“Given that Harlequin Properties is not currently making any profits, how can the Caldora Harlequin Income Fund pay investors 6% annually by investing in Harlequin?
Could it be that the 6% is coming from new investors’ capital alone? If so, isn’t that a Ponzi scheme?”
Fire Sale too!
It just keeps getting stranger and stranger over at Halecon.net where we are also told that Harlequin is holding a fire sale on villas. What used to sell for 325,000 pounds is now selling for 195,000 pounds. I’ll bet that makes previous purchasers pass wind!
Full story at Harlecon.net
Barbados Free Press 
Reality sets in?
Would have to be certifiable to invest in that scam.
but their Buccament Bay resort on St.Vincent is gorgeous..have stayed there a fortnight recently.
So what makes you think their St.Lucia & barbados resorts won’t be just as succesful??
Harlequin stopped making the loan payments to me in March 2011. They have ignored all communication from me in this regard. So their agreements and promises are worthless. I no longer have any faith in this company and would warn people from them
There is nothing successful at all about a resort that loses US$1m per month (as statd by their ops director) Bucc bay looks nice enough, but has come at the cost of thousands of people’s investments in different projects. It has been an unmitigated disaster financially, a long long way from successful and the collapse of Harlequin is inevitable, can only be a matter of time based on that enormous liabilities they have. A company whose assets are far less than their liabilities ultimately must go under.
Why all the sudden is Harlequin so bad? Webb site has popped up bad press. He has built Buccament Bay, or is that fake? Who has got in for them, there offices are in Basildon they exist go there! and talk to them. Look ive slung them a worthless frozen pension, ive invested with them. He cant take 300million quid and run away with it can he. I might get stiched up i might not. I would not physically give anyone 30.000 pounds, but my pension is wortthless.
I recently watched watchdog, now if i believed in every bad bit of press bad media i would not give a penny to anyone.
Buccament Bay exists! He does need a boot to finish the rest, your right. Just keep going to there offices and cause a fuss if you want your money back i would.
Negativity is the rule to all Brits these days! Jealous and nothing nice to say anymore. Moan Moan Moan.
I also invested and have an agreement that they would pay the payments on the bank loan, but they have stopped making the payments and ignore all my communications, so this is how they treat investors after they have got their money – and they are still promoting that they pay the payments on investor loans for the deposit. This is a lie. So that is why Harlequin are now bad and untrustworthy, because they have not kept their word. It looks as if they have over stretched themselves. The building of Bucc Bay is all they have done with the millions they have collected. That is ALL they have done and they point to this as some kind of evidence that they are genuine. Dave Ames told me that the offices in Basildon were mortgage-free, but if you search the land registry you will find Barclays bank has a charge on them so that was another lie. Bernie Madoff used the same business model when he ran his Ponzi scheme. He made sure he was photographed with trusted, high profile people (celebrities and politicians) and duped millions from people for years and years before the whole pack of cards fell down. As you believe your pension was “worthless” to begin with, maybe it’s not a problem for you to just hand it over to Ames, but what about the people who have taken equity out of their homes or taken a loan on the promise that Harlequin would cover the payments. When they just stop making those payments, these people are left with an outgoing they had not planned and are subsidising someone else’s company (I.e. Dave Ames’ Harlequin).
Sorry for “moan, moan, moaning” – I just want to warn people about this as, in my opinion, it is THEFT.
Maria, You have made some very good points, and these need to be answered by your agent and the company. But i just dont get it! I have been to the offices in Basildon, Go There, and speak to them! They cant hide from you, get a solicitor involved, start talking to them! Its off the A127 in Essex it does exist. Go along to his premises and ask them for answers!! I damm well would. Please dont lose your money,! Buccament has been built and there were lots of complications with the builders he told us that. Look ours is going to be built this year, if its not as he says it will ill come back on here and tell you, but ill tell him first and ill want a refund. I wont sit and just write about it, i wont stop knocking on his door.
Might eat my words one day, or i might just get a lovely pension from it.
Good Luck Maria. Go There!
sorry to some of you living in a dream world but you will not get your money back. you are not protected by the FSA as this is a non-regulated investment. of the 30% deposit you paid 1/3 went straight to agent as commission for selling. roughly 1/3 to overheads of HMSSE ( staff cost/advertising/ dividends etc etc)/ this leave just 1/3 of your depsit for actual building. so if you paid £30k deposit for an appt £10k is available for the build inc all infastructure/furnishings etc etc. that is why funds are pooled and all funds are being used to try and build BB.(pyramid scheme) unless BB gets some third party funding to finish it and release any further monies I can’t see that any of the other developments will ever start/finish. simple economics says you can’t build a property with only 10% funding.SORRY to be negative. take a look also at you tube and recent video bu andrew drummond re harlequin in thailand ( if this doesn’t makwe you worried then nothing will)
PLUS. please note that the basildon company harlequin property trading as HMSSE is just an agent. any investors contract is NOT with them it is with harlequin resorts barbados/st vincent/st lucia etc etc. if you have to sue to get your money back you will have to sue in the caribbean. good luck as they have years and years backlog on cases…
did you investors all get the free trip to Buccament Bay ? we did–2 weeks all-inclusive,flights included,it was fantastic !! check-out my husbands article about it in new Magazine SEMPEREY, WINTER ADDITION.
Free for you maybe, but someone’s paying for it. This is what they’ve stopped paying my loan interest – so they can promote with free trips, flashy events and pay celebrities their endorsement fees in order to appear to be a safe investment.
Sandy Is your investment paying off? Are you seeing returns? I would like to know !
47 Watched the you tube, interesting i grant you! Never knew about a Thailand investment at all.
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I made investment in 2008, 24% deposit, they want to refund me only 6000/- rest of it gone………..i wish all investors would get together and find a strategy for this company to get refund
I don’t want to get involved in this rubbish about Harlequin but, I’ve been to Harlequin’s first resort in Buccament Bay, St Vincent and it IS absolutely excellent. The villas, staff, quality of food, everything. It’s not finished yet but, they’re delivering what they promised so far and I’ve no doubt about that they WILL continue to do so in the future.
As an investor, I’m very excited. Yes, it is a risk as all these type of investments are however, I’ve invested for long term gain, not to make a quick buck.
They are absolutely NOT delivering what they promised. They promised to make the interest payment on my loan and have paid nothing since March 2011 and have ignored all my correspondence. Their 100% finance deal is therefore a lie since I have been left paying this loan. Just because they’ve used everyone’s money to build ONE resort (as the money is not ring-fenced, as they said it was – another lie), does not mean they are keeping their promises. They clearly are NOT.
Great, Sandy, my money – that has become a free loan for Harlequin, and that of other investors, paid for that. I guess you’re an agent.
absolutely not !
Absolute comedy guaranteed buy back offer, would have to be very seriously inexperienced in any form of business to be taken in by that. Marquis is a site that is very very hard to develop, and that Ames is on video saying he has sold 1200 homes at back in 2009. Not a single home has been started yet more than 3 years later – this is an indisputable fact, and says pretty much all you need to know.
Only operational resort loses millions per year, and Blu “Boutique” hotel is empty and also is very low grade. Marquis Estate will not get built, it is very clear. The only way it will is if they sell enough units at other resorts and use that to build Marquis, butthat would just transfer the problem and the reality is that before that happens, various investigations that are currently ongoing will have at the very least tightened up on the shyster IFA’s and agents that Harlequin are tied in with and at worst will have seen Harlequin collapsed.
Hi we are working with Many people caught up in the harlequin situation no matter what scheme or project you bought in to. We would be delighted to hear directly from anyone that has commented on this blog just drop a line to info@tslconsultancy.com and we will contact you back
please do let me know of any genuine concerns-my husband has invested substantialy and is convinced it is a brilliant thing,but i am not so sure, he says the perpertrators of theses allegations are actually being sued for slander by harlequin right now. Is this not true? I am very worried, although our buccament bay Stay was fantastic..
I am afraid that your husband will not see his money again. How can he? Harlequin have liabilities now of hundreds of millions, with all the unbuilt property they have sold. They lose money heavily in the only two operations they have open, and the basic economics of what he is proposing do not add up to even the most inexperienced business person. There are other threads on here, and one person has listed all the various questions/issues Harlequin need to answer to stop having the claims of ponzi scheme continuously associated with them.
If you search this site and look for Harlequin threads, you will find out more. As for suing for slander, Harlequin have been involved in numerous expensive law suits. Whose money do you think is used to fund these? Whose money is used to fund Harlequin Air (which still is not in operation)? Whose money is used to pay the massive commissions to agents, and to Harlequin themselves? How is Ames and family able to buy big houses and fly first class everywhere when there are no profits in the resorts or construction, unless they are taking money from the deposits in the form of commissions? How can they line their own pockets before meeting commitments to clients? How are they able to sell property without full planning permission, which is an indisputable fact?
Who is funding the resort losses, if not the new investor deposits, given there is no financing in place?
Who is paying any mortgage finance, if not investor deposits in other properties? Who would pay any guaranteed payments, given the resorts by Harlequin’s own reports lose money? Whose money is being used to buy smaller hotels?
All this money is being used for everything other than building what they have sold, and still no homes have started anywhere other than Buccament Bay? How can an investor not be worried?? Buccament Bay is nice, but that is not really relevant to the above. Good luck though, hope somehow he pulls it off.
He would have to be better than David Copperfield to pull this off!! I think there is more chance of him disappearing with all the money.
I’m sure if he had been successful in any litigation we would of all heard about it…..Little man syndrome
would love to see an experts opinion on the body language of all and sundry on the you tube videos. they may just be really hot due the weather conditions and thus lots of high stress/ untruth signals being exhibited but i guess in time we shall all see.
Sandy,
if you have concerns then contact us directly and we can discuss your situation. There are law suits out there as naturally people can get carried away with emotive and unsubstantiated statements in the media and it is important that people only discuss the facts. email is info@tslconsultancy.com
Sandy – be VERY CAREFUL this TSL Group is being run from a residential housing development google earth their address if you like. Funny that they claim to be Lawyers as well as Estate Agents.
TSL Groupie: Fantastic website but you are not actually lawyers are you???? And if you know about law suits against people maybe you should name these people who have made emotive and unsubstantiated statements to the media.
Also have to say I noticed that Mr Bourne has changed what he has said about “websites” Rightly so until you have all the evidence in front of you.
You should think before you comment.
Dear Anna Mouse,
I am struggling to understand your suggestion that someone needs” to be careful” with regards to our business, which is coincidently, run from an office and yes there are lots of houses close by (not sure what the relevance in that is) Since when has it been wrong to provide many services ? of course we provide legal services and many other services and facilities that we have on our website . Why would we not ? Obviously we would not divulge any information we have on a public forum, hence the reason people have been contacting us privately. We were encouraged to look at this and other sites where people have issues with the topic area, and we have had a very good response from genuine people. I am rather surprised that you would be discouraging people to look for assistance in this matter. You don’t work for Harlequin group now do you ?
….sorry I have no idea what your last sentence is about
I don’t work for Harlequin do you??
I just don’t understand why people would come to you for advice when they really need to see a overseas lawyer which is a specialist field isn’t it??
I’m just not buying that people are trusting you and coming to you like you say they are after all they’ve been stung by Harlequin people should be very vigilant now Harlequin are not to be trusted. People ought to be very careful to who they divulge any private information to. We all trusted Mr Ames look where that got us.
Anna Mouse, who is ‘Mr.Bourne’ ? – I dont get the relevance of your
earlier statement.
I see that ‘harlecon.net’ is ‘temporarily suspended’ !!! pending litigation,perhaps ????
sandy gear. harlecon has been supended for quite a while now. if you check the other threads echo newspaper reported yesterday that harlequin are taking their previous auditors ( who resigned and sent a letter to companies house confirming their reasons for doing so) to court. they are allegedly planning to sue them for libel/defamation claiming that they are behind the harlecon website
Sandy, Mr Bourne is a reporter who has reported in previous articles, that Harlequin have court orders against four alternative websites and has now corrected himself because….1, He was wrong, 2, He had not checked out his facts! 3, The Harlequin representative was talking about something that he did not know the facts of.
Mr Bourne should of course checked all of this and saw sight of these documents before publishing such a defamatory statement. There are so many people speculating that do not even have any of the facts and so are trying make themselves look important by making nonsense.
Just remember one thing if it doesn’t make sense it’s usually because it’s nonsense.
their auditors? thats interesting,as I was given to understand the perpetrators were a Building firm who were dismissed by harlequinn for shoddy work at buccament bay at the very beginning. Hmm, the plot thickens !
i will be taking anything on here with a very large pinch of salt !!
since everyone else is on ‘anonymously’, they could be anyone from anywhere representing anybodys own interests !
Yes that’s true they have completely slandered a builder who was employed at BB and now they seem to be persuing their own auditors they employed, There seems to be a pattern emerging here where Mr Ames is using investor funds to sue anybody and everybody he has had dealings with.
People remain anonymous for a variety of reasons, the fear of Carter Ruck, the fear of not getting their money back if they say anything that Harlequin might not like and some just make it up to make themselves look important.
well,anyone involved can go along to harlequin’s open days at their badsildon head office, 18&19th sept.to ask directly their questions & concerns,Dave ames & co.will be there.
Basildon,essex,that is.
sorry,thats 19th & 20th.
19th & 20th ,that should be..
I invested in July 2011 and deeply regret doing so …. Whilst investing in property abroad is high risk it doesnt help when the person and business you put your trust in could be the very reason its high risk
Im just hoping that the business is still running when i can acording to my contract pull out after an agreed amount of time has passed and the resort has not opened. I live in hope but very much doubt i will have the oppertunity
For the record i invested in Las Canas which i was told would open in December 2013
Mat, did you buy direct or via an IFA? You could claim against your IFA if you bought via one and they did not properly explain the risks involved. If direct, you also may be able to claim false misrepresentation against Harlequin agent as their story and marketing material is so full of very easily proven inconsistencies and provable lies and impossible projections.
if the echo report is true regarding breach of confidence allegations against “harlecon” concerning a string of emails about harlequin activities on the harlecon website then surely investors should be concerned. from memory (as the website is down) these alleged emails were not that beneficial to harlequin reputation ( being careful here as you need to be)
Sandy – Are you really going to waste your time going to yet another slick american style conference organised by Harlequin?? Do you really think that you’re going to get a question and answer session at the end?? If you do go what’s going to be your first question? Is it going to be “How come your yet to be built property has increased so much in value considering there is a worldwide recession?” The piece of land is probably not worth what they paid if of course they have paid for it.
You verge from one extreme to the other, one minute you say your unsure the next minute you seem to be adamant that everyone should go to Harlequin for the answers, I have been there several times and got the same slick operation where you don’t get a word in edge ways or they think are too important to talk to you?
With reference to Buccament Bay one swallow does not a summer make.
Or is your first question going to be ” Can I please see the bank statements and the audited accounts to prove my and other investor funds are still in the Cayman Islands and that our money has not been spent recklessly by Mr Ames & Co?” I think that either of these questions would suffice, please print the answers on your return. Or are you going to go there believe all the lies that they spout doing a very good impression of a nodding dog and then walk out with all the other lemmings thinking that Harlequin are still the best thing since sliced bread.
Someone on here printed a lot of questions they would like answers to as well maybe you should print them all off and ask these questions. I hope you realise that when you ask awkward questions you will no longer be welcome and you will no longer receive updates and you will probably receive some sort of legal threat to shut you up from Carter Ruck.
I remember reading Harlequin- Property- Problems.co.uk and nothing on there seemed to me to be liable in any way they just seemed to be people just like us who just wanted answers and were frustrated that they was not getting them. If I remember correctly wasn’t it Harlequin who was blackmailing these people for IP Addresses for their return of their money??
Before you do go to Harlequin just remember who’s money it actually is. Yours and Ours not Mr Ames’s
Mat- Las Canas is contracted to be open March 2013 therefore your property should be ready in 6 months from now……Tick Tock…..
Ask them, in the absence of any finance, how they are cashflowing the losses at Buccament Bay. Also ask them how they are able to pay out such large commissions to agents and themselves, and still be able to build the homes, given that the sales prices are low in destinations where construction is not cheap, and in locations where a huge amount (over US$10m on each site) needs to be invested in infrastructure. Obviously they have not begun any other development than Buccament Bay so it does suggest they do not have the funds to build what is sold. Also ask them why they keep going off doing new projects before they have even started to build existing commitments. Ask them if people at Buccament Bay have been paid their guarantees? If not, why not? And if so, then with what money as the resort is loss making?
Harlequin property boss David Ames, whose company sold duff projects in Pattaya and whose Caribbean projects were being promoted through a Harlequin Income Fund by Neal Davies a bankrupted British fund manager living in Phuket, has been hit by guilty verdicts in a court in Barbados for of breach of contract.
A Scots woman has successfully sued Ames’companies over her purchase of a unit in the Buccament Bay Resort on the island of St. Vincent. The Buccament Bay Resort is one of several luxury projects promoted by Ames, a former bankrupted double glazing salesman.
Today it still has not been completed and is nearly five years over due. Scots woman Ann Mendez-Canga sued Harlequin Property (SGV) Ltd., and the Buccament Bay Resort for nearly EC$500,000 (East Caribbean dollars) about US$181,000.
She was awarded the equivalent of US$80,000, which included her refund of £49,500, and interests payment, but not claims for loss or rent or loss of the apartment for holiday use, by High Court Master Kimberley Cenac in the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court.
The case paves the way for a series of associated actions from prospective home owners, who want their money back.
The Buccament Bay Resort is Ames’ flasghip scheme but is has been plagued with problems.
Please see this link for details and PLEASE PLEASE ADVISE AS MANY PEOPLE AS YOU CAN REGARDING THIS VERY IMPORTANT DEVELOPMENT
http://www.andrew-drummond.com/2012/10/harlequin-boss-ordered-to-pay-damages.html
Neal Davies is a low life that paid 5 English thugs to attact myself and friend with metal bar stools and break my arm in two places,,Neal Davies lives in a Phuket Thailand residence called Nia Haan Baan Boa, if anyone is interested in his direct address please email me at bmasters150665@gmail.com,,,,, more then happy to help you
Just wondering where to start in demanding my deposit back. My husband and I invested our SIIP in Two Rivers Resort which was due for completion on December 31st 2011, therefore we are well within our rights to request a refund because Harlequin are now in breach of contract.
We have also invested in Las Canas and again like others Harlequin stopped paying our loan after four months! Now we are paying ourselves, something we did not opt to do!
Contact your SIPP adviser (IFA?), SIPP provider and the FSA.
Thanks Anon, our IFA has been quite un co-operative, to the point of being quite offensive and may I add he use to be a friend and was always willing and helpful. I am beginning to wonder what sort of pressure he is under having sold lots of properties via Harlequin?
We are not young and therefore time is not on our side to be able to wait years for these properties to develop, if they do at all. I feel completely robbed, our mortgage is interest free only and we feel we would have been better off paying our little bit of savings off our property rather than investing in this scam! I pray that we do not loose our house in the future as a result of this, after all our years of working hard, someone like this can rob us of our hard earnings!
Like Mat we wish we had never heard of Harlequin.
@ Red Dragon
unfortunately the best advice is probably ‘hope for the best but prepare for the worst’. The selling of investment schemes linked to SIPP’s is being looked at by the FSA (not exclusively in connection with HP it has to be said) and you should read
http://www.echo-news.co.uk/news/10109062.Resort_developer__to_pay_back_cash_/
Two comments from that piece of significance –
‘Harlequin is not authorized and regulated by the FSA, meaning there is no Government-backed protection for UK investors.’
‘The firm has also been unable to arrange borrowing to develop all its resorts or to provide loans to investors to complete their purchases.’
As the Echo piece was vetted by HP’s lawyers that should be taken as a strong indication that the other developments will not progress for some considerable time.
Search this forum for more information re the BBC program and investors who have been repaid. You might also want to talk to a debt counselling agency about the potential consequences regarding your home.
Red dragon, if your contract has been breached by harlequin not completing on time, then surely you do not have to keep paying the loan? Have not seen the agreement of course, but they have not even started and no court in the world would expect you to pay interest when clearly the developer has failed in its most basic duty. I agree entirely with the advice above, but do also think a good lawyer in dr will help you – if harlequin don’t pay you back, you can place a a caution on local assets, namely the land which one assumes they own free and clear. You can secure you deposit that way. It has been done many times elsewhere in the region – is a process but is another option, and best to consider all options. It is sad you are having to deal with all of this, Ames and co for many years have known to be extremely high risk at best in the Caribbean.
The loan we have was to help with the purchase of Las Canas and the completion date is either March or December 2013, I state two dates because I have found two different contracts relating to the same property, I presume the latter date is correct, but our SIIP was used to buy into Two Rivers in the D.R. completion date 31st December 2011. We are therefore, well within our rights to ask for our SIIP money to be put back into our pension fund because HP are in breech of contract! One year on and not even started to bulid there! Time is not on our side and we were hoping to retire in a few years.
It is so sad that we are probably in the same position as many other investors, it’s a shame that we cannot all get together and put the pressure on Mr Ames. I just want my money back, I don’t care about any compensation!
I will be e mailing Harlequin next week (for what it’s worth!)
I dont believe anything will ever be built in Dominican Republic, or St Lucia, for that matter. Merricks in Barbados is just three unfinished show units,in an unfinished “show village”, when villas were being sold 6 years ago!
I understand that not one investor has received legal title to “their” unit at Buccament Bay Resort. If this is true, what is the reason?
2013 will be an interesting year…lots of people will either make money on their investment, or lose everything they have put into Harlequin.
@ Red Dragon – you urgently need a qualified legal expert whose field is contract law in respect of property to examine your contracts and advise on the course of action.
Much will depend on where and in what jurisdiction the contract was made and if that is not in the UK then unfortunately your prospects of an outcome in your favour are less likely.
As far as I am aware the only documented case of an investor getting a refund was the case shown on the BBC program, if you can contact them and interest them in a follow up it would be worth it.
You are incorrect in your assumption BBWatch. Investors have received refunds. There is no need to make things sound any worse than they are for Red Dragon.
Not my intention, can you show when and how these refunds have been made? I am unaware of any reports of actual payments being made – action pending yes and on going court cases too. I would welcome being wrong on this occasion.
Actually, what BBW said may have been correct in that there are no other ‘documented’ refunds other than that on BBC’s Rip Off Britain. My apologies. I know of refunds which were given subject to NDAs (Non Disclosure Agreements), therefore, unfortunately, I’m not at liberty to discuss them. Therefore, BBW’s statement stands.
@annon/BBwatch. Do you ever refer to other threads on this subject? I have previously stated that I have received compensation/refunds, but choose not to publish the details. Nothing to do with an NDA. I cannot understand how investors can accept changes to their contracts and not hot foot it down to HP head office and demand an explanation or redress.
Sorry 36, I haven’t kept up with your story, although I know you’re a regular poster.
We were talking about investors who had contractually demanded and received full refunds. I don’t believe you fall into that category?
Am I right in thinking you received some sort of part refund, and transfer of investment to another ‘resort’ whilst maintaining your investment in Harlequin? Am I correct?
I’m thinking Yellowstone Park 🙂
Please don’t automatically assume that if a contract is subject to Caribbean jurisdiction, it will be harder to enforce a refund. I have seen this done many times on other projects in various parts of the Caribbean. These people were generally of enough means to afford a good lawyer and force the issue, whereas it would seem Harlequin went after those who on the whole were less experienced and possibly less affluent than the average Caribbean property investor – and no offense intended with that. You can force the issue – Ames has very few friends in the Caribbean that he can influence.
@Anon, I invested in two developments. With one I negotiated a refund as per my contract, with another I negotiated compensation as per my contract for late delivery. No transfer to a different resort. I cannot understand how people come on here and just moan about their situation when it is in their hands to do something about it. Hope that clarifies.
read a book on humanity, get to grips with the true nature of man. It is what it is. what you see is exactly what it is unless you are deluded! Be entirely honest with yourself, then make a choice, take action
In reply to anonymous 242, Dave Ames speaks with an east London accent and has pronounced blinking eyes which I din’t pick up on when I met him at the E-cel centre in London.
He is very active when he carries out a con and speaks very fast which causes him to stutter, thing which I should have picked up on.
Ah well my loss but experience gained.
If it looks too good to be true, it invariably is. Harlequin model never stood a chance, was conceived to make sales and make commissions and actually building the properties was never really going to be a possibility.
I have requested a refund and shall keep you all posted, it was on BB ….out of contract , not long on the other. It may go smoothly or I could get hit with charges – but until I get something back in writting it’s just guesswork? I think this site is great, but lets wait for a real live work in progress example?
After reading all the info and comments posted, there is no mention that Harlequin have stopped paying out their monthly refunds. I know of at least three other investors that were having their deposits refunded on a monthly basis over an 18 month time period. January payments did not arrive for any of us and after getting a solicitor to investigate, Harlequin have stated that they are having a problem with their bank this month and will add it on at the end of the term with interest!!!!
This looks like the bubbles burst and they have ran out of money!
Does anyone else know about this or had this happen to them?
@21. This is my reply to you and for your information. I received my payment in January. I could share additional information but I don’t wish to receive any more personal insults.
@ 36
I thought you had left. When you flounced out a couple of days ago after claiming someone had called you ‘lying Harlequin scum’ and saying you’d never come back etc here you are posting again.
@eddie lizzard2: please read the above, it was a personal message for 21. There is no facility to send an individual PM on this site. I didn’t “claim” the “lying harlequin scum” insult. Do some research, look though the previous threads and search out Terry.
@21 @36 I haven’t received a payment to my loan since March 2011. All my emails and letters to Harlecon have been ignored and I now have a solicitor looking at this. Their 100% finance deal has turned out to be a big lie for me.
@mrs Bligh, the question and my answer referred to deposit repayments, not interest payments.
@36 Haven’t received a refund either, in spite of requests pointing out that HP have effectively reneged on our contract by ceasing interest payments. They have ignored every communication I have sent. As I say, it’s in the hands of my solicitor.
You need to take legal action dont delay
against HP and also the IfA its the only chance you have
@yatineasy. Quick you haven’t posted about 4 workers on the barbados site on this thread. Get in quick befor some one beats you to it. LOL
36…Welcome back to the Harlequin debate…if you are an investor, you should be concerned that only 4 workers are on the H site.If completion dates for the projects they have sold are not a problem for you, fantastic,you are in the company of several thousand idiots.LOL
Mrs Bligh you most definitely need a lawyer to help you get your money!
Of course, 36 you obviously got your payment!
Are there any other investors that were receiving monthly repayments that actually did receive them in January, not loan payments, actual refunds?
@21, what is the point of asking for information and then posting a sarcastic reply? I would suggest that no one answers the question as you will be deemed to be me under a different name. Pathetic.
Am copying this from a post in another Harlequin thread.
It is all there for all to see in the Guideline for Purchasers posted on the HP website
“WHO IS HARLEQUIN PROPERTY?
Harlequin Property is the trading name of Harlequin Management Services (South East) Limited and is the UK based primary selling agent for the selling/owner companies in the Caribbean. Harlequin Property is not a party to agreements with purchasers.
WHO IS HARLEQUIN HOTELS AND RESORTS?
Harlequin Hotels & Resorts is a hotel operator that oversees the operation of resorts in the Caribbean. Harlequin Hotels and Resorts do not own any of the resorts we market.
WHO OWNS THE LAND THAT THE RESORTS ARE BEING BUILT ON AND WHICH COMPANY AM I CONTRACTING WITH?
For legal reasons, the different resorts being marketed by the Harlequin group belong to different local companies. However, there is a common thread in each of the companies that own the land upon which the resorts are being built – the controlling shareholder of each company is David Ames.
The relevant resorts and owner companies are as follows:
Buccament Bay Resort, St Vincent and The Grenadines – Harlequin Property (SVG) Limited
The Merricks Resort, Barbados – Harlequin Property (SVG) Limited (re-registered as a Barbados company)
The Marquis Estate, St. Lucia – Harlequin Resorts (St Lucia) Limited
Las Canas Beach Resort, Dominican Republic – Las Canas Beach Resort S.A (formerly Promotora San Patricio S.A)
Two Rivers Beach Resort, Dominican Republic – Two Rivers Beach Resort S.A (formerly Harlequin Property S.A)
The Hideaway, Dominican Republic – Waters Meet Beach Resort S.R.L (formerly Marissa Investment S.A)
H Barbados – Harlequin Boutique Hotel Limited (Barbados)
Harlequin Hotel, Barbados – Harlequin Luxury Hotel Limited
blu, St Lucia – Harlequin Boutique Hotel Limited (St Lucia)
The company developing the resort that you choose to purchase a property in will be the contracting party to the contract you enter into. Certain company names have changed to more suitable names since the resorts were first released, where this has happened company details remain unchanged.
YOUR MONEY
What happens to my money when I purchase?
Payments are received by Harlequin Hotels and Resorts. Part of the funds you pay are paid to Harlequin Property to cover marketing expenses and sales costs including commission. It also covers costs associated with hotel operations.
The rest of the money will be used for the development of the resorts in the Caribbean which are being developed by the companies under the control of David Ames. Funds are not specifically earmarked for the construction of the resort you are purchasing in.
The resorts are being constructed using purchasers’ money and money provided by shareholders in the landowning companies.”
So, the purchaser/investor pays his money to HH&R, who then pays the money to HP to pay its commissions; and then if there is anything left over (yea sure) it goes in a pool with the money provided by Dave Ames (yea sure) to pay for the construction the resorts.
I guess that includes the four guys working at H Hotel and all those working at HD Design Studio (formerly Harlequin Developments). http://harlequinhotelsandresorts.wordpress.com/2013/01/15/hdstudio-formerly-harlequin-developments-celebrates-1st-anniversary-in-new-barbados-offices/
HP has been flogging Merricks since 2006. What do the purchasers have to show for their Merricks investment in 2013?
Given that both Buccament Bay Resort, St Vincent and The Grenadines and The Merricks Resort, Barbados are allegedly owned by Harlequin Property (SVG) Limited (re-registered as a Barbados company), it would appear that (if there is any money left after Ames and family take their commissions) the Merricks purchasers’ money has gone to pay for BB (which it is alleged has not filed financials for 7 years – that would be the company re-registered as a Barbados company)
What are you tryin to tell us that we do not know already? its alright by me.well.done Dave
Well done Dave such a fine example to set your kids!
I accept that this has all gone wrong. Hardly anything built and ten thousand odd investors!!! Its adding insult to injury for harlequin to suggest that all is well. It prevents us from moving on, going bankrupt, starting a small business, starting out again with something else etc. My investor friend has just split up with his long term wife over the stress of this. Other friends have already had their lives ruined. Not being able to pay college fees for our children etc. I think the best thing is for harlequin to do is the honourable thing, get honest , repay all the deposits, Stop this insane marketing ploy in a desperate attempt to lure more vulnerable investors in and call it a day…
Wotever, sadly that is the harsh reality of scams, and 666, Harlisuccess and other obviously self-interested pro Harlequin posters do not realise/care about – this scam has taken money people cannot afford to lose and spent it on everything other than building their property. The scammers here who say have patience are simply that – scammers, and as crooked as Ames himself and the IFAs (I suspect they are one of the two anyway) They have not even STARTED horrendously difficult projects, it is clear as day this is a scam and the money has gone. Have a thought for the victims of this mess before blindly waffling on about unstarted Pat Cash centres and golf courses, which are CGIs and will always remain just those.
@Anonymous: To say that anyone who does not have an anti HP bias is a scammer is the same as saying that anyone with anti Ames rhetoric is a member of O’Hallorans/Newmans family. See. Stupid statement.
The same as Wotever has now boosted the number of investers from 6000 to 10000!
By the time you factor in the new investors, The boutiques (The ones that should theoretically get a quicker return!!!) this has not been accounted for since the 6000 + all the pension side its 10k or there about.. ps this is not about which side you are on or being negative. The simple fact of the matter is its an investment that’s failing.. We should compile a group representation and bring this to the attention of the appropriate authorities and quickly
36 – you will notice I did not include you in the list because you approach matters in a way that is for the most part reasonable. 666 and Harlesucess etc do not, and do not present any evidence to negate the various facts that are presented that show Harlequin in a poor light. they present in an obviously self-interested way, which is what I was getting at – absurd baseless propaganda almost written from the brochures, and I do believe these people are part of perpetuating the scam, that is my opinion. If they would just give evidence as to why people should not be hugely worried and why the region should not be preparing itself for bad fallout, then they would not appear to be part of the Ames set-up. The anti-Ames rhetoric as you describe is not rhetoric or a witch hunt or group from the Newman brigade, but people seeing what is self-evident – he is seen on youtube and elsewhere telling what are blatant lies (such as the marina at BB being almost finished back in 2010, when to date it is not yet started), so these people have a wealth of evidence at their disposal that show Ames to be hopelessly incompetent at best. ames, as all scam artists, has hung himself on his own words and actions. Whilst BB is nice etc, it is smokes and mirrors, like the film set he now accuses his contractor of. It is a tiny fraction of what he is supposed to have done and there is no way out for him or this “model”. My point is that anti-ames rhetoric and pro Ames propaganda really do not carry anything liek the same credibility,therefore saying anit-Ames people are part of the O’Halloran group based on your argument is not reasonable. it is a simple existence of unavoidable and indisputable facts that brings anti-Ames people together (no planning permission, nothing started at Marquis, Dr etc) and that has upset many investors and people with interests in the region. It is the ongoing lust for commissions and payouts with no regard for investors that drives the Ames brigade.
Rather than look at whether people are part of what group, it would be nice to simply deal in the facts that Ames has put out there that are a million miles off the mark and what that means to the people whose investments are nowpretty much worthless and what they can do to either a) recover some of the money b) get comfort that in fact Ames has it all under control. My view being Caribbean based with great knowledge of all the locations and the industry is that he never has had it under control and does not have a clue about anything other than selling, commissions, putting as much as he can into his own pocket and living the high life for himself. That is what the evidence points to.
@Anonymous: I did qualify my statement by saying that it was stupid to lump people into one faction or another. I am an investor, I have quite clearly stated my position regarding refunds/income only to be ridiclued by certain people. However that does not mean I am not concerned or take a close interest in the current position.
Fair enough 36, I do wish you and others luck, but I fear you are really up against it if you still have money invested in anything other than the 300 or so built units at BB.
Wotever
Why would anyone invest their children’s college fees? Reckless!
Agree that is reckless, but pehaps it was presented in such a way as being a sure thing, a guarantee and due to the investor not doing their own due dilligence, they went along with it as they trusted the IFA/agent/Harlequin. Again, a mistake to buy without doing own research, but am sure wotever is not alone.
Anonymous I find your manor a tad aggressive. You can dream away lavishing your self in hundreds of thousands of pounds which is never gonna happen in any case..!!! Unless perhaps as 36 says you are in the first 300!!! Nobody trusts HP. Even the current agents unless they are too on the make!!! HP dont even know what is going on themselves!!! children are more important than this carry on at any rate.. I was told by a top world respected investment banker that most of your clients investments are pie in the sky and its about time everybody woke up to the reality especially me!!!
72 (feb 2nd, how harlequin damaged….)
You say Harlequin are to complete the purchase of the Amarylis in March.
Yatinkiteasy (Jan 19th, Harlequin posts H Hotel…… )
You say the purchase of the Amarylis has fallen through.
Someone is telling lies! Yatinkiteasy is my guess.Nothing unusual for him
I rest my case.
What really would be reckless is buying another hotel, before starting some others or completing H. Or buying H and Blu before starting the others…
Ahhhh your back again are you Hardly success
wake up smell the coffee
Hardlysuccess…I said I heard that the Amarylis sale had fallen through….I`m simply reporting what I heard, never claimed it as a fact…no lies here(now if you want to hear some lies, I can send you a few Harlequin You tube videos)
So many horrible characters in this charade. Invest5star for example, claiming to pride themselves on safe investments and done lots of due dilligence etc. Living in the Caribbean, you only needed to listen to the “business model” and know the sites to know what a joke it all was, and people lapped it up, led on by bandits like invest5star. I hope people like that go down with Ames when it does go, they are as bad as Ames, although not quite as bad…someone commented on Gary Player on another thread – these guys (Andy Townsend etc) just get cash and holidays paid for them, no risk whatseover, so hardly do due dilligence when there is free money. Other people’s money of course who had hoped to get a room or villa from it.
Its not going to look good for the celebrities is it I notice Phil Spencer is another one now involved in all this! I guess Liverpool Football club will have even less supporters now 🙂
Coverage of the court case where Paudie O’Halloran is being sued for stealing $13million by Harlequin. It must be just a coincidence that Paudie and Jeremy Newman, who is also being taken to court by Harlequin but in November, created Harlecon to bring down the company.
http://m.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2013/0206/1224329707445.html
What happened to Paudie being sued in England by Harlequin?
http://www.ifaonline.co.uk/ifaonline/news/2244007/harlequin-property-hits-problems-with-payments
Hello, I am a journalist with The Mail on Sunday newspaper in the UK.
I’ve read this thread with interest and would like to hear from any of you who have made investments with Harlequin Property and are now worrying about what is happening. I am researching an article for this week and beyond.
Please get in touch via russell.myers@mailonsunday.co.uk
Thanks
Dear Russell
You might want to liaise with Jon Austin of The Southend Echo who has been following the Harlequin story for some time. Other sources of interest will be http://i-witness-news.com and the St Vincent and The Grenadines Trip Advisor forum where, although many accounts have been closed, there are still comments on the evolution of the Harlequin business model and the Buccament Bay resort.
Andrew Drummond’s blog http://www.andrew-drummond.com contains interesting material on the early days of the Harlequin story in Thailand.
The online history of Harlequin has been airbrushed more times than the number of Soviet era generals taking the salute on top of Lenin’s tomb, but there are also a number of You Tube clips with Ames making extravagantly optimistic – or downright misleading claims as to progress at several of their sites.
If you are doing an article Russell, you should come over to the Caribbean and see the sites for yourself where the resorts, which have still not been started, are supposed to have been built. You will also find endless creditors.
http://www.ifaonline.co.uk/ifaonline/news/2244007/harlequin-property-hits-problems-with-payments
It does appear everyone has been dancing around blatant issues with Harlequin for years, issues that are very transparent. If Harlequin have to pay mortgage payments for the investors, they require cashflow to be able to do that. That is not to mention legal fees, 70 plus staff at HP HQ, airplane maintenance, celebrity endorsements and so on. BB, according to Harlequin, has been losing money heavily since the start. Even if it is now in profit (which it simply cannot be given rate, occupancy and high running costs), during those lossmaking years it also needed cashflow to cover those losses. In the absense of any other revenue stream, the only form of cashflow had to come from investors – they was no other form of cash (the owners of the businesses, the Ames family, were declared bankrupt prior to HP starting and no evidence of any personal wealth – although they did take a few million in commission, so they could pump that back into the business if they chose to although the amount needed to actually build out is several hunderd million pounds) If new investors were paying for the mortgage payments on earlier investors, as well as all the other running costs of the Harlequin businesses, and no financing was in place, and indeed nothing was gettting built thereby further underlining the financial predicament/operational failures of the business, then this is an unsustainable business that is essentially trading insolvent and must collapse. It would appear to be, as many have alluded to for years, a ponzi scheme and that means that virtually all the investors will expereince total loss of investment. Trading insolvent is illegal in the Caribbean as it is in the UK and operating a pyramid or ponzi scheme is also illegal. What evidence is there to counter the above, which is self-evident by the predicament that openly exists in unstarted resorts and thousands of creditors?
Not to mention the hotels that were added into the plans very late in the day — whilst the pre-existing commitments had not even been started. One could see that that would seem like a way of getting some much needed extra cash on board for cashflow.
So a journalist, Russell Myers, whoes last article was about a baby getting bitten by a fox, is now going to write an article in 4 days about a complicated building/financial project in the carribean. Funny how you are only interested in people who are worried about their investments. This should be worth a read LOL
36 Yes are you woried?????????????? And I will help him!!!
well someone has got to start somewhere to get to the truth of this matter. I am sure he will bring about some changes to harlequins practices and or what the financials are. Thousands of investors are climbing the walls!!!
it will be easy to write there really isnt that much to say as its not like Ames has done much in the way of building anything is there!
@36,
I thought you had left again …
How many ‘comebacks’ are you going to make on these threads?
Now you are attempting to discredit a Daily Mail journalist who’s investigating the Harlequin debacle.
36, you claim you’ve got your money back, but in reality I think all you have done is swap your nonexistent ‘units’ in SnotBuilt for one in BBay.
At least this gives Mr Myers an insight into the calibre of those who are speaking out Harlequin — and the sophistication of their arguments. It’s very tedious how it always dissolves virtually instantly into an ad hominem attack, together with the re-issuing of the party line as to how it’s all O Halloran’s or Wilkins Kennedy’s fault (and anyone unhappy/unconvinced must somehow either be them, or speaking on their behalf).
Still, I’m sure that the worried investors will find the idea of a coverage by the BBC and a massive UK newspaper a bit of a LOL too.
@36 Thank you for your interest in my previous articles.
Numerous people have been in touch this afternoon who we are now trying to help, so if you are an investor and have a story to add to our investigation please get in touch – russell.myers@mailonsunday.co.uk
Thanks
I’m pleased that the national press are getting involved. It’s a shame that this didn’t happen 2 or 3 years ago because quite a few people are holding very high risk investments that may have opted differently had they had a more balanced perspective. The CR “cleansed” media did not provide that balanced view.
I would think that this is now pretty close to the final curtain. The media will be falling over themselves to scoop this.
@36 Although I might not agree with the editorial stance of The Daily Mail on many topics I think that we can rely on the copy of their journalists to be literate and intelligible – unlike some of your adventures with the English language. I fear that your understanding of the workings of the media, as expressed in your comments re the forthcoming Panorama program and Mail feature, are as shaky as your grasp of the procedural methods of the construction industry – and risk assessment in investment.
@BBaywatch. You really are such an expert at everything! Now you are an expert on the English language. My apologies if my lack of education offends you. So you think that a potential Ponzi scheme involving £ms can be investigated in 4 days and be presented in an objective manner? You are right I do not understand the workings of the media. However the media in the UK is not censored, unlike the efforts of some on here!
36 How do you know they have only been looking into this recently???
Just because Russell has only asked on here recently does not mean he has not been looking into this for months!!
Quite so DA – as for censorship, this forum, although moderated, does not seem to censor or delete comments for reasons other than transgressions of decency and good taste. Harlequin, via Carter Ruck, are the ones imposing censorship on anyone daring to speak out or protest in any way.
For censorship read cyber bullying. Any one with a different point of view is a HP troll, lying Harlequin scum, an IFA, having a lack of knowledge of the English language etc etc. etc.
Nope, they’re completely different things.
I have to say 36 that for a long time I gave you the benefit of the doubt here; your position seemed more balanced, more open, more sensible than some of the others espousing the Harlequin line with oafish, robotic, inarticulate crassness. Now, I’m not so sure. From having initially taken a line that was professedly open minded, you now seem far too much at pains to attempt to take the party line as a default in spite of whatever new information is entered into the argument. A journalist and a world renowned broadcasting institution investigating this, with all of the responsibilities incumbent on them pursuant to their status, is surely something that anyone should welcome. Trying to childishly denigrate the journalist by alluding to a previous story reveals both an ignorance of the profession of journalism in general, and a thinly veiled fear of the reality of what is about to unfold here.
It feels desperate and does nothing to help your cause.
@36,
“So you think that a potential Ponzi scheme involving £ms can be investigated in 4 days and be presented in an objective manner?”
36, This Ponzi scheme has been investigated and examined by the media from around 2008. Thousands of pounds of investors’ money has been paid to HP’s libel lawyers to successfully shut down all debates in the UK press and on the internet.
@anonymous/EL2, and your postings above have just proved my point
1)I did not criticise Panorama for the pursuit of a story, I criticised them for trying to doorstep a PM of a country in what I would consider an unprofessional way. They asked for an interview, he said make an appointment, they decided to go ahead anyway. Was he going to give an interview on the Tarmac of an airport runway, come on.
2)re the Mail on Sunday, my point was the last report by Russell Myers was an article about a fox. This is a far more serious issue and should have the level of investigation it deserves. Russell Meyers asked for inputs for an article to come out 4 days later? Could you give this justice after 4 days of taking comments from investors?
@36, You’re talking rubbish. Get to the point you silly boy.
Once again @36, thanks for publicising my work on the fox story.
You will no doubt have been certain to notice it was a fox attack on a four week old baby which took place in a residential home, an extremely serious issue that stayed at the top of the news agenda in the UK for several days afterwards.
In regards to the Harlequin investigation, I can assure you The Mail on Sunday will dedicate all the necessary time and resources it takes to provide an accurate and accountable view of the situation.
@Bbaywatch. Can you have a word with Dave Amesless about his grammar on another thread? I know how keen you are on these things.
Wow I wonder how Mr Myers feels about you standing in judgement of his career, ability and credentials for this story so boldly? The relevant issue is that you dig away to look for an issue that you can use as a stick to beat anyone who speaks out against Harlequin — when the grounds are as flimsy as they are above, it looks a lot like defensiveness.
@Russell, thank you for that reassurance. I intend to send an e-mail later today/ tomorrow. Coventry have an important cup game tonight which has my full attention. I will confirm the sincerity of my position and give you balanced view information which I cannot divulge on an open forum. Even if I did I would still be a HP troll!
36, and Russell, at the risk of stealing another person’s comment (sorry anon73), I will repeat it:
It does appear everyone has been dancing around blatant issues with Harlequin for years, issues that are very transparent. If Harlequin have to pay mortgage payments for the investors, they require cashflow to be able to do that. That is not to mention legal fees, 70 plus staff at HP HQ, airplane maintenance, celebrity endorsements and so on. BB, according to Harlequin, has been losing money heavily since the start. Even if it is now in profit (which it simply cannot be given rate, occupancy and high running costs), during those lossmaking years it also needed cashflow to cover those losses. In the absense of any other revenue stream, the only form of cashflow had to come from investors – they was no other form of cash (the owners of the businesses, the Ames family, were declared bankrupt prior to HP starting and no evidence of any personal wealth – although they did take a few million in commission, so they could pump that back into the business if they chose to although the amount needed to actually build out is several hunderd million pounds) If new investors were paying for the mortgage payments on earlier investors, as well as all the other running costs of the Harlequin businesses, and no financing was in place, and indeed nothing was gettting built thereby further underlining the financial predicament/operational failures of the business, then this is an unsustainable business that is essentially trading insolvent and must collapse. It would appear to be, as many have alluded to for years, a ponzi scheme and that means that virtually all the investors will expereince total loss of investment. Trading insolvent is illegal in the Caribbean as it is in the UK and operating a pyramid or ponzi scheme is also illegal. What evidence is there to counter the above, which is self-evident by the predicament that openly exists in unstarted resorts and thousands of creditors?
36, I also felt that you were/are more balanced than the other HP posters, so would ike your balanced view on the above at some point as I am also curious to know how that can be explained. How can anyone explain away all the allegations made that are based on the irrefutable facts found here and elsewhere?
36 At least I dont hide behind excuses of being Dyslexic………and how do you know I am a man! ( I knew you didnt know who I am)
You have said your gonna leave so do a Will Young and do us all a favour and LEAVE RIGHT NOW!!!!!
Hold the press Russell!
Troll nr. 36, I’m sure Russell will be waiting for your email with ecstatic anticipation. An exclusive from 36 .
The first time you do something wrong it is a mistake. Anytime you do that same thing again, it is no longer a mistake but a choice!
I’m A Believer
I’m new today! Read it all, trained to be professional & unbiased I have to conclude:
Now Tell it to the Lawyers, who act for groups on a no win no fee basis. You have all expressed in your own ways the angst that brings me here, so many wronged individuals trying to make sense of it all. I now believe in Justice.
The serious fraud squad currently investigating the BB site with regards the land titles, Vincent Minister, corruption etc makes for uncomfortable reading to say the least!! Have spoken to several investors in the last two days, They all realise that it is over for harlequin but Dont want to accept it hoping that perhaps its all a mistake. Harlequin now seems to be made up of hundreds of separate companies. The next thing to happen will be insolvencies, splinter companies starting up in different names with a few select investors, and or re structuring if that has in actual fact already happening. I think a senior serious fraud police investigator needs to be involved now. If this is not bought to the attention of the authorities now we will see people committing suicide or worse..
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2283474/3-000-Britons-fall-victim-250million-fantasy-villa-fiasco-Holiday-home-scheme-promoted-Pat-Cash-investigated-fraud-police.html
http://www.ifaonline.co.uk/ifaonline/news/2250222/sfo-called-in-to-investigate-harlequin-property-reports
@wotever, your comment : will see people committing suicide or worse..
There will be people who are close to retirement age and what invested their whole pension or live savings into this project, some will not be strong enough to handle this and it could drive them to mental illness or worse.
On the other end of the spectrum, there will no doubt be some people who, how can I put it, work on the wrong side of the law – and could take matters into their own hands. I would not like to be the Ames family
Follow me on twitter @Harleconned tweet what I am tweeting!
So true Ralph I have been really upset and begged Harlequin for a refund and they refused
They are absolutley disgusting vermin
Hey guys i got a good idea! why dont we start a pressure group whereby we meet up in a community hall, give each other support etc share our grievances in person with each other, have a spokesperson whom communicates with harlequin or wotever!! We can use my MP whom will assist. Alone we are powerless but together unified we are all powerful. myself and 3 or 4 others are in already. We can initially meet in a public place and then organise ourselves from there..
@wotever, I’m in. I’ll volunteer as spokesperson!
Thats the problem wotever we will get inundated with the idiots ie 36
who does NOT have a problem with Harlequin
@wotever count me in too! We need someone with a set of balls to be a spokesperson. Lets bring them down like we are wolves! Did you see that programme over the weekend? It was facinating!
36 aka shitty terry why would you involve yourself ooohhhhhhh I can see it now the blue flashing lights and I can hear the sirens mmmAmbulance chaser
Ahh Dave Amesless, It isn’t only me who thought 36 was simple Simon Terry. Glad we’re on the same wave length. You can tell his style of writing from a mile off.
Notice too that the pro-Harlequin contributor on the IFA online article is named as Kay Wilson. There’s also a Kay Wilson who runs Indigo Dive at Buccament Bay…
LOL me Simon Terry. Ha Ha. I’ve already had to put Anon Reasons-unknown straight this morning.
@Dave Amesless, my offer was tongue in cheek, sorry a bit too subtle for you?
I think the public meeting sounds like a good idea, particularly if it is chaired by someone like an MP who is seen as impartial.
@ Dave Amesless – why discourage people like 36 from attending? As far as I’m concerned everyone would be welcome to put their point across in an orderly manner. Why not invite the senior managers and directors from HMSSE to come along and take part.
I think we should remind ourselves that we live in a society that believes in the rule of law (ridiculous though that is at times) and we should guard against any lynch mob mentality that could develop. I think it is highly likely that, by the time the law grinds its slow way through all this, all the money will have gone to creditors and nothing will be left for any investors.
@New Stuff. Well said. It is worth remembering that there are aprox 3500 investors and this forum only represents a very small percentage of them. Some I believe have an anti Harlequin agenda to suit their own ends. If anyone believes that pro O’Halloran/Newman supporters are not on here then they have a head in the sand approach. All investors will have received a Harlequin e-mail today re the MOS article. Very interesting reading it makes to.
Is anyone able to post a copy of the email that 36 refers to? Would be good to put it in the public domain.
36, why are you so blind to the obvious? The obvious being harlequin havevnot even started resorts that were supposed to be completed years ago…of course investors are mad. There is no evidence that they will ever start never mind finish. If you think this is a good investment you are either a very bad investor or have your own pro harlequin agenda. How do you see all this ending up?
I’m not sure why you would want Ames at this meeting? We fell for all that before what’s to stop us believing all the rubbish that comes out of his mouth again??? Why not invite O’Halloran and Newman and see what they have to say too?? You’re already believing the rubbish Ames has spread about people who already run successful businesses.
New stuff I have heard enogh lies from Harlequin and do not want to sit through more if they had any thought for investors they would of arrange updates wouldnt they
I predict that the email will say some/all of the following;
It’s the previous contractor’s fault
It’s the previous auditors fault
It’s definitely not Harlequin’s fault
There’s a law suit in Dublin that will prove that — familiar individuals will probably be named
The delays at BB are because of the airport
Reviews on TA for BB are brilliant
There’s a really big announcement on the way re something (a new resort, hotel, back end finance)
Everyone in the Caribbean is really excited about how the company are “redefining luxury.”
Harlequin Air are nearly ready to start commercial flights
36, Are you trying to say that, MOS, Panorama, Wilkins Kennedy, ICE Group, Paudie O’Halloran, Jeremy Newman, SFO, FSA, IFA Online all these bogus investor websites are all in cahoots against Harlequin and Harlequin are the victims in all this??? I don’t think so. They and us are victims of this elaborate scheme not Harlequin.
Why are Harlequin and Ames making this “response” about the MOS in a private email rather than publishing it all over the internet?? Is it because they know that the content of the email will be defamatory towards the MOS and they would get sued?? It’s obvious that they don’t have the money to employ C-R to defend them anymore.
ok thank-you guys. A meeting point,date and time is the next step. How about next week at one of the big public houses in Basildon late morning to early afternoon? I think we all have great ideas and spirit, collectively we can make a difference,
Wotever – Can you not pick somewhere more central in the UK as I think there are investors that are all over the UK who would want to attend. So Basildon wouldn’t be an option for some….
@wotever
Also some of us work full time so a weekend would be preferable.
Yes i just realised that! We could aim therefore for next Saturday or Sunday 🙂
How do you feel about Birmingham I know there are investor in Scotland,Manchester as well
I was thinking do you think we could invite the SFO and the FSO they could always have a little chat with Ames whilst there 🙂
We could invite the media as well Panorama,MOS,IFA Online to name but a few
If Ames is attending I hope he is paying for the room and refreshments at least that way we will be getting some of our money back )
Yes
this just proves what can be achieved and changed collectively.. Initially i say we meet locally next weekend and then progress from there. The reporter could attend and someone to take minuets 🙂
Wotever
Can I come to your meeting?
mmm Just thought of another problem gagging orders may prevent some from attending if Harlequin are there
If 36 , as an investor,has today received an e-mail about the MOS article why are the rest of you asking him to reveal it’s content ? Surely, as investors , you would have been e-mailed as well. Reason is-you are not investors!
Shall we say we are a pressure group seeking transparency and change, This is not about giving Harlequin the gun. At the end of the day we all want harlequin to succeed if indeed that is possible now!! Harlequin i believe need to make radical changes on every front in order that they can turn the corner. They also need to be fair minded to investors despite all the selfish acts, unreasonable payments to agents, and effectively setting up a culture for dishonesty to date..Therefore all could be welcome. Who knows one day Harlequin may thank us for the fundamental changes that they may or may not choose to make!!
I have the article I have already emailed BFP to put it on for you all to see. I think Dave Amesless has a point, How about people who want to go to a meeting but can’t make it to Basildon how about a meeting on the same day somewhere in Manchester?
bbfp Have a copy I have sent it to them
BFP?
Dear All,
Thank you for your interest in our story in The Mail on Sunday at the weekend, and many thanks to all of you who have been in touch.
We would still like to hear from others who have invested with Harlequin Property and continue to have concerns.
Please feel free to contact me any time via russell.myers@mailonsunday.co.uk
Many thanks,
Russell Myers
Mail on Sunday
Russell you are invited to our meeting next weekend in Basildon
mmm tweeter what about tweeting PMs and govenmentof all countries 🙂
Russell I think you should come to Manchester we could all meet at Media City 🙂
@Russell Myers you should follow me on Twitter you can follow me @Harleconned
Panorama What about coming to our meet 🙂
@Russell Myers, still not interested in people who do not have concerns then or have something positive to say. There again balanced reporting does not sell papers does it.
wotever, sadly there is no chance for Harlequin to turn the corner. Closing the stable door after the horse has bolted will have no net effect I am afraid, as much as a successful Harlequin would benefit all. The money received from investors has gone, it has not been spent properly and noone will provide finance for them. I have spoken to senior banking people in the Caribbean who have been approached and were not interested at all. Perhaps non traditional finance routes are available, but even then it is so under water, cannot see it happening.
BB is a lovely hotel, and given time would probably make money and be successful, once the airport was finished. It may not have time though, and even so it does not change the fact that hundreds of millions are needed to start, complete and then cashflow the other resorts. It is just something that will not happen, but if people still want to invest and wait, then best of luck and hope you get something out of it. Action groups and so on are a good idea – united investor groups can bring positive action. I have never heard any Harlequin person comment with any knowledge of the Caribbean, development here or resort operation, and sadly that is because the man at the top has not a clue about any of it. It is not an easy industry and you must be able to micromanage and know the way construction goes here and how resorts operate and are marketed. The O’Halloran debacle is a good example of lack of good governance at Harlequin.
100 good shout then help us!! Is that why the loan payments have stopped? harlequin said it was an account glitch? OK i can see the logic in that!!! No new investors especially with latest publicity, No financing on offer in the Caribbean.. Why do harlequin keep announcing to this day that they will deliver? Are they buying time? What do you think is therefore going to happen next? Appreciate your response 🙂
I think they are going to go bust and blame everyone from O”Halloran to Wilkins Kennedy,SFO,FSO,Investors and probably the window cleaner anyone and everyone will be blamed as it is never Ames fault at least one thing he is a expert in so should be easy for him to go Bankrupt
one of the first 300 investors on BB went down to the HP office in Basildon today and was told everything is going to be ok and all pavements and continuation of payments reinstated. Apparently according to HP everything is fine?
It is hard to know what will happen next wotever, and would love to help you, but I just cannot see how it will be a good outcome. I can tell you in all sincerity that I wish Harlequin would have worked out – would have loved to play on new golf courses and eaten in new places from the DR to SVG.
Harlequin need revenue from sales to keep the business afloat. There is another article coming out in the MOS most likely this weekend. That combined with the IFA online reports, reports on Caribbean websites and papers, BFP, and possibly Panorama, along with the change in legislation for IFAs in 2013 will reduce the level of sales to virtually zero. they had slowed down anyway as many IFAs were already starting to shun them. Without any revenue, or not enough to cover current liabilities, then they will absolutely need financing rapidly, or will have to cut expenses massively to stay alive. Their big expenses are office and staff in Basildon, office and construction in Barbados, cashflowing losses in St Vincent and cashflowing Blu, plus of course paying interest in loans as per agreement with investors. Finally, there are refunds which I expect to not be paid and for Harlequin to dodge such requests now completely. It would seem they have already stopped or slowed down the timing of payments of mortgage interest. I expect they will want to keep Buccament Bay going so all other cost centres, other than sales office, are likely to go before BB finally also shuts due to lack of cash. We are half way through the season, and cashflowing the low season will be mighty hard without lots of sales to investors, or unless they can somehow increase rate and occupancy, which we know is very hard off season here. (please note that another poster has suggested that investors on here are hurting their own investment by making noise, but the available facts would suggest that the end was inevitable and that new sales are simply delaying that and sucking in more people who will lose out as the sums/plans do not add up and never did)
I therefore would expect various Harlequin operations to stop (most of their operations promised have never started as we know) over the next 6 months, or survive purely on the odd sale they are somehow able to make. I would expect them to go under this year, shut up shop and try somehow to stay involved with BB, but I would also expect BB to be mired in controversy as title has not been handed over to investors, and as I said I don’t think the cash will be there to keep it open until the next high season. I could be wrong about that though to be fair, Ames may have some stashed away to keep his only real operation going. Blu is not an expensive operation, so it is conceivable that will remain open too, but I would expect that investor law suits will also pile up and eventually shut that down too, or at least ensure the asset is sold to pay some creditors.
Again, Harlequin may have enough money to keep the existing business going for longer, maybe another year. But long term, there is no conceivable way for them to fulfil commitments without huge financing and that just is not going to happen. I have heard that the DR may get some financing, however nothing for Merricks and Marquis. It is interesting to see a poster on another thread say that title at BB has been held up by the banks, which would indicate that a bank does have a charge over some land at BB which would be news. If I were an investor, I would be getting cautions on assets they have, be suing my IFA, be suing Ames and Harlequin if my contract has been breached and refund not forthcoming, be looking at anyone that may have the money to pay me out who has been complicit in this and I would certainly have a very good lawyer to help me get my money out.
Of course, there apparently are some investors who are happy, such as 36, so maybe he knows something other investors do not.
@100. Thank you for a very helpful summary of the situation as we find it now. Although there is inevitable speculation I think what ou say will be a fair reflection of reality.
In order to dig themselves out of this big hole I think HP need to work miracles. In addition to securing the necessary cash flow and access to financing (which always seems to be just around the corner) they need to completely change the transparency with which they deal with investors. This is the only way to rebuild confidence. The lack of reliable information coming from the heart of the operation simply causes endless damaging speculation. They are very good at heralding good news stories so, when they are conspicuously quiet about the things that really matter, it is no wonder that people get concerned. The Ames family only need to sponsor a homeless hamster and it would be the subject of a newsletter so why not tell the world about something really important (where are the accounts for example).
So, to regain the confidence of investors, governments, regulatory bodies, advisers, holiday makers… Can we please see all the accounts properly audited and published, all the construction programmes including dates for when planning permissions will be granted and all the deadlines to full resort operations, details of land title…
If these details are not forthcoming then HP shouldn’t be surprised when people speculate that the whole thing is a shambles waiting to collapse. As I said, they can sing from the rooftops when the most insignificant thing is achieved so why do they leave all the important things mired in clouds of uncertainty?
have you read the latest news in the mail. it seems terminal now, the plant on this site should stay quiet now
Can you please put a link up I cannot find it
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2287140/Tycoon-accused-taking-300m-British-investors-faces-freeze-assets-failing-build-luxury-homes.html
Fools and their money…fools and their money.
Serves them right for (a) being so gullible, (b) having believed the hype then being so greedy.
LOL
You shouldn’t malign them for they lack of intellectual perspicacity,we all have been there before in some respect, haven’t we?
I could well imagine the emotional vicissitudes associated with losing one’s life saving.
But, then again, who is really cognizant of the carefully crafted Words, concealed behind the verisimilitudes of dishonest intentions
Smellarat It almost appears you are almost pleased at our plight plus the fact that we are probably are going to go bankrupt. Then really ultimately it will be the tax payer whom gets the kicking!! Most of the investors were OAPS and hard working family people whom wanted some financial security for the future. I am not greedy i would just like my deposit back so i can do something useful, constructive and meaningful!!
I guess its a hard life lesson for does of us who seek not to adhere to the precedent.
I guess its a hard life lesson for those of us who seek not to adhere to the precedent. My miscalculation is just another sign of my progressive cognitive decline.
So the truth is now emerging!! They have lied about the banking glitch, they have taken money from investors in the last 6 months knowing they were running into trouble. That is as low as any human can sink to. When are we going to stop this wuss boy carry on and confront these villains at their Basildon offices. When are we cowards going to act together and bring them to justice. I propose a meeting any Saturday at any large public house. How bad does it need to get before we do something. They are still posting e mails out like nothing has happened!!
Sorry honest decent folk, Harlequin have just filed bankrupt.. They pulled the wool over our eyes, lied till the bitter end, deceived us.. I believe they have transferred funds into other named persons just before filing!!! horrible beasts, Karma will prevail as you cannot treat humans like this and walk away Scott free
Not shocked at all at the recent announcement but disgusted that is was posted on their Facebook page before investors even received an email, the same communication that is still outstanding.
what on earth is all this nonsense about ???!!! they have not at all filed bankrupt, just dissolved a subssiduary for legal reasons ! whatever does ‘PRESERVENESS’ mean ,Pattaya Villa !! ( so, you’re an investor at Pattaya Village, Turkey, are you ? )
Sandy,
Harlequin Management Services (South East) Limited has gone into administration because they can’t pay their debts. The reference to Pattaya is a scam that Ames did in Thailand some years ago (investors didn’t get their properties). I think you had better head over to the BREAKING: thread for a wake-up call.
@ Sandy, if you have invested with Ames, chances are you wont see it again sorry but where have you been?
No No No ! thats the one closed-Harlequin PROPERTY is definately up & running ! we are currently changing our delayed merricks purchase into a current buccament Bay one ! Its all Ok !
a few are perhaps completing if they hand over more money and transfer to buck bay it seems but even if that were so what about the other several thousand hard working honest trusting folk??? sounds like some cosy insider dealing going down at others expense
ALL the investors have received the same offer ! it’s a general e-mail, no secret at all !
So how many of the thousands of investors will get one of the less than 200 units at BB ? This is just scam part 2 .
Hello group. I have wrote three letters addressed to harlequin company solicitor/ Dave Ames. I have had no acknowledgement, no response of any kind! It is becoming very clear that harlequin are in very serious trouble with finances despite what they may say in conferences in Basildon.I equally don’t think regulatory solicitors are doing anything constructive. This whole saga is pants. 400 million up in smoke. take that right on your chin eh!!????
@wotever.
Have you been living in a cave? You will not get a reply. You are not dealing with a ‘normal’ company – so don’t expect any reply.
There is NO FINANCE.
Investor led plan of insolvency are the only possible action left.
Thank-you leaky The cave may well be a reality when my house gets repossessed!! Regarding the investor led plan of insolvency case what action do i need to take if any???
Those muppets who handed money to complete thanks very much, just paid for my holiday and a few quid for more legal actions