occurred because the owner of the land decided to build a house on top of a cave (maybe that was how the name Arch was derived). Town Planning in the 60’s forbad the building of any structure on the cave but somebody with power of override in the late 70’s or early 80’s allowed it (Hint, had to the be the PM as minister responsible for Town Planning!!).

    Now if the contractor is dumb enough to prepare the plans and specifications himself then the fault lies with him because he owns the land and looks to keep all functions in house.

    He is responsible.

    It is like a property owner hiring a draftsman with no engineering qualifications to draw house plans and keep costs down, a common occurrence in Barbados.

    The draftsman may be able to copy old plans but in the absence of supervision by an engineer, the owner of the house and the draftsman incur the liability.

    I would imagine the lender would also incur some liability because he lent based on specifications which may or may not have had a flaw in them and did not do due diligence to ensure the public is not harmed.

  12. John Avatar
    John

    Pachamama
    February 25, 2024 at 7:08 pm
    Rate This

    Those who presume to confront social problems in the absence of the interrogation of race, class, gender, governance, politics, economy etc are attempting to swim against the tide of a preponderance of work done by far better minds.

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

    The law determines strict liability, none of these other spurious considerations.

    Barak and the owner, the GOB, faced the lawcourts which found the GOB was liable for the costs to Barak the builder required to mitigate the deficient specifications supplied by the owner.

  13. John Avatar
    John

    Remember

    https://barbadosfreepress.wordpress.com/2011/04/05/why-al-barrack-will-never-win-against-the-barbados-government-the-fix-is-in/

    https://barbadosfreepress.wordpress.com/2010/10/15/al-barrack-gets-it-wrong-again-its-not-racism-its-business-as-usual/

    Barak has gone away so he seems to have won, or did he?

  14. David Avatar
    David

    It appears that Mark Maloney was encouraged to meet with residents after the adverse publicly that development has been reaping in recent weeks. Good for the residents, hope they are able to make headway with their concerns.

  15. 555dubstreet Avatar
    555dubstreet

    If the Government fail to act, then ask the Opposition to do so.

  16. 555dubstreet Avatar
    555dubstreet

    “There is absolutely no racism in my piece. Please could you retract your accusation David.

    You have really hit me below the belt. Reread my statement. If you believe it is racist then remove it.”

    You are a renown shit stirrer truth be told
    I hope this helps to clarify
    truthfully

  17. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    start

    https://www.bia.bb/architectural-services

  18. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    Any cracking updates from the Atlantic ?

  19. David Avatar
    David

    HOPE project facing challenges, says Prime Minister

    PRIME MINISTER and Minister of Finance Mia Amor Mottley yesterday admitted there were challenges with the Home Ownership Providing Energy (HOPE) Project, which was touted to revolutionise the housing concept in Barbados.

    Delivering the Financial Statement and Budgetary Proposals in the House of Assembly yesterday, she outlined some of the issues confronting the significantly delayed project at Lancaster, St James, which was plagued recently with resignations by most of its senior staff.

    Giving what she called an honest explanation, Mottley said the project, which got under way during the COVID-19 pandemic, was initially supposed to be undertaken by the Chinese.

    “HOPE started during the pandemic with very ambitious objectives. However, with disruption in the global supply chain, it became clear that we needed an industrial process in order to effectively deliver climate-resilient homes for low-income Barbadians. After the passage of Hurricane Elsa, Cabinet took a decision to engage with the East-West Company out of China to help with the rebuilding process.

    “The initial plan was for Chinese labour to do the work. However, as fate would have it, the personnel with the expertise could not obtain transit visas to get to Barbados. We investigated getting labour from the Gulf States but after 11 months of trying, we realised we had to use labour from Barbados which was more expensive than the other sources of labour.”

    Mottley revealed that an independent, reputable quantity surveying firm called BCQS, had conducted an independent assessment which “demonstrates that whilst the costs were over the original budget, they were in line with market expectations compared to the resource out of China”.

    She added: “In October last year and again in January this year, I indicated there were challenges and that I will address them later. Mr Speaker, later is now! We have developed an industrial process at HOPE and with the reforms indicated earlier from the development of the lands, swift execution of mortgage transactions, procurement of materials and the construction of houses, the Government has put the necessary systems in place to ensure that we can ramp up.”

    The Prime Minister said Government had identified 1 652.6 acres of Government land and a target of 10 000 housing solutions in a fiveyear period, in one of the most ambitious housing programmes the country would ever have seen.

    “Our ambition exceeded national capacity and we have had some challenges, but given the NHC’s (National Housing Corporation) long waiting lists of people wanting to own a piece of the rock and the huge, pent up demand for housing, we have to increase capacity to deliver rather than scale back the programmes.”

    Yet, she noted that despite all the challenges in the last two years, 1 119 housing solutions were delivered.

    “We would like to see at least 1 000 per year . . . . The Government is putting in place measures to expedite the property transfer process. We have embarked on a joint venture programme with the private sector for the construction and provision to Barbadians of some 2 561 housing solutions from St Lucy to St Philip and every parish in between. Many of these have already started.” (MB)

    Source: Nation

  20. David Avatar
    David

    https://www.instagram.com/share/BALYe7q7em

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