Barbados Land Worth US$ One Billion Dollars Inspires Threats To Murder Witnesses, Lawyers, Family Members
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Chief Justice David Simmons And His Brother, Diplomat Peter Simmons, Involved Up To Their Eyeballs In As Messy A Case As Barbados Has Ever Seen!
The battle is over Barbados land that is worth a cool ONE BILLION US$ dollars. We’d usually say something like “That’s no chicken feed” except that chickens figure prominently in the life of one of the involved parties.
On one side of this court case we have a little old lady named Marjorie Knox, who raises yard chickens and lives in a converted livestock shelter. According to the information published on Keltruth Blog, her father left Mrs. Knox 17% of Kingsland Estates – which has vast holdings of land on Barbados worth over US$ one billion dollars on a bad day.
So the little old lady is worth seventeen percent of a billion dollars… That is ahhhh, oh ya… One Hundred and Seventy Million US$ Dollars.
But she lives in a converted livestock shelter on a tiny postage stamp, and feeds her yard chickens.
She is afraid, and rightly so. Because a billion dollars is at stake and she and her family members are in the way.
Threats have been made. Serious threats. Some even made by the brother of the Chief Justice of Barbados, who was (much to his embarrassment) tape-recorded while making the threat.
One billion dollars is a lot of money.
“How did it happen?” you say…
Even if I hadn’t read the story on Keltruth Blog, I could answer your question. Any Bajan can answer that question.
The little old lady doesn’t have her land worth US$170 million dollars because greedy, hungry and powerful entities on this island have long made it their business to do whatever it takes to gain riches – and a little old lady usually doesn’t stand a chance once these folks fix their desires on a fine piece of property.
Let alone a billion dollars worth of Barbados lands.
How did these evil men accomplish their purpose?
Easy enough, according to what I’ve read at the Keltruth Blog and what anyone on this island can tell you. Easy because of a broken land titles system, crooked lawyers, and no rule of law. Companies were formed that have not produced audited statements according to law… but the courts ignore the law and rule in favour of the “old boys”. Land sales and secret sweetheart deals were hidden from shareholders, Some of the lands were expropriated by people in government for “official government purposes”… and then many years later are strangely owned by the people in government!
What of justice before the Courts of Barbados, you say?
What of justice? One of the people who was or is involved with Kingsland Estates land is none other than the Chief Justice of Barbados, Sir David Simmons! He is one of the defendants and is also is in charge of the court system and judges that pretend to administer justice in any matters involving Kingsland that appear in Barbados courts.
That makes perfect sense on Barbados where Prime Minister Owen Arthur appointed his own Attorney General to be Chief Justice. That made David Simmons in charge of judging any lawsuits against the government run by his old political buddies. Very tidy, don’t you think?
Everything Was Under Control, But Then Came A Lawsuit In Canada…
The “old boys” have had everything under control in Barbados: the courts, land titles, the legal system – even the media. As journalist Ricky Singh admitted on Brasstacks radio last week, the Barbados media gives the government a “free ride.”
But then a company called Nelson Barbados Group Ltd. launched a legal proceeding in Canada against a group of individuals and companies connected to the Kingsland Estates Ltd. matter, alleging that the actions of these individuals and companies have caused financial loss to the plaintiff. (background stories here, here and here)
With the filing of a lawsuit in Canada came a loss of control for those who own the system, the courts and the media in Barbados.
It must be very traumatic for those so used to having their own way without question. Traumatic enough that an experienced international diplomat like Peter Simmons made threats against a witness and was tape-recorded doing so! One has to wonder whether or not he was put up to it by his brother, Chief Justice Sir David Simmons.
Whatever the real story is, we’ll all be able to know it soon enough because the folks at Keltruth Blog have obtained a whole box-full of legal documents filed in the Canadian court and they intend to post every one of the documents on the internet!
Ohhhhhh! This should be interesting.
Further Reading…
Keltruth Blog
April 17, 2008 - Peter Simmons’ Phone Call – Part 1 – Dr. Sharon S. Smith
Barbados Free Press
December 27, 2007 – Brother Of Barbados Chief Justice Tape-Recorded Making Threats Of Violence In Land Fraud Lawsuit
May 29, 2007 – Barbados Lawsuit Names Prime Minister Owen Arthur, Chief Justice Simmons And Many Prominent Citizens And Businesses
43 Comments
April 22, 2008 at 10:32 am
Looking forward to reading what has been kept secret.
I do not think the Canadian suit has yet named some of the most important names and companies.
Seems like this was masterminded by some “big boys”.
April 22, 2008 at 12:38 pm
Is this not the suit that names the current and previous PMs and nearly everyone else in Barbados? This will go nowhere, I promise you.
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BFP says,
Promise anything you like, Justice. The Canadian Court is not Barbados so one cannot assume an outcome as one does down here.
Unless you know about something we don’t?
April 22, 2008 at 12:50 pm
BFP says,
Promise anything you like, Justice. The Canadian Court is not Barbados so one cannot assume an outcome as one does down here.
Unless you know about something we don’t?
April 22, 2008 at 1:41 pm
Indeed if such accusations do substantiate it would be an embarassment and blatent disrespect of the totality of barbadian morals and values…and to bring some degree of balance to this episode one should also find quite entriguing the any RECENT applications to “purchase” government land by CLICO holdings limited another glisten to the eyes of our readers…
April 22, 2008 at 2:23 pm
John Kn is a first class engineer. He should have studied law
April 22, 2008 at 2:37 pm
If a court hearing is eminent and furthermore, if that court case has been lodged. Would it not be prudent for the plaintiff to allow the case to be ventilated instead of the continuing saga of the above? Let’s go a step further, since the last administration do not have the firing power to sweep alleged questionable dealings under the carpet, would it not be appropriate for the present Attorney General to intervene in this matter?
This episode today will just be a rehash of statements mentioned in earlier blogs. Maybe, the plaintiff is sensing this matter might be thrown out just like the others and by keeping this affair in the public domain; things might change in the favour of the plaintiff.
However, the various eminent defendants will just have to hold strain until the closure of this case.
I read the story relating to a Dr Sharon S. Smith in which Kelthruth is trying to degrade her qualifications. Nonsense I would say, doctorates don’t make someone more knowledgeable than an unqualified person. Check the many articles from simpleton and man-in-the-street with realistic and logical views that will make any lawyer look stupid.
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BFP says,
In Barbados, ongoing court cases are treated as state secrets. This is because if the Barbados press reported on the trials and cases as they should it would mean that the court would have difficulty in arranging justice the way it wants things to turn out.
In other words… a free and independent press makes it difficult for the Chief Justice and others in the cabal to “arrange” for a certain outcome.
That is why we applaud that in the USA, Canada and Britain that once a document is filed in a court case it is considered public.
That protects the quality of justice in a way that we don’t enjoy on this rock.
I can see why this kind of action makes the elites nervous.
April 22, 2008 at 2:38 pm
BFP, every time I turn back on my computer, my sign in name is deleted, thus the reason for the ‘anonymous’ post.
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BFP says,
It sounds like you have your browser set to clear cookies etc when it closes. That is how your computer remembers your name for the next post.
April 22, 2008 at 2:41 pm
justice,
just wait until the real big names start coming out and when the decent people who financed this scam find out how their hard-earned money is being used and who benefits the most.
Perhaps they will be pleased with how big business invests small people’s money but I doubt it.
Look forward to the day.
April 22, 2008 at 3:05 pm
Anyone knows the role Peter Allard has played in getting this to court in Ontario ?
As I have stated before this case has no likelyhood of going anywhere other than being thrown out the door.
April 22, 2008 at 3:11 pm
As I have stated before this case has no likelyhood of going anywhere other than being thrown out the door.
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At least we agree to something.
April 22, 2008 at 3:13 pm
WIV have you seen the documents that you can be so sure this is “being thrown out the door”?
justice must have seen them too that he can say “This will go nowhere, I promise you.”
Show us the documents. Let us make up our own minds. We waited long enough. Stop procrastinating.
I want to see the documents for myself.
April 22, 2008 at 3:22 pm
Wasn’t Sir Henry Forde involve in all this? I do not see his name mention on the list of defendants in canadian action.
April 22, 2008 at 4:44 pm
WIV
whether the Canadian action goes anywhere please read the keltruth blog more carefully
Did the government of Barbados fail to pay over $23 million dollars for expropriated lands thereby making Kinglsland “impecunious”?
Did a number of Barbadian lawyers throw completely phoney “bills of cost” totalling millions of Dollars to deny this 84 year old her right to appeal?
Did the Barbdian government and insiders actively try and sell this land for $800 million the title of which was not theirs to sell?
Was the documentation in the SBG ( Simmons, Bannister and Glyne ) agreement almost identical to the Classic agreement?
Was this 84 year old lady ever given proper audited satements showing the appraissed value of the lands and the government receivable as an asset?
Was this women ever offered fair market value for her shares based on proper audited statements as required by Barbadian law?
Was Peter Simmons sent by some of the defendents to threaten lawyers and Plaintiffs?
and on and on
The treatment of this lady is symptomatic of a rotten legal system that needs to be fixed.
This lady should have been dealt with fairly and efficiently years ago but thats not how it is done in Barbados.
April 22, 2008 at 5:02 pm
Was this case not heard by the highest court of appeal ?
Was it not heard before the Privy Council?
What was the decision given by the Privy Council?
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BFP says,
Maybe I’m confused a bit because I haven’t looked at this case for a bit (Robert here). I’ve looked at the old articles Clive and Marcus posted and in the Canadian court case the “Plaintiff” is a company called Nelson Barbados Group Ltd..
Marjorie Ilma Knox is being sued along with the Chief Justice and others, so this “Canadian” case is different obviously from the case going on in Barbados. I think. But it looks like the Keltruth Blog is publishing the papers from the Canadian case so they say in their article.
It is confusing to me, but the one thing that is NOT confusing is that fireworks are probably going to happen when all the documents are published on the web because no doubt we will receive an insight into Barbados life, business and the cabal that would NEVER be allowed to be published in Barbados.
Yes my friends, I speculate that there is much in those court documents that the elites on Barbados are terrified and ashamed to have published.
April 22, 2008 at 5:14 pm
Was David Thompson’s name not on the original list? Hast his list been “sanitized”??
April 22, 2008 at 5:31 pm
BFP says,
Maybe I’m confused a bit because I haven’t looked at this case for a bit (Robert here). I’ve looked at the old articles Clive and Marcus posted and in the Canadian court case the “Plaintiff” is a company called Nelson Barbados Group Ltd..
Marjorie Ilma Knox is being sued along with the Chief Justice and others, so this “Canadian” case is different obviously from the case going on in Barbados. I think. But it looks like the Keltruth Blog is publishing the papers from the Canadian case so they say in their article.
It is confusing to me, but the one thing that is NOT confusing is that fireworks are probably going to happen when all the documents are published on the web because no doubt we will receive an insight into Barbados life, business and the cabal that would NEVER be allowed to be published in Barbados.
Yes my friends, I speculate that there is much in those court documents that the elites on Barbados are terrified and ashamed to have published.
April 22, 2008 at 5:35 pm
Peter Allard is supportive of the lady and has attempted to get a hearing in a Canadian court on her behalf, however I have my doubts that he can call as many defendants as is the case and really expect to get to the core of the situation.
April 22, 2008 at 5:38 pm
WIV, What does Peter Allard have to do with the Canadian court case? I am confused!
April 22, 2008 at 5:42 pm
It definitely was.
When I first read it, way before the elections, I said Uh Huh (had my own struggles with both David and Henry and MANY other DISHONEST lawyers (liars) in Bim over an estate but not where billions were concerned).
But now when I go through Keltruth’s blog today I don’t see either his name or Henry’s.
What’s going on?
April 22, 2008 at 5:52 pm
WIV says “I have my doubts that he can call as many defendants as is the case and really expect to get to the core of the situation”
I think there are more defendants to call. Perhaps they should come forward now and not wait until they are called.
My friend tells me that big ups in big offices are buzzing. He/she has her/his ear to the ground. Doesn’t miss a thing.
Was it Richard Hoad who said one name sounded like a haemorrhoid cream?
April 22, 2008 at 5:58 pm
RRRicky
April 22, 2008 at 5:38 pm
WIV, What does Peter Allard have to do with the Canadian court case? I am confused!
He has taken the case onboard and is using his funding to get her a hearing.
April 22, 2008 at 6:03 pm
I must be thick today WIV. I don’t understand. I don’t see Allard’s name on the court documents published here or at Keltruth. Is allard “Nelson Barbados”? What am I missing? Is his name somewhere I am not seeing?
April 22, 2008 at 6:03 pm
Stop the speculation. For crying out loud, when will we be seeing these “Juicy Court Documents”?
April 22, 2008 at 6:05 pm
Is Marjorie Knox not being sued by Nelson? Are you saying Allard is Knox? Sorry WIV, I don’t understand where you get Allard in this Canadian case. ?
April 22, 2008 at 6:06 pm
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BFP says.
Final warning to this poster… multiple names are not allowed. People like you use them to deceive others and to fake support and interest.
Do it again and you’re banned.
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and what about Naomi?
April 22, 2008 at 6:09 pm
No name, I’m asking questions because WIV said that Allard was somehow in this but I can’t see his name anywhere on the court papers that have been published.
I DO SEE THE NAME DAVID SIMMONS and Peter Simmons, so something is happening with them and the others.
I can’t wait to see what is in this “box” of court documents.
April 22, 2008 at 6:24 pm
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BFP says.
Final warning to this poster… multiple names are not allowed. People like you use them to deceive others and to fake support and interest.
Do it again and you’re banned.
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The old Knox lady owe Allard a lot of money but somebody say the land was never worth nothing so she cannot pay him back. The lawyers in Barbados say this is okay and Allard should go to Hell because land in Barbados is not worth anything to the people that own it only to the big people that can build houses on it. So if the old lady want money to pay back Allard she must do a deal with the people building the houses like how was done before.
Then when the houses build she would get bare money to pay Allard back his and nobody would know.
All that needs to do is look at the land that was done this way. This is how big people make all the money and rob small people. Look at along the highway by kingsland and up fort george and you would see how to do it.
April 22, 2008 at 6:25 pm
Why are we harping on this case? All these problems seem to have been originated by a family squabble. Some want to sell at a price, others wants to sell at another price. This story is slanted to imply that the defendants were dealing only with this lady, but the facts are; the transaction was sanctioned by everyone with the exception of this lady. In modern business, that language will be ‘approved by the majority’. Based on ‘voter’s rights’, the lady can object through the law courts, unfortunately, she failed and will fail again. By the time this case is finished, she might loose the entire fortune bereaved to her by her father.
I can see that Keltruth is using today’s real estate price to impress the blogging community, but the real cost in the judgment should be the cost when the case was first called.
I will wait until the outcome of the Canadian Court case.
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BFP says,
It is still worth a billion dollars today and that is why the death threats were made. Who will profit if the old lady loses everything? To whom the benefit?
That is where the Canadian case will get interesting!
To say it is a “family squabble” is to try and deflect attention from the big names involved. Shorey. Arthur. Simmons.
It don’t pass the smell test and the Canadian court might show where de stink be coming from!
April 22, 2008 at 6:39 pm
Tell me why says, “All these problems seem to have been originated by a family squabble”
A Simmons family squabble?
April 22, 2008 at 6:54 pm
A Simmons family squabble?
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Don’t be cheeky my friend. The names are Knoxs and Deanes in the disbursement of the Kingsland assets. Forget the politics, since Bees, Dees and Who’s Who in the Barbadian community are defendants in this case. Tell me why you are trying to marginalised the Simmons?
April 22, 2008 at 7:10 pm
It is still worth a billion dollars today and that is why the death threats were made. Who will profit if the old lady loses everything? To whom the benefit?
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Death threats what? Is this not an indictable offence? Was the deal completed? Who is in receipt of the ‘bill of sale’….. The Knoxs, the Deanes, the Simmons, the Thompsons, anyone of the listed prominent defendants? Come on, let the public know the answers Keltruth through BFP.
April 22, 2008 at 7:34 pm
BFP, the old lady can’t lose “everything” because she does not own everything. The JCPC has ruled that she was legally incapable of stopping the proposed sale. This action is nothing but a doomed strategy to appeal that judgment. This is not allowed.
April 22, 2008 at 9:56 pm
Justice. I agree, it does seem to name everybody from the King down. Hence, I see it as being very difficult to prove damages due to the wide breath of scope and the remoteness of being able to prove such a case.
Secondly it would seem that the underlying action was already decided by the Privy Council, but….wait…that is not in Barbados..what gives, methought the ‘problem’ was only law in Barbados…are you all saying that the Privy Council was ‘negligent’ also???
Or is the ‘problem’ that someone did not get their way in a case, so has decided to put forward a case to cause as much embarrassment as possible, even if the chances are slim that such a case would succeed?
Well, if the Almighty wills it, then I may be around to see the outcome in twenty years or so.
Peace.
April 22, 2008 at 10:18 pm
When we see the documents perhaps we will understand. I hope that it’s soon. Too much suspense especially when people in places are telling you intriguing stuff and calling names that do not yet appear on the list of defendants.
Get the whole thing out in the open for all to see and come to our own conclusions.
April 23, 2008 at 12:47 pm
no name posting as “question?”
I apologise, BFP, with an explanation.
This topic caused a stir. There are other people who want to comment but cannot.
Will not happen again!
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BFP says,
OK NN, explanation accepted. Thanks for understanding that we have to enforce the rules or everything goes to h…., well, you know!
April 23, 2008 at 1:23 pm
Thanks, BFP,
I have suggested to the apprehensive, prospective commenter to send information to you from a computer outside the office at barbadosfreepress@yahoo.com
April 23, 2008 at 7:48 pm
BFP: I can’t help laughing because you must know that when you “ban” someone, it is a joke. They just start over with a new name and obviously a different ISP. You have a classic example of this going on where one person is using several different names, whilst we “honest” ones continue to use one name (or am I the only simpleton doing that??!) Maybe I ought to try fooling you too!
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BFP says,
Hi Thistle,
Of course we know what happens, but you would be very surprised at how many folks make the mistake of doing it from the office with a fixed IP and so stay banned at least at work.
The other issue is that people develop a presence online especially if they have an agenda and they hate to lose that presence.
We do the best we can with what resources we have. The alternative is “letters to the editor” al la Nation News. Perhaps you’d prefer that model?
April 25, 2008 at 12:22 pm
The main point here is that this whole thing started as a family feud – not to mention the original sale of the land was to really get certain members of said family out of hugh gambling and other debts.
Most Barbadians are well aware of that and think it should have been resolved long ago within the family circle but it all got out of hand. Now the whole thing has got turned around and blown out of proportion.
Why not target the real people who started the whole mess in the first place – your own family.
April 25, 2008 at 1:13 pm
This “it is only a family feud” is nothing more or less than an excuse to diminish public attention of wrong-doing by some very big names. Like when a politician get caught with his hand in the cookie jar and say “you accuse me for political reasons” he still got caught with his hand in the cookie jar no less.
Peter Simmons is not a member of the family and he threatened a lawyer on the other side of the case. David Simmons owned a company that tried to take over the land. David Shorey is involved. All kinds of big ups.
A billion dollars of real estate and 153 say “no matta… it only a family dispute”.
The posting of court documents at Keltruth Blog is going to turn Barbados upside down if they prove some of the rumours to be true.
April 25, 2008 at 2:11 pm
keltruth should post the documents so we can draw our own conclusions. Enough talk.
April 26, 2008 at 12:49 am
it seen since the barbados people got to see how the outside world does crooked bussiness in the world over,bajans think there can do it to and had been doing it for years,its an old saying what tangle web we weave when we learn to thief ah,ah
June 25, 2008 at 1:55 am
[...] Estates Ltd., Barbados On June 21, 2008, BWWR called Bill McKenzie, the lawyer for the plaintiff Nelson, a “Little Billy [...]
November 10, 2009 at 10:14 am
WHERE ARE THE DOCUMENTS GONE?