We wondered why the hit-o-meter was going wild from the UK on our Harlequin articles and then we discovered the reason why: a bunch of Brits purchased condo units in Thailand from Ames / Harlequin
and… and… Guess what?
Money gone, no condo…. that’s what!
One has to wonder just when this house of cards called Harlequin will finally run out of people willing to trade their cash for a promise that never arrives…
Is Thailand’s Attorney-General Moving Against Dodgy Developers?
Emerald Palace Visited By Police – Sensation
A controversial condominium project in Pattaya linked to a British company, which has taken billions of pounds for property projects, which have never been built, in the Caribbean and Thailand, was yesterday (Wednesday) visited by police and Pattaya Consumer Protection Officers.
Emerald Palace on Pratamnak Hill, Pattaya, initiated by David Ames of the British company ‘Harlequin’, could be described to have been raided but that may be stretching things. The visit was long overdue.
The project is a classic study on how foreign property companies in Thailand can rip off unsuspecting clients.
First of all some buyers, mainly British, but also some Russians, a Canadian and other nationalities, were sold units and were never even allocated one.
Secondly all the remaining buyers found that, when they came to occupy their rooms in the project which came in three years late, they had all been mortgaged to Thailand’s Kasikorn Bank. (One buyer found that his allocated unit was in fact occupied by the mistress of a bank official.)
And thirdly the original sellers, the people who took the cash, quietly removed themselves as directors.
And their company, which actually owns the project is not the company with which the buyers were actually dealing.
Emerald Palace was initiated by David Ames of Harlequin U.K. based in Basildon , Essex. Ames is a formerly bankrupt ex-double glazing salesman.
Barbados Free Press 
KJA..making death threats is not allowed…even on BFP.(World Press policy)
This came out yesterday.
http://www.ifaonline.co.uk/ifaonline/news/2237559/fsa-issues-warning-on-harlequin-property
Thanks for chiming in yatiniteasy. Bajans were not unkind to the uninvited guests from the Ghana Air debacle, although it is true there were some incidents. We have removed that comment from a person in Ghana, who was talking about this incident…
See The Great African Tourist Scam of 2008 – Ghana International Airlines Knew They Weren’t Returning to Barbados!
One of Ame’s old ones. Soon to be like the Caribean one. Really feel for the thousands of UK people that have lost money and now find themselves facing years of debt and the people that have been persuaded to put their pension in.
I feel for the people of the different islands desperate for a job to provide for their family and to feed their self esteem especially St Vincent, thanks for letting me help to pull the net in beach fishing with all the village . Had a great time 🙂
This is soon to collapse and the lawyers will be fighting the financial advisors for years to come.
All I know is what I learned is not to trust financial advisors. Check for yourself.
Best of all I love the Caribean. I am moving to Dominica, starting a business and I am going to create some long lasting jobs.
Peace
Andrew Drummond is a criminal in serious trouble with the Thai courts!
http://pattaya-times.com/a7964-andrew-drummond-defies-court-order-more-criminal-charges-pending
Research your sources! This man is clearly conspiring with Jeremy Newman and Malcolm McDonald of Wilkins Kennedy who are being sued by Harlequin. Why is it only dodgy sources that come out against Harlequin?
Drummond uses the EXACT SAME LANGUAGE that Harlecon did by calling Ames a bankrupt double glazing salesman.
Harlecon of course was run by Jeremy Newman and Paudie O’Halloran.
Therefore it is OBVIOUS that Drummond is just a part of Jeremy Newman and Paudie O’Halloran’s plan to stop Harlequin taking them to court for the MILLIONS OF INVESTORS DOLLARS that strangely vanished on their watch.
“Dodgy sources” like the FSA?
Dodgy news publications like the Financial Times and, today, The Times? Dodgy broadcasters like the BBC?
Ad hominem attacks on certain individuals does nothing whatsoever to discredit the veracity of the underlying issues. The facts, in respect of late filing of accounts, opaque internal accountancy practices, the misselling and misrepresentation of risk in respect of the product, and the constantly missed deadlines speak resoundlingly for themselves.
Perhaps if you are seeking the truth, you are ignoring some fairly overwhelming issues.
Even on their own website, the most recent “latest news” newsletter is from April 2012. Needless to say that most of the bold predictions of progress have not been realised – and the backend finance mentioned remains conspicuous by its absence.
H what do you mean by the FSA? The alert? An alert is merely suggesting people do proper due diligence because lots of people are investing.
Anon, you clearly haven’t read Harlequin updates blog: http://harlequinupdates.wordpress.com
Truthseeker, if the FSA alert was only issued in order to remind IFAs to do proper due diligence then it logically follows that they would have issued a similar alert relating to every company offering SIPP compliant investments. That they have chosen to attach an alert specifically to Harlequin is significant and you know it.
The three areas that they specifically raise in their alert are also significant. They force the OFA to ask questions of Harlequin that would cause them to squirm with embarrassment. The honest answers to these questions would cause any reasonable IFA to run a mile. The simple fact that the projects have no published accounts for the past 7 years means that some of the questions cannot be answered by Harlequin. An IFA, if challenged by a potential investor, would have to present the accounts on which they based their confidence in this investment. These accounts are not available and so it becomes a product that no IFA could risk recommending.
Sorry, but this innocent acceptance and endorsement of the IFA alert is an attempt at making this situation appear normal and nothing to worry about. It is significant as anyone reading the Money section of The Times today will understand.
Exactly!
You’d also have to be relying on wilful ignorance to ignore the alert’s implicit suggestion about the nature of the investment. It seems pretty obvious that they are making it clear that even basic due diligence will reveal this product as wholly unsuitable. The FSA are limited in what they can do at this stage, but it is a very clear statement of intent. With respect, I don’t think that volume of investments is what’s provoked them into action.
Sorry Truthseeker…(what an name!) An Alert from FSA is not a mere suggestion that people should do due diligence …especially when it is identifying a specific overseas property investment…in this case , not just any overseas property development, but Harlequin!
One definition of the word “alert” is … A signal that warns of attack or danger.
Don`t try to soft sponge this one…an Alert on a specific company from FSA is very serious, and will affect people who might still be considering investing in Harlequin projects through their retirement plans.
I assume you have read it? It says the FSA is aware a lot of people are taking that investment, so people should do proper due diligence because it is an unregulated investment. It then suggests particular things to find out. Any tone of grave danger is in your own head because they would issue a warning and say do not invest if it was so.
Again please just deal in facts.
But you have not addressed the key point I made earlier Truthseeker.
If an IFA did appropriate due diligence in the three areas raised by the FSA then they could not recommend this product to anyone. For example, if the FSA expects advisers to have a full understanding of how Harlequin uses client monies then there needs to be a fully audited set of accounts showing the flow of money between HMSSE and the various projects overseas. These, to date, have not been made available; indeed, it is the non publication of years of accounts that threatens the liquidation of the SVG operation if we take the above report at face value. So, please tell us Truthseeker, how is an IFA to advise anyone to invest.
The FSA hasn’t told IFAs to stop advising clients to invest but their alert amounts to practically the same thing.
They are sticking to the point.This thread is about the accountants who blew the whistle,is it not? Even though Newman the thief has cut his own Throat.
666 How is Newman a thief ……explain
He was working for a wage wasnt he?
666/ Ames… Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.
Albert Einstein
Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/a/alberteins133991.html#pOwvig6xo2mSlBFz.99
@Mark Amen, I’ll tell you why he is a thief. As it appears he has been working in cahoots with O’Halloran to try and discredit Harlequin then he has devalued my investment. If that proves to be the case then I might sue him for damages also!
36 Its a triple dip ressesion Ames devalued your investment by not building on the land that we have ALL paid for.
Can you ALL honestly say that if you knew before what you know now………… you would have given Ames a penny of your hard earned cash I know I wouldnt
You cant blame these two for Amess previous track record can you?
Maybe if he was of good character he could of got the banks backing maybe he should of walked away.
You cannot blame them for him not filing accounts in several countries…..can you?
Also are you going to sue other alternative websites that other investors have set-up.
Investors on trip-advisor who dare to complain about BB.
The truth is the truth YOU CAN PUT A PIG IN A SUIT BUT YOU CANNA STOP IT GRUNTING!!!
NS may not be aware that Wilkins Kennedy were Harlequin’s accountants and they are being taken to court for making a monstrous perhaps even illegal mess of it. When you consider the fact that their employees were running a hate campaign against Harlequin and having meetings it looks very damning.
One would imagine Wilkins Kennedy clients cannot be pleased that the staff were spending their time focused on destroying a client’s reputation rather than taking care of accounts.
36, I think it is a bit extreme to blame those two for the devaluation of your investment. Ames has done that all by himself by building 5% of what he has sold. Once you have a development where the principal/developer makes all his money up front via commissions, and not on the back end of delivering the product, then it is a very slippery situation – the inevstors and the developer do not have the same goals or interests at heart. Ames has pulled his millions from commissions and there is nothing more for him to make by building. The sites are hugely expensive to develop and at the price he sold for, he will not be able to build with a profit. He will then have to fund losses for the first few years of each property. I have never before in my 40 plus years in this business in the Caribbean seen a developer take so much at the front end and be so heavily incentivised by sales commissions. As he has no track record in development or resort operation or the Caribbean, and by all accounts has only been small fry and failed at business, then even more reason not to back someone who has structured the business in such a way. I think it is perfectly clear all investors are done for, and makes no difference whether Harlecon was set up, or what any other acountants or anyone else for that matter says. Ames is perhaps not as completely dumb as it has been claimed and he appears, he was just commission driven from the start and not construction and operationally driven as sales commissions was all he understood. The lack of filing of accounts and the FSA warning speak for themselves.
Mark, Maybe he hasn’t got the investment because its a triple dip drepression? My piont was that regardless of the negative comments on here, the fact that if O’Halleran and Newman were in cahoots then they could be liable for mega damages for damaging Harlequin. Does it not occur to people that Harlequin could use this as a reason for their business being destroyed?
The FSA can not say do not invest as it is an unregulated scheme. They have done the next best thing, by suggesting a set of criteria by which investment — or recommending investment — would be impossible.
Harlequin may end up blaming this sideshow involving the accountants and the builders (both of whom they engaged); it doesn’t mean it’s true.
Harlequin will use all sorts of excuses when this goes pop, including wk and paddy o, so you are right there 36. Interesting how none of the harlequin supporters have even attempted to answer the reasonable questions and comments presented here,always skirting the real issues as is their way. They do not appear to be even masking this scam, it is open and self evident what is going on, which makes the harlequin supporters even more absurd.
What I think is that Wilkins Kennedy were and are a legitimate business before Harlequin!
Paudie was running a successful business also.
We cannot say the same of Ames can we?
It seems to me everyone who comes in contact with Ames ends up in litigation, I have NEVER invested anywhere and had to sign a confidentiality agreement to get my money back have you?
Does it not concern you that he is not answerable to any of us who have invested?
Do you not think he should apologise for not building our resorts?
Tell me how you can blame to guys who were unfortunate to get involved with Ames….isnt that like blaming Kate Middletons brother for Ames sons mess?
please look at the historic data on this ( may be difficult but some is still available on cache). HMSSE from prior 2008 and afterwards advertised guaranteed 100% finance) unfortunately the contract with the overseas company at this time only stated ” we will endevour” to find appropriate funding or words to this effect. STARTLING. no finance in place to fund the end mortgages , monies not held in escrow and can be used for pretty much anything in relation to build/promotion/costs. please bear in mind that of the estimated 300 million in deposits c100 million would have been paid as commission given that agents/IFA’s got between 7-10% of the purchase price. Add into that the cost of salaries, advertising, legal fees ( basically all running costs of BB/ H. BLu, purchase of airlines etc)and all allowed to come from investors deposits i cannot see how there can be much left in the pot to build the remaining resorts/amenities/golf courses etc. without 3rd party funding . BUT we shall see , perhaps harlequin can come on here and tell us how they intend to finance and build all the other resorts including infastructure required, build costs, golf courses, other amenities etc etc etc,
It is an impossible equation. Anyone with the slightest business experience or accounting skills can see this simply cannot work and can never add up. It is absurd for any intelligent person to believe otherwise.
INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALIST ANDREW DRUMMOND NOW FACING MULTIPLE CRIMINAL CASES IS UNABLE TOFUND HIS OWN DEFENSE IN PATTAYA CRIMINAL COURT.
DON’T EXPECT ANY HELP From the thief PADRAIG O’HALLORAN side kick JEREMY NEWMAN.
Interesting update on Drummond, the plot thickens there. 2 plus 2 still equals 4 though – Harlequin does not add up and is certain to lose everyone their money.
Drummond a well respected invesitgative journalist with an impecable record within the industry being sued by guess what ” someone he exposed for very dubious activities” and who himself is going to trial shortly and who just by the way happens to own the paper that this story and blog appeared in. if you look at all the information you may find that drummond intends to fight this case which is more about “libel” and posting information on the internet/blog rather that more sinister reasons that some are inferring.
ANDREW DRUMMOND EXPOSED AS A FROUD CAUGHT POSTING FICTION AS FACT. MULTIPLE CHARGES BROUGHT BY AT LEAST TWO OTHER VICTIMS OF ANDREW DRUMMOND ALL THE SAME OFFENCES OF EITHER CRIMINAL DEFAMATION OR CONTRAVENTIONS OF THE COMPUTER CRIMES ACT. ANDREW DUMMOND OF BANGKOK CHARGED IN CRIMINAL COURT.
HOPE ANDREW DRUMMOND GETS 50 YEARS IN RAT INFESTED HELL HOLE.
I haven’t a clue whether Andrew Drummond is guilty or innocent of the charges made against him.
What I do know is that he DIDN’T fake the video on his website which clearly shows Mr Ames selling his Harlequin model to investors in Thai property. The claim was clearly made by Harlequin Property (Thailand) that their model offers essentially no risk to the investor and that they would all enjoy good capital and revenue returns on their investment. Can anyone tell me how many of those investors are enjoying these wonderful benefits?
Was that all a scurrilous lie manufactured by the warped and jealous mind of mr Drummond?
NOT ONE OF THE PEOPLE WHO CLAIM TO HAVE LOST MONEY REFER TO DAVE AMES. YOU HAVE NOT ONE THREAD OF EVIDENCE TO MAKE ANY CLAIM OF MALPRACTICE. YOU ARE FINDING DAVE AMES GUILTY BY ASSOCIATION. DAVE AMES IS NOT THE FIRST PERSON TO TURN AWAY FROM AN UNSUCCESSFUL BUSINESS VENTURE TO ENJOY HUGE SUCCESS IN ANOTHER.
ANDREW DODGY DRUMMOND HAS TO APPEAR IN COURT ON MARCH 11 AND IF UNABLE TO POST SATISFACTORY BAIL HE WILL BE REMANDED IN CUSTODY UNTIL HE CAN DO SO AT NONG PALAI PRISON NEAR PATTAYA.
What is Ames’s huge success?
Blah blah blah. Wouldn’t harlequin not filing any accounts in St Vincent for 7 years and the companies house there are going to kick them off the register count as malpractice, considering they are in charge of 100’s of £millions of “investors” money.
David Ames is clearly seen on TV in Thailand, promoting Harlequin Property developments,and not just as a spokesman, but as the man behind it all.These developments either were never built, or in the case of the the few that were built, the Investors never got title to their properties. “Guilty by association” my ass..it is guilt “by actions”,,,and the evidence is there for all to see in that video.. Writing in CAPS does not make your point any stronger mr Jan 30 Anonymous.
NOT ONE OF THE PEOPLE WHO CLAIM TO HAVE LOST MONEY REFER TO DAVE AMES.
This may be true anon in caps. However, it cannot be denied that Ames said this was a risk free investment. He must have known financing was not in place and the project was not set up properly yet still made this outlandish comment. The alternative to his lying about this is that he is an incredibly bad developer/businessman who does not check the products out properly – he is seen to say a project is risk free that never got built. Now, that seems to ring a bell in the Caribbean too. Remember, this man told a radio station in the US that the marina at Buccament Bay was almost complete (this also on youtube so cannot be denied) and as he said it, it had not been started. He appears to not mind bending the truth or inventing an alternate reality.
http://www.ftadviser.com/2013/01/30/ifa-industry/product-providers/harlequin-grapples-with-accounting-problems-SAkxcGArZh9LuSnQATUnXI/article.html
From the above: “In Harlequin’s 2011 annual report, the independent auditor BDO said: “There have been historic and ongoing problems with the accounting record keeping.”
The director’s report said the records were accepted by previous auditors Wilkins Kennedy”. So are WK the “good guys” or the “bad guys”?
“”Wilkins Kennedy were not appointed as auditors or instructed to file statutory accounts for Harlequin Property SVG Limited or any other overseas company within the Harlequin organisation.
“Wilkins Kennedy did act as auditors to Harlequin Management Services (South East) Limited the UK based property marketing company and resigned in 2010. New auditors were appointed and subsequent years accounts as audited by them were filed at Companies House.”
source – http://www.ifaonline.co.uk/ifaonline/news/2238103/no-accounts-for-harlequin-property-resort-since-2005
As ever the Harlequin version of events is highly selective.
@bbwatch. The report above did not mention HP SVG. 2010 reports would be filed in 2011. I suggest your compiling of facts is highly selective.
NOT ONE OF THE PEOPLE WHO CLAIM TO HAVE LOST MONEY REFER TO DAVE AMES.
FURTHERMORE..THE MAN SEEN IN THE VIDEO WHO IS REPORTED AS MR AMES IS ACTUALLY AN ACTOR, HIRED BY THE VILE MR DRUMMOND IN ORDER TO DISCREDIT MR AMES WHO ENJOYS A
REPUTATION AS A VERY SUCCESSFUL BUSINESSMAN BACK HOME IN ENGLAND.IT WAS DIFFICULT TO GET AN ACTOR TO SOUND AS UNEDUCATED AND IGNORANT AS MR AMES, BUT MR DRUMMOND IS VERY DODGY
@36 – no time to look it up but I think that you will find that Wilkins Kennedy had already qualified the accounts when they were in charge – of course in the topsy turvy world of Harlequin they are now the ones being blamed.
Anonymous re ‘the actor’ – I assume that is tongue in cheek – if not I think that you should seek help.
DAVE AMES BROKE OFF HIS ASSOCIATION WITH OTHERS IN THAILAND FOLLOWING DISAGREEMENT. HE CAME AWAY BEFORE ANY SALES WERE INITIATED. HIS FORMER ASSOCIATES THEREAFTER DEVELOPED THEIR OWN BUSINESS METHODS. AS WE ALL KNOW FROM THE COMMENTS MADE BY THE PURCHASERS THE VIDEO SEVERAL,THESE TURNED OUT TO BE NEITHER GENUINE NOR SINCERE. DAVE AMES NAME WAS NEVER MENTIONED BY ANY OF THESE PURCHASERS.
ANDREW DRUMMOND EXPOSED AS A FROUD CAUGHT POSTING FICTION AS FACT THERE ARE MULTIPLE CRIMINAL CHARGES BROUGHT BY AT LEAST TWO OTHER VICTIMS OF ANDREW DRUMMOND ALL THE SAME OFFENCES OF EITHER CRIMINAL DEFAMATION OR CONTRAVENTIONS OF THE COMPUTER CRIMES ACT.
To write in capitals is very silly. You are so seriously deluded and need of help, or its a child like way of defending this con man David Ames, lets wait and see how long his crumbling Empire will last and how long he and his wife say out of jail.
Why mr CAPITAL are you defending Ames? I would like to know?
@BBaywatch, Now come on, no time to look something up is no excuse is it. How’s my spelling these days:)
More coverage of this issue in the financial industry press today. It has become virtually impossible for regulated advisers to have anything to do with this product given the amount of (negative) attention it has been receiving.
Being selective, or otherwise, does not obfuscate the point that Harlequin’s record re the delivery of accounts is disgraceful. Either late, non-delivered or highly qualified – and naturally always someone else’s fault.
Anonymous
Read all the comments above , and have to say if anyone thinks that this Ponzi scheme with a few villas built at bucc bay will survive they are seriously deluded .
Pension money has become the target for many unregulated dodgy advisers , as it is unloved money and is easily moved for the promise of exorbitant returns !!!
I was informed this week by a sipp provider that they would not touch harlequin in any circumstances as they do not respond to any questions regarding due diligence and numerous legal points
They also told me that they have always refused to deal with harlequins
Marquis estate as the developer does not even own the land !!!
So unless harlequin can keep producing cgi images of fictional resorts and get investment from other sources it will collapse very soon .
Not sure what comment / response we will then get from all the celebrities
Who have been endorsing product ?
Pity , because there are some good solid investments out there but all will probably be tarred with same brush . Good luck !!
The second FSA report out today, will make the product impossible to sell, so how long can the go on with only BB as a revenue stream.
BB is not a revenue stream. It loses money every month and is subsidised by new “investor” money. BB is the bait for new “investors”
Grustgrust, I can’t find a second FSA alert. Can you post a link please?
Greetings/Sympathies to all
Sorry to butt in on your conversation; but this tread is very informative
I have read the Guideline for Purchasers posted on HP website and need some help understanding.
As I read it, you pay your money to HH&R who pays part (all?) of the money to HP; but your contact is with a local company that (is said) to own the resort property on which the unit you (think) you are buying.
Seems you have no control over what happens to the money you hand over to Ames & Co. Is this correct?
Is there anyone out there who has paid money for The Merricks, and what are the stories you are being told about the property and the unit you thought you were buying?
Would appreciate some clarification
David gray Feb 1
you say harliquine have not paid for the land at the marquis estate. Why come out with such a bold statement? Do you have proof to back this up?
HARLIQUIN SHOULD BE PRAISED THEY ARE THE ONLY DEVELOPER STILL BUILDING IN BARBADOS. the originator of this thread is backward.Barbados got themselves into junk status.The government are paying 6 per cent to borrow money. Was harliquine responsible for this?
You are sick if you think they need praise
Barbados should really be thankful to Harlequin…they have FOUR workers on the job at H hotel…WOW!
new stuff…. here is the link…..
ANOTHER FSA WARNING ABOUT HARLEQUIN.
no smoke with out fire.
http://www.investmentsense.co.uk/tag/harlequin-property/
To be fair though grustgrust, this is just a press release on the original 18 Jan FSA alert
now that uk agents are offering a 50% discount on harlequin investments it seems to me that the expected crash could be on hold as new and present investors are tempted to jump on this bandwagon.An election is on its way make it an issue
@homefront …any links to agents with those discounts?Reality check.
If it is true that there a 50% “fire sale” is going on then this is another nail in the coffin for this scheme.
It would have to be a desperate attempt to buy cash flow by taking on liabilities way beyond the asset on the other side of the balance sheet.
It would also explode the myth of capital growth of the asset that Harlequin promoters harp on about. If this were true then the capital value of everyone’s units would be slashed at a stroke. This kind of behaviour has happened before and I certainly have had agents approach me with offers of units way below the brochure price. The poster who flamboyantly crowed about his wonderful unit that had grown in value and that he/she could sell at any moment (on this thread or another BFP thread) then I would challenge them to prove that the unit has the value they think it has and is as liquid as they hope it to be.
I really think the only way to get your money back is either a website or TV program what do others think?
Also what does everyone think about all turning up at Harlquin HQ at the same time with the press in attendance
can you give me a link to the properties being offered at 50 per cent discount Sounds good.If its true, I’m in. I hope there are some left.
They never put those “offers” on their websites so as to not arouse the ire of existing investors who, not unreasonably, see similar units that they bought 4 years ago being flogged off for less than they paid.
These are generally offered over the phone and have some back story to justify their discount price.
So whats the story this time? We are in the process of being exposed on more Television chanels as well as BBC1 Panorama and we need some more money to keep the shit from sinking!
Can’t be any thing wrong in that if i want to buy.it’s what’s makes me happy.
Why not send off money that can be used for any of Ames’s fancies, and put commission in his pocket at the same time, and get nothing at all in return. This is factually what happens as has been demonstrated over the last 7 years. Obviously Harlequin supporters on here will dress it up, but that is reality.
That’s what the knockers always say. Mind your own business
Can you disprove the previous statement? I know you want everyone to leave you alone so you and ames can keep conning people out of their pensions, but am afraid that won’t happen, and unless you can show how the above is not true, jail time faces Ames and hopefully the ifa’s and agents and others who made this scam possible.
The disingenuity and scheming and scamming of Harlequin knows no bounds, so of course no surprise there are staunch, illogical defenders of the indefensible on here. Try this example – a couple of years ago, Harlequin were sending out promotions to agents and investors to buy into a hotel in St Lucia, promising massive returns. They used as its comp set LeSPORT Body Holiday, Cap Maison and East Winds – all deluxe ocean front properties. One of them even has private pools on the roof of their suites. It was pointed out at the time that the hotel in question was the Village Inn, a roadside Inn people can stay at for less than US$100. Regardless, Harlequin kept selling it as a luxury hotel with a rate of US$700 per night, but of course, and amazingly, they said they could not name the hotel for some absurd reason (they probably did not own it yet, which was the reason) Lo and behold, it was indeed the Village Inn that was then turned into Blu with a very basic lick of paint and new furniture, and one can still stay there for under US$100, miles from the US$700 proposed, and anyone can visit the island and realise that the comp set they used was wildly inappropriate. They also said they would completely refurbish the hotel after a year of operating, which they then reneged on. Another example of Harlequin just doing whatever they can, with lies and deceit, to sell whatever they can. They are a very low life bunch of crooks, and one should be very wary of doing any business with them.
Can I make a polite request? When you post, please give yourself a name. It is very difficult to follow the replies on threads when so many people just post as ‘anonymous’. Thanks.
The frantic smear campaign is not going to stop Harlequin from building,nor is your attempt to discredit Dave Ames.Much of what you say cannot be substantiated.It is based on assumptions,misrepresentation,guesswork and downright lies.You use the terms”I believe””someone told me””I heard”etc.etc.It’s like a bunch of old washerwomen engaged in malicious gossip.You are engaged in one big conspiracyon the BFP website.A vindictive conspiracy that has been long-running,inept,pointless and going nowhere fast.You troublemakers are all hiding behind faceless identities,contradict each other,even arguing amongst yourselves.What a complete waste of everyone’s time.
Harlequin will be in business for many,many years.
See comment on other thread faceless. Everything that has been said is indeed fact, and irrefutable at that. Your efforts are pointless, the evidence is clear that your company is operating a business that does not and cannot fulfill its obligations. Can you please provide evidence to the contrary, that would be most welcome rather than the usual, and expected non consequential bile that you and other Harlequin people come up with. It is most certianly not a waste of time if you and all your band of conmen are either held to account, or deliver what you have sold and shed the reputation of crooks which is pervasive all through the Caribbean, from the Bahamas to Trinidad, where every government and business community I have dealt with believes you are running a scam.
Faceless…you show me yours, and I`ll show you mine.
Can you be a little bit more specific about lies you have seen on this blog?
That Merricks has two show homes after all these years?
That Buccament Bay is not yet 50% complete?
That nothing has started in the Dominican Republlic?
That no building has started at Marquis St Lucia?
That legal titles have not been given to any investor as yet?
That some of the land at BB is leased, not owned by Harlequin?
These are but a few of the “Lies” being spread about Harlequin.
If you want to see some lies, there are many videos on You Tube where Mr Ames has made some fantastic claims and statements that could be easily construed as lies…There is no need for anyone to discredit him.
http://www.andrew-drummond.com/2013/02/thai-court-rejects-libel-claim-against.html
The first of the ludicrous libel cases against investigative journalist Andrew Drummond is thrown out of court.
Pay attention CAPITAL LETTERS man. False libel allegations are just that, FALSE. Just because a shady businessman, upset about exposure of dubious sides of his business, decides to spend money on legal fees to try to cover up the revelations does not mean that the story will go away. All it does is cause tremendous stress and financial strain on the person who was telling the truth.
At least Andrew is choosing to stand up and defend himself and what he says against these revolting bullies and criminals.
In this case, the bully also used I’ll gotten gains to fund legal costs. Sound familiar…
Actually when someone doesn’t know afterward its up to other viewers that they will help, so here it happens.
Pingback: Finding Dave Ames’ hidden assets: in Thailand! | Barbados Free Press
Ames is a Mason SIMPLE
I have had it confirmed Ames is a Mason, a powerful one
Sue them!
http://www.everyinvestor.co.uk/news/2013/07/18/viewpoint-diy-due-diligence-for-sipp-investors-5094/
Spelling is not your strong point is it?