Tag Archives: BIPA

What a CLICO MESS!

Posted on by
36

The following extracted from the Barbados Investors & Policyholders Facebook page – David, Barbados Underground

Barbados Investors & Policyholders Alliance

5 hrsBIPA is aware of the cessation of premium payments to ResLife with immediate effect and understands that as the Government of Barbados is pushing ahead with its mandate to dissolve the ResLife operations, then this first step in the process is a necessary one.However, BIPA continues to be in communication with the Boards of ResLife and NLICO to make sure that BIPA is kept informed of developments as we wish to avoid any more unpleasant surprises causing shock and awe to policyholders, especially our most vulnerable policyholders; the elderly. Their lives have already been disrupted and devastated by this injustice and they simply cannot take any more grief.

BIPA has submitted over 60 questions anticipating those which are likely to be asked by policyholders and will keep its members informed as responses to those questions and other details come to hand.
Image may contain: text

CLICO Investors Passing from this World, Liquidators Earning Millions in Fees

Posted on by
67
The following extracted from the Barbados Investors & Policyholders Alliance (BIPA) Facebook Page.

bipa1

Hopefully this will reach the eyes of those who are dragging their feet and will put enough fire under them to speed things up. If Barbados’ 50th Anniversary arrives on 30th November and policyholders have not seen the start of their money coming back, BIPA will have plenty to say about it.

Nation News Monday 12th September

Image may contain: 1 person , text

WITH SOME MEMBERS dying before any resolution in the CLICO/BAICO insurance debacle, the head of the Barbados Association of Retired Persons (BARP) has called for quicker action to conclude the rescue deal. “They don’t have a lot of time left and they need to have this thing settled within their lifetime as rapidly as possible,” said Ed Bushell. “A lot of these people who made the investment were in their 70s and 80s and some would have passed on without any hope.” The BARP leader was among more than 50 people attending the annual general meeting of the Barbados Investors & Policyholders Alliance (BIPA) at the St Gabriel’s School last Wednesday.

Bushell said BARP members were very concerned about the time being taken to resolve the problem, and he expressed mixed views about the current situation. “Coming out of this meeting I can see some light at the end of the tunnel. However, I hope it’s not an oncoming train. Based on the information that we got, I think we are going in the right direction. My major concern is the slow pace at which the judicial manager is working,” he said.

“Some of my members who took their savings and invested in CLICO, we’re not going to get into whether they were right to do it or not, but the fact is they did it and because of mis-management, they’re now placed in a position where they have become the genteel poor. They are asset rich and cash poor. Even those who are left with a house can’t sell it because of the market now. So they’re between a rock and a hard place and they need to get this thing resolved as soon as possible.”

A minute’s silence in honour of four members who died within the last year was observed at the meeting. BIPA officials said they feared the numbers could be far higher given that many policyholders were not members of the organisation. And they said the situation was further worrying, given the age of other members, the eldest of whom was 92. During the AGM, members were given the news that the September 30 timeline to transfer CLICO policies to the new company, Resolution Life, did not seem likely.

New Life Investment Company Inc. (NLICO), the holding company created by Government, is the sole shareholder of Resolution Life. BIPA vice president Deighton Smith, who represents BIPA on NLICO, described the process as “walking through thick mud”, and said several major issues had not been resolved.
He told the meeting that there appeared to be no urgency on the part of the judicial manager, which had caused the process to move at a very slow rate.

“Once all of these instruments have been agreed to, then the liabilities will be transferred from CLICO to Resolution Life. The reason that it has not been transferred yet is that the valuation of the portfolio has not been completed and you can’t transfer it until you’re absolutely sure of what you’re transferring in terms of the amounts” he explained. Smith said BIPA was very disappointed with the pace at which things were moving. (WILLCOMM)

Tales From the COURTS IX – The CLICO AFFAIR Involving the FSC and the BIPA

Posted on by
Reply
June Fowler, head of BIPA

June Fowler, head of BIPA   Photo credit: Caribbean360

BU is perplexed by the latest news in this mess, in which it is reported that the BIPA (Barbados Investors Policyholders Alliance) aka CLICO investors – represented by Mr Alair Shepherd QC – has refused to stay the action against the CLICO directors. It is noted that the FSC is represented in this matter by Mr Adrian King.

BU’s attention was initially grabbed (or as it transpires, misdirected and sidetracked) by the fact that Mr Shepherd and Mr King both practice out of Inn Chambers and BU asked for clarification that, although Mr Shepherd and Mr King both practice from the same chambers, they are NOT partners, but ARE, in fact, individual counsel who simply share facilities. As such, therefore, there is no impropriety, nor does BU even suggest such of the two counsel named.

That disclaimer and clarification having now been made, BU asks its family and legal eagles to weigh in as to whether BIPA has the standing to bring its action against the CLICO directors, or not. If not, as this whole CLICO mess is of massive importance to Bajans in general, on what basis BIPA has refused to stay its action? Is there any merit in pursing an action that will be stayed at the end of the day?

Continue reading →

CLICO Weighed In The Balance

Posted on by
Reply

BIPA’s Ad

The proposed settlement by the judicial manager, Deloitte Consulting Ltd to resolve the problematic Clico International Life Insurance Ltd (CIL) matter has been met with a predictable disapproval by The Barbados Investors and Policyholders Alliance (BIPA). The recommendation to settle “is to float a bond whose proceeds would be used to acquire qualifying assets that would be transferred to the buyer of the insurer’s traditional business as well as fund the partial payment and restructuring of the EFPA portfolio.”  For the proposal to work the governments of Barbados and Trinidad are expected to back the bond which amounts to close to BBD400 million. Those affected countries in the Eastern Caribbean (Antigua, Anguilla, Montserrat, St Vincent, Grenada and Dominica) would have to commit to the deal “by committing their state agencies to invest directly in the bond issue.” Most of the islands in which CIL operates are highly indebted.” – see T&T Guardian Article.

BIPA in response has expressed the concern that any deal must “include(s) full reimbursement of the dozens of people whose policies have already matured”. According to them “of BIPA’s 385 members, 46 have policies that have reached maturity – 39 of them being Executive Flexible Premium Annuities (EFPAs) and the other seven in Flexible Premium Annuities (FPAs).” If BIPA maintains its position the CLICO matter is destined to be hogtied by bottomless complex and legal considerations. There is every likelihood that the only parties who will come out the winners in this matter will be the lawyers and the judicial manager.  A few months ago a report was posted to show that Deloitte’s fee had reached $7.2 million.

Continue reading →