“…the due diligence undertaken was the brochures, sale presentations and (free) trips to St. Vincent and the Grenadines.”
“SIPP Investors / Pension Transfers would be foolhardy to wait as Professional Indemnity Insurance stops immediately upon an insolvency procedure.”
Regulatory Legal Solicitors special report posted on Barbados Free Press
Harlequin investors are sure to be flabbergasted by today’s posting at Barbados Free Press by UK law firm Regulatory Legal Solicitors and their leading lawyer Gareth Fatchett. Mr. Fatchett was in the news lately as he was successful in achieving some kind of settlement for a handful of Harlequin victims.
Today’s Regulatory Legal Solicitors posting alleges that none of the agents advising folks to invest in Harlequin took the trouble to confirm that Harlequin actually held the land it was selling. No sales agent went to the trouble of obtaining company information about Harlequin’s Caribbean operations. And if you want to talk about “Due Diligence”, the agents confined their research to brochures, Harlequin sales presentations and (presumably free) trips to St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
Throw in free drinks and a few “hostesses” and Bob’s your uncle… the agents were ready to sell Harlequin and at a tempting 30% commission at that. (Not that we’ve heard of Harlequin doing the “hostesses” thing, but this is the Caribbean ya know!)
Master Agent suspends Harlequin sales
The master agent has apparently stopped selling Harlequin so we’ll have more on that in a bit. That sounds important to us because once the sales stop, how can Harlequin sustain current operations even if they scale back? We’re not even talking about building and new construction, just keeping the place open. There’s no staff worth talking about at the Barbados operations, and that is worth thinking about. Was the master agent “TailorMade” ? Can someone advise? See IFA Online’s article Harlequin distributor pulls plug on new investment.
Mr. Fatchett advises SIPP Investors and Pension Transfers to take action immediately because if Harlequin goes insolvent, that is the the end of Professional Indemnity Insurance. Complain now and if it all goes for a fall, the agents’ insurance might cover something. Wait… and, well, the lawyer doesn’t say other than the agents’ indemnity insurance ends but you can read between the lines for yourself. The post also provides advice for other classes of Harlequin investors, so have a read and make up your own mind, folks!
Discussion in the Comments Section
We’re going to make this post the current place at BFP to discuss the Harlequin situation, so join in and please remember to be respectful to each other and also watch the language, okay?
To keep all current discussion in one place, we’re also going to close off comments on previous articles and direct people here. That will take some time so please be patient.
Marcus @ BFP
As posted at Barbados Free Press by Regulatory Legal Solicitors…
Following the court hearing last Thursday, we are now in a position where we understand the full extent of the land holdings and build costs for the various Harlequin projects.
The court hearing last week resulted in a settlement for our clients. The terms of which are confidential.
A few things are very clear :-
1. No agent went to the trouble of obtaining confirmation as to the land position.
2. No agent went to the trouble of obtaining Caribbean company information.
3. Some of the SIPP providers in the main relied on an external due diligence process in 2010 & 2011. We have confirmationWe have both the land acquisition schedule and an affidavit from the new Harlequin accountant setting out the build costs etc. We are currently running the maths to work out.
HMSSE turnover 2006 – 2011
-less land acquisition costs
-less commissions
-less building costs
-less overheadsThis should give us an indication of the actual position of the group. There is no evidence of external investors (into the equity of the business) and no evidence of any development finance.
Once again we find it remarkable that agents / IFA’s / SIPP’s have not seen this. These are accounting basics.
ACTIONS FOR DIRECT INVESTORS
We are not going to post our advice on open forum. If you are a direct investor and fall into one of these categories then please email us on harlequin@regulatorylegal.co.uk
Category 1
Buccament Bay Resort Limited investors
Category 2
Harlequin Property SVG Limited investors (to January 2009)
Category 3
Finance Agreement investors who have not received payments due to the “banking errors”.
Category 4
Others Resort Development Companies where completion has passed.
ACTIONS FOR SIPP INVESTORS / PENSION TRANSFERS
Very simply, it would be foolhardy to wait as Professional Indemnity Insurance stops immediately upon an insolvency procedure.
There are two claims to send. One to the IFA and one to the SIPP provider. We have a process for this which is straightforward.
1. We review the pension transfer advice
2. We review the SIPP contract
3. We then send the letters of claim to seek to trigger the PII.CONCLUSION
We do not need to solicit work as investors are sensible enough to take precautionary steps. After all, if everything works out well, then nothing is lost.
We get resistance from both agents / IFA firms who continue to seek to justify their advice. A little difficult when it is obvious that the due diligence undertaken was the brochures, sale presentations and trips to SVG. Not really that objective !
The resistance will crumble shortly, particularly now the master agent has suspended selling.
Regulatory Legal Solicitors
Barbados Free Press 
Pingback: Beginning of the end for Harlequin Properties and Dave Ames? Court petitioned to freeze business and personal assets. | Barbados Free Press
And we’ll start things off again by wondering how many assets there really are in the kitty should push come to shove. When David Ames’ son Matt was recently charged with a multi-million dollar fraud, it turned out that there was only £310 in the bank!
http://www.echo-news.co.uk/news/local_news/10087656.Fraud_charges_for_green_firms__boss/
The Latest news is that Mr Ames was approached by the BBC Panorama team this morning on the 7am flight from Heathrow to Dublin and asked for a interveiw upon which Mr Ames attempted to push Mr Paul Kenyon down the stairs, Mr Ames did answer some questions but later excused himself as he needed to go to the toilet……………………
Not to forget about those commissions!
Harlequin spent 47% of investor’s deposits on commissions and marketing!
INVESTOR MEETING NUMBER TWO – DATES!!!!!!!!!
Harlequin Investor Meeting Number 2
We are now taking enquiries for our second Investors meeting on 25th March 2013.
Central London around 12pm
Basildon Essex around 5-6pm
The exact location and times will be confirmed once we know the numbers.
Please email the locations you prefer and how many wish to attend.
harlequininvestorgroupnw@gmail.com
We will be inviting Mr Ames and or a representative of Harlequin to attend for a question and answers session as well as TailorMade Group.
Regulatory Legal & Pannone LLP will be present and possibly Number 5 Chambers.
There will be a presentation regarding the recent finding regarding title to land, accounting, and what option you have to recover your investment, if that’s what you want to do.
After the presentation you will be invited to watch the Panorama program.
Please email harlequininvestorgroupnw@gmail.com
So we can start to make arrangement.
Kind regards,
Harlequin Investor Group.
Yorkipoo Yorkipoo where are you! I have sent you my phone number about our meeting…. but you have not called or gave me your number…. 😦
@Paul Walton, your getting bored with me now? GOOD. Then stop being Fatchetts mouth piece.
@RL you seem to be very quiet answering my point regarding the freezing order on the other thread. any comment?
@E another professional door stepping by Panorama. They must be getting really desperate for editorial for their program.
Paul and erica do you know what yorkiepoo looks like? I bet it’s that faggoty ginger lad with the big mouth who was sat with them women from TM.Are you sure you want to meet him again??
I’ve got to say hats of to BFP in conducting a brilliant blog that lets us investors know we are not on our own. for years i have seen harlequin throw there weight around and find a way to close all the U.K blogs that criticize them. no doubt Harlequin have tried, at some point to silence BFP with no avail. keep up the good work. yes we will probably lose all or most of our money but this will never stop me from visiting the beautiful island of Barbados, a country that helped us share our disastrous dealings with Harlequin & the Ames con artists.
Another day of farcical posts interspersed with petty attempts to create hysteria based on guesswork and hearsay. There are no new stories, just a continual desperate rehash of old unsubstantiated rumours. Ambulance chasers trying to frighten investors into signing up with them, for a fat fee of course. Don’t let Fatchett fool you. He is in this for the money, nothing else.He does not really care about anyone but himself. RL say they are not soliciting busines. Who do they think they are trying to kid? Why else would they post on this forum? I am 100% confident that once the Irish Court case and the Panorama damp squib is behind us, Dave Ames will bounce back stonger than ever. Yes. Remember I told you so!!!
hahhahahahahahahahaahah. what with shirt buttons!!
Harlisuccess I am very confused are you saying that there is nothing to worry about with Harliquinn and everything is going well?
@BFP, one thing we do know for a fact is there are more contract holders than there are assets. Thus going after any assets could be problematic, especially when the BB contract holders (of which FDNRM/36 is reportedly one) are the only ones who could launch any meaningful claim. Those who invested in the other resorts hold a piece of paper that says they own a share of a peice of land that has little value, while their money went to BB. This co-mingling of funds will be a nightmare to unravel.
At least there’s the Lamborghini still (or has that been pawned by now?), DA’s $5 million loan, the fancy new house, and getting O’Halloran’s $13 million would help, but seems unlikely.
I am still waiting for my money to be returned ,I also have not recieved my interest payment for 4months so I do believe that there is something to worry about.I am very confused also why do people hide who they are on this blog???????????
@John Delhirro, dont even waste your time with that lot,Hardlysuccess, Yorkiepoo, FDNRM. they all work for Harlequin
I’d be interested to know how much was spent on ‘entertainment’.
This is from Harlequin’s own website.
“The launch of new hotel brand, Harlequin Hotels & Resorts, was held on the 13th 14th July 2009. The event was staged in the elegant setting of The Grove near Watford. Harlequin Hotels & Resorts announced that their first resort, Buccament Bay Beach Resort in St Vincent & The Grenadines, will open on 1st July 2010 and the event also marked the official launch of The Marquis Estate in St Lucia where the Gary Player Signature Golf Course and world’s first Gary Player Hotel will be situated.”…
…”The first day saw Gary Player hosting a Golf Tournament for 72 guest golfers, with the evening ending on a high note with a performance of songs from the West End musical, Les Miserables by members of the original cast.”
According to the Harlequin website THIS EVENT COST ONE MILLION POUNDS STERLING and there were 2,000 attendees. WHO PAID FOR IT?
Here are some quotes from satisfied guests:
“I wish to congratulate Dave Ames and the entire Harlequin team on such a successful launch event for their various projects in the Caribbean. The preparation required to host thousands of guests was surely staggering. It was my pleasure to be part of the event.”
Gary Player
“The Harlequin launch was a marvelous show, a rich mixture of serious business and enjoyment everyone seemed animated
Sam Commissiong
“The opportunity to see the Ministers of the Islands and to hear their enthusiasm for the project was more than reassuring. It was just such good news to hear how pleased they were to have a Harlequin development in their countries and how they admired David’s insistence on getting every aspect of each project to perfection.
The presentations of the sportsmen were special, showing how much they wanted to engage with the visitors and local children. Again, many thanks for including us in your wonderful celebration.
Rosemary Thomas
“What can I say but a fantastic launch event for you, the team and for Harlequin? Thank you kindly for the invitation to myself and my wife and your generous, warm and splendid hospitality. You must be very proud of what you and your team have achieved so far and the support from Presidents, Senior Ministers, service partners and sporting legends alike, was overwhelming for us, let alone how you must have felt being up on stage. Not to mention your first occasion on the stage of a West End musical, can it really get any better!!
Thank you again for the great event, congratulations and I look forward to watching out for the first open event at Buccament Bay.”
Keith Waterman
“The launch event was of a scale and standard not matched in the industry; Harlequin’s success in producing a low-entry point to access high-quality overseas homes in premier resorts is now clear to see.”
Andy Bridge
—–
Peruse the photos taken at this event and you can see it was a lavish junket enjoyed by foreign dignitaries, politicians and their wives, the Ames family and their guests, sports personalities, the Harlequin sales force, IFAs, investors and all the other hangers-on.
Furthermore, I hear that Dave and daughter Nicola sang a duet from Les Miz which is apparently Dave’s fave musical. I’ll organise a whip round in aid of a Caribbean children’s charity if anyone can post a vid on Youtube of their performance.
Harlie…you are almost funny now!…
No new stories?
Harlequin distributor pulls plug on new investment
http://www.ifaonline.co.uk/ifaonline/news/2254532/harlequin-distributor-pulls-plug-on-new-investment
How lovely to see Mr Ames was on his way to Dubai when Panorama confronted him. I wonder where the funds for that little trip came from?
@EL 2, thats a classic hahahahah. what a load of BS.
@Harlisuccess who are you trying to kid?
This is going down as the biggest property scam in history?
I really still love the idea of BB and I know BB at St vincent can be unbelieveable if it can be completed,I felt this way about the Bahammas in the early 80s and we see what has happened there . I am still hoping and where there is hope anything can be achieved,call me a dreamer
Thank you Anthony 75 I was wondering and now i know.Anthony who do you believe is the best lawyer onthis right now
Anon – It was to Dublin not Dubai sweets 🙂
@John Delhirro.
This is Paul Walton, Gareth Fatchett in my opinion is the best person.
I await insults from the deluded ones now.
When some thing is wrong , Just talking and reply dont make it right , Need Action . More long talk , Watch you money well , Off shore Banks and off shore investments to avoid laws where they can rip you off, off shore .
Some comments are made by the same crooks to keep the money coming in to pay the lawyers to keep the fraud going to those who have not as yet get the news, Caribbean Island and the Fraud Govt can be bought out like slave off the ship that now docked.
Clear title for land and not good titles or RIGHT TO USE TIME SHARES.
Another sign that some thing is wrong.
Keep up the fight Free Press , We are watching well . At the end of the day all have to come back to the DEEDS.
@john D, i have just signed up with Fatchett as I’m unaware of anybody else who has dealt with Harlequin.
@FatchettDNRM
Are you coming?
Harlequin Investor Meeting Number 2
We are now taking enquiries for our second Investors meeting on 25th March 2013.
Central London around 12pm
Basildon Essex around 5-6pm
The exact location and times will be confirmed once we know the numbers.
Please email the locations you prefer and how many wish to attend.
harlequininvestorgroupnw@gmail.com
BFP. Brilliant Job – Keep it Up. Truth will out!
Yorkiepoo/FDNRM and your ilk – What goes around comes around – you sad, insensitive, deluded, morally corrupt people. (Sleep Well – No further Comment).
@Luther re below.
Luther
March 14, 2013 at 1:52 pm
Paul and erica do you know what yorkiepoo looks like? I bet it’s that faggoty ginger lad with the big mouth who was sat with them women from TM.Are you sure you want to meet him again??
I have no idea or the orientation of Yorkipoo, he/she/it has not called me, I dont expect them to turn up…..or call.
Regards Paul
No wonder investors are experiencing problems if they cannot tell the difference between Dubai and Dublin LOL
So the investor meetings are going to be on the 25th March 12pm and 5-6pm and it will give a chance to look at the Panorama program which is going out on the? 25th march? I think not.
They couldn’t tell the difference between a bunch of crooks and a reputable developer either but I blame Harlequin and the IFAs for that.
FDNRM Why not the 25th
I told you guys long ago about diversionary tactics from some people on here ,dont get sucked in ,read the post but do NOT reply ,its pointless as you can almost predict the response
Thank You Anthony do you have a contact number or email or both Thanks again for the help
Thank you harlinquin group investors
This blog is an absolute joke!! Just a bunch of people with nothing better to do with their time ….law firms sending “Confidential” e mails to people who have registered with them, then publicly posting the same message on here – SO unprofessional – quite unbelievable that anyone thinks they are genuine about helping, and not really rubbing their hands together at the thought of which luxurious Caribbean holiday they can take courtesay of investors’ money they have collected in fees!!i Then there’s all the stirrers, frightening everybody associated with Harlequin to death, causing sleepless nights and endless worry. Isn’t it about time something new came along that would divert you all on to another witch hunt? Sickening.
LB so you believe HP is fine and doing well???????
LB Have you not got anything else better to do? Are you still dilusional that Harlequin will somehow manage to work??
I think you will find that some people here are trying to help out other concerned investors, If you don’t fall into that category and want to carry on burying your head in the sand then this isn’t the place for you….
@john Delhirro regd L B. ignore it
What is the estimate now of unhappy investors ,started at 1% later said to be 25% ,and now?
I believe it has to be more than 25% I really am shocked how this went on so long.I do believe more and more people by the end of the month will be going real crazy.I have been on the phone 3times a day with HP and same story ,nothing .I have spoken to Kim ,Vinny everyone and nothing .I will say they are answering the phones but everything else is a big run around
I believe some IFAs are liquidating assets,I hope SFO are aware
@harlisuccess, when you say Ames is going to bounce back, what exactly is he going to bounce back to? Do you know of any successful ventures he has been involved in to date? I’ve looked and everything he’s touched seems to have turned to $hit. God knows how many people he’s crossed along the way. Things will be different now that the SFO are involved. They won’t get people their money back, but they won’t let Ames walk away unscathed either. He must be very worried….which is a nice thought.
Vinny also goes by the name of Sunny btw.
@LB, are you seriously suggesting that we are all on this forum just to spread panic? Just in case you haven’t heard HP are being investigated the SFO and are being covered by Panorama. It is widely believed that investors stand to lose a lot of money and in some cases, their life savings. I think that gives them just cause to want to have an opinion.
Stop press.invest5star must have sorted out any HP problems.Harlequin still on the web site,any takers?
They are being investigated by SFO, and Panorama are interested because the “leaders” on here have provoked the interest – i.e. few disgruntled investors who can’t get their deposits back.- they have caused all the interest. Personally I know (and believe) all money and accounts have been thoroughly looked at with forensic accounting, and nothing is untoward with Harlequin. Just because the SFO are investigating doesn’t mean they will find any wrong-doing – it’s people’s perception that “there must be something wrong”. They have a duty to follow up complaints and have done so. I have also been informed that Harlequin have some $500 m of unencumbered land in the Caribbean should they need to fall back on it, so I think there are a lot of people getting into panic mode – causing MORE people to get in to panic mode over something that can be sorted out if the headless chickens could stop running around!! Now there’s a band of lawyers causing more damage just for their own end gain. Like I said before, the stock market can be brought down by fear alone, so this is a very dangerous game to be playing with so many people’s futures at stake.
@ Fatchicknotrepresentme (formerly known as 36)
I’d love to know if you attended that fabulous £1million launch party?
If not, why weren’t you invited?
LB…you are full of BS.
@LBThis is Paul Walton, all this caused by a couple of people….please …. come up with something a little better.
Don’t you think the SFO are big enough to make up their own minds? Your comments are not worthy of more space.
Great post LB the rest are just full of envy .can not wait for Saint Helena development to start Josephine just loves the CGI images,keep up the good work .all the best Bonaparte
@Erica. Panorama goes out in the evening. The meetings are afternoon. I don’t really thing panorama will give you a preview of their program. Or do you?
@LB, get used to the pack mentality. Come up with a post that they don’t like and “your comments are not worthy of more space” attempted censorship.
@Your mate Fatchett,
We will watch in the Hotel after our meeting in Basildon, London will be early afternoon…. Basildon around 5 or 6 pm.
Please keep up….. are you coming?
Kind regards,
Paul
It’s pathetic. Bye bye. Got better things to do with my time than follow you sad, sad people. You’re like a pack of Hyenas -bet you laugh the same too.
@Yourmatefatchett, LB, Harli lala land
I am truly intrested how you actually think HP have any chance of getting over this? No finances and no income, plus one or two other problems..
Please enlighten us? Maybe we are missing some financial masterpiece they have?
Harlequin Investor Meeting Number 2
We are now taking enquiries for our second Investors meeting on 25th March 2013.
Central London around 12pm
Basildon Essex around 5-6pm
The exact location and times will be confirmed once we know the numbers.
Please email the locations you prefer and how many wish to attend.
harlequininvestorgroupnw@gmail.com
@Paul Walton, not so long ago I was boring you, now your trying to contact me again. Why? I don’t answer posts from people who are too ignorant to post my ID correctly.
@RL. You don’t seem to want to answer the question regarding the freezing order you tried to get on HP. Do you now accept it was wrong to try and put BB employees out of work.
FDNRY, We have two meetings planned one during the day and one in the evening we will then retire to the bar (hopefully) and watch Panorama is that okay with you?
LB, Who has done the forsensic accounting?
For the attention of Tailormade and Harlequin Properties.
We have not had a refund on both units we purchased and we object to you telling people are personal information (DATA PROTECTION) If this continues you will leave us with no alternative but to do ALL your dirty washing in public!
I am disgusted that you Tailormade have sold this product to so many people with little or no DD
You-hoo, @ Fatchettdoesnotrepresentmoi (formerly known as 36)
Please do tell us if you attended that fabulous £1million launch party at The Grove in Watford.
Or, did you go to the earlier shindig at Wembley Stadium?
@eddie pisshard ( see this changing a persons ID is so easy) ill tell you what I told Paul Walton, use my correct ID and ill answer you. Be ignorant and you won’t get an answer. Simple
@36 do you now accept that there was never ever any research done to confirm that the Harlequin Hotels business model was a concept that there was any demand for, and that misleading the citizens and the nation of St Vincent was wrong, and that the raising of false hopes that this pyramid scheme would ever be successful has caused hardship and distress.
If you are so concerned about Vincentians being put out of work or caused financial hardship perhaps you would like to put your hand in your pocket and bail them out?
@BBaywatch. I have you idiot, I BOUGHT A PROPERY THERE!
quote – A PROPERY – ?? are you too stupid to even use the built in spell checker of this forum? (wish there was a rolling eyes emoticon you could attach here)
You could also try answering the questions regarding the business model.
A lot of talk here with little content, HP are in trouble, but no one has the real picture of what they are going to do and yes of course solicitors will move in to ‘help’, out of one fire into another and yes I am in vestor whos payments have stopped, and yes HP answer the phone and tell you nothing,
what ever happens the investors who funded this little adventure will lose not DA the solicitors.
It is fairly simple to my mind. I buy a holiday home in 2008 in Barbados (for example), due to be completed in 2011 on my contract. Fast forward 5 years, and it has not been started yet. I ask for proof of finance to see if there is any reason not to get out, and build schedules. I don’t see it, so I exercise my right to get out. Pretty reasonable approach, cannot see how anyone, investor or otherwise, would have a problem with that. No more content required, or substance, anyone suggesting this is unreasonable is quite simply wrong – they have failed to deliever on my contract, and no sign of anything happening. When I realise there are possibly 6,000 others in the same boat as me, with that many unstarted homes, I draw the reasonable conclusion that this is in serious trouble (after all, all substantial facts support my conclusion) and I dig around for options on how to get out as Harlequin are not honouring the contracts. It is no surprise people are looking around for others in the same boat to provide advice. Good luck to them.
BBaywatch, the answer to the question about the business model and research is self-evident, you don’t need that from anyone else.
Who actually knows the land position ?
The land position is not as straighforward as people would think.
We have a full position in SVG and an unverified Harlequin version of events in the other countries.
We are taking counsels advice on how much we disclose at this point.
LB you still did not answer my question ,you believe with all honesty that HP is fine and doing well??????????????
LB I will be waiting for your honest answer
JD, why do you need an answer? The facts spell out Harlequin are done, 6000 purchased yet unstarted holiday homes is as bad as it has ever got in the Caribbean ever, and they have no finance in place to even make a dent in that statistic. You don’t need anyone to tell you what that means, they simply are not building. LB is a Harlequin employee, or an IFA, you won’ t get anything honest from him.
Yes Anonymous but this lb is very disrespectfull person I also wanted to see how he would answer the question .
No new investors = no cashflow.
You don’t need to have an MBA to work out what happens next.
Even if the Irish case is won, the amount of refund requests will swamp HP.
Who will blink first ? Investors / SFO / HMRC / FSA ?
Is it true that even if HP assets ever get frozen .. BB carries on trading with the travel agents as they are run under a different name … Thats what I was told by a holiday maker out there…
I think the best outcome is DA sells up and lets go of his little baby and with luck a proper developer comes in and finishes the job ,,,
@BBaywatch. Oh you are soooo intellectually superior. Dickhead, unfortunately you cannot read. Until you use my correct ID I will ignor your stupid inane questions. Understand?
@Ivor Hadenuff. BB assets will not be frozen. Fatchett made a mistake trying the freezing application and now he has gone after the IFA and SIPP people. Unfortunately he has not got the good grace to admit he got it wrong.
FDNRM well he is banking on HB going insolvent and liability insurance not having enough money covering the claims ,,,, He has a case
@LB, is that your new Moniker now Yorkie?
“Personally I know (and believe) all money and accounts have been thoroughly looked at with forensic accounting, and nothing is untoward with Harlequin. Just because the SFO are investigating doesn’t mean they will find any wrong-doing – it’s people’s perception that “there must be something wrong”. They have a duty to follow up complaints and have done so. I have also been informed that Harlequin have some $500 m of unencumbered land in the Caribbean should they need to fall back on it,”
So as long as everything’s “forensically” examined then everything is ok? Some magical “forensic” examination by someone we’ve never heard of, who doesn’t publish their results fixes everything? If this guy’s computer doesn’t ‘beep’ at every touch and lots of words and numbers don’t scroll by constantly on the screen then he’s clearly a fake. I saw it on CSI. No beeping of scrolling mean’s he isn’t a real “forensic” examiner. If it’s on TV it’s real. Don’t argue.
As for the Serious Fraud Office, well, They routinely investigate companies just for training purposes. The fact that Harlequin have been chosen by the SFO is just happen-stance. The “forensic” examiner has a beeping computer and lots of scrolling screens, so its all ok, really. We Trust you.
And then there’s the “unencumbered” line. Harlequin are “unencumbered” because that’s part of the business model. They choose to be “unencumbered” because that makes them a safe investment. The fact that no lending institution would touch them if they were the last company on earth has no bearing. Harlequin have refused external financing for the last 7 years to maintain their place as the only “unencumbered” developers in the Caribbean (and India, Australia, Brazil, and Thailand)
……………It’s such a shame you can’t hear the sarcastic voice I hear in my head when I type this crap. What idiot would believe HP’s line? 36? fill us in.
HA HA You had me going
If Harlequin goes down I can’t see how a “reputable developer” could come in and deliver. The projects are a legal nightmare. There are possible problems with land ownership, town and country planning, unpaid suppliers and people who believe that they own the few units that have ever been built.
It would be difficult to get anyone reputable to touch anything with a barge pole. Shame as Buccament could possibly, in the right hands, work out. This is going to leave St Vincent in a mess.
Somebody going to have to do a piece of jail time for this shite yah. Ames better start running and better don’t bother to look back either cause the long arm of the law is closing in.
Ames’s baby is a scam. Guys, you are just blind to think otherwise. He is not a legitimate business person. If govt of svg does seize the property of bb and bring in a real hotel operator and developer (which is what will eventually happen) the bb will have a future of some sort. The other developments make no sense, will never start let alone be finished.
Check the dates he gives in this interview in 2009. Either the stupidest developer in the world, or a total scam. Possibly both. Dom Rep open 2010, Merricks and Marquis 2011. None started still in March 2013. Had to have known it was not possible so was just lying to scam more investors. GG, you are right, jail time for this conman.
It takes eighteen months to two years to start a build to a reasonable level? Mr Simon Terry Harlequins in house conveyencing solicitor
How long did it take to achive this with BB?
So not being a builder myself realistically speaking how long in our world would it take to achive another BB somewhere else?
The one other thing I cannot understand is why it is a secret as to who has forensically audited the accounts?
I think as investors and IFAs we should know the name of the company and we should know the results of this?
Until I see a letter and some audited accounts I personally will not believe that they exist I believe we have been grossly mislead into thinking that Grant Thornton has forensically audited the accounts for all of the Harlequin group, I know that this is not the case and that Grant Thornton only audited a small area of the accounts (which was for the Irish court case)
It is strange this misconception has been percived by most people and yet Harlequin and their agents have not set the record straight and announced who did this accounting for them. I DO NOT FOR ONE MOMENT BELIEVE THAT THE ACCOUNTS HAVE BEEN EXAMINED I THINK THIS IS UTTER RUBBISH
along with all the resort start and finish dates
But dont worry yourselves about this folks as I think this job will all be done soon at the tax payers expenses!
The rise and fall of Mr Amess empire will be his own demises
I wonder how that fat ugly little con man is going to cope in Jail?? he will be like a little girl crying under his plastic mattress, so lets all take comfort in that fact.
@Ivor Hadenuff, I dont understand your point. If there is not liability insurance to cover the claims, then he will not get investors money back. I thought this was what he was trying to achieve, or is it just to bring down HP and the publicity?
@Anthony75, great comment!
How many people believe the accounts have been audited? Can you please reply if you do? I’ll cast the first vote and say there is no way in hell that this has happened. If they had and everything was fine, why wouldn’t they have been published at least once in 7 years when this is expected of them? You would have to be an idiot to believe they have solid accounts but are just choosing to keep them confidential. I work for a very successful globally renown businessman who hates publishing accounts and does everything he can to delay having to do so…but guess what, they get published every year.
@FDRM, how is it that you are on here 24/7? It has become obvious to me that you are part of the HP setup, which is a shame as I was hoping there would be some truth in your claims. Very disappointing and you should be ashamed.
@sid. I’m not on here 24/7. I went out at 8.30 last night and returned at 11.30. Sat up watching the cricket when I came home and spent the time catching up. I don’t work, although not retired hence my free time. I know it’s sad but believe me I am not part of the HP setup.
@Regulatry Legal so how did the freezing order go? This is not like you to be so quiet. Your “followers” are waiting with baited breath for a message from on high. Have you managed to put employees at BB out of work yet? Or are you going to admit you went for the wrong target with the freezing order?
@100 – “BBaywatch, the answer to the question about the business model and research is self-evident, you don’t need that from anyone else.”
The question was largely rhetorical, I didn’t really expect any meaningful response from 36 and the other Harlequin apologists. I was not being flippant however, as the change from the original plan of developing holiday homes to the resort hotel model does seem to be the tipping point on the balance between being able to accept that these were the actions of a naive but completely inexperienced developer to viewing this as a scheme designed to defraud. It is relevant, but probably entirely academic now, and best left to the courts to decide.
If the news coming from St Vincent is correct then Dr Gonsalves must be regretting the day he ever set eyes on Dave Ames as this debacle threatens to engulf his administration and himself personally. The Panorama program is going to be very uncomfortable viewing for him and he is already distancing himself from his former ‘friend’. With the deficit on financing for the airport growing by 30% in a few weeks (from $60 to $80 million USD), the need to re-assert his own political position and the examples of his fellow Marxist, Hugo Chavez, the seizing of Buccament Bay for the nation could be a very possible outcome.
LB, I’m in complete agreement with your statement sir. You have made what amounts to be the correct analysis of some of the people on this blog.
It seems to be a given that which ever side of the coin you are on, there is not currently enough money in the pot to pay back every investor. Money has been spent on commissions, planes, units (although it is generally agreed not enough), land etc. Thus, if every investor went down the Regulatory Legal route, we would all get very little back. The only people that would truly prosper would surely be Regulatory Legal. They are a business and I understand that. If Harlequin went to the wall, Regulatory Legal would still be OK and BFP would perhaps get some merit from saying ‘I told you so’ and the people who didn’t buy into the campaign perhaps would be a little self-congratulatory BUT for every one else, it would be a negative result. It is a bit like the run on the Northern Rock, they were not well run but the widespread panic lead to the demise. A solution needs to be sought. Not a Regulatory Legal Solution and not a Harlequin as it currently operates solution but a solution that suits the investors that have put their money in. All I see on here is the Harlequin people fighting their corner on one side and the BFP/Regulatory Legal/ex-employers fighting their corner in the other. In my eyes, none of it is very impressive and the back biting needs to stop and the concerns of the investors need to start being addressed in a productive way.
All,
CONFERENCE CALL – FRIDAY 15TH MARCH 2013 @ 4PM.
We have received enquiries from people who have contracted with Harlequin Property SVG Limited for either :-
(a) a finance agreement (to pay their mortgages)
(b) a cancellation agreement (to refund their deposit or agreed sum)
The bulk of these arrangements are with Harlequin Property SVG Limited.
1. Harlequin Property SVG Limited is the only company which owns registered land in SVG at Buccament Bay. Some 19 acres. We will circulated documentary evidence to this effect if required.
2. There is other land at Buccament Bay which has not been formally registered. SVG has paid money for this land, but it has not been registered. We have received copies of the undated deeds from an investor and also from Harlequin itself. Harlequin has assured us that this presents no issue.
We havetake separate legal advice and queried the status of this unregistered land. Advice received from our lawyers in SVG states :-
“An unregistered conveyance has no legal effect, because the vendor can subsequently mortgage or sell the land. Registration provides notice to all subsequent purchasers, mortgagee (etc)
Best Regards,
Stephen
Stephen Williams
Williams & Williams
Chambers, Middle Street
Kingstown St Vincent
West Indies”
This is of concern to us and we will be returning to Harlequin next week for further clarification.
SVG Status –
SVG is the company with the bulk of the group assets. It is also the company which (in the main) holds the finance agreements and the cancellation agreements.
What can be done ?
We are being asked what can be done where interest payments / cancellation agreements have not been paid. The current reason for the delays is a “banking” error. In this day and age, we find this inplausible. How about cheques or manual payments ?
We have a course of action which we intend to take for people in this situation.
If you find yourself in this situation, please email gemma.stackhouse@regulatorylegal.co.uk .
We are going to hold a telephone conference tomorrow afternoon at 4pm. In order to join, please email Gemma Stackhouse. She will provide you with our conference call details.
You will need to send us (if you have not already) :-
(a) a copy of your “Finance Agreement” with Harlequin Property SVG Limited or;
(b) a copy of your Cancellation Agreement with Harlequin Property SVG Limited.
Regulatory Legal Solicitors
Visit Regulatory Legal Solicitors at: http://harlequininvestorgroup.co.uk
@BBaywatch. You were answered at 11.16 last night. Too difficult for you to read up the page a bit? Idiot.
@FDNRM you keep having a go at RL for trying to do something to help investors get their money back.
Can I ask you what your alternative strategy would look like? Believe me, many people have tried the usual approach of writing to HP to ask for the refund to be made in strict accordance with the contracts drafted by HP and have not found that avenue to be fruitful (unlike you it would seem).
So, please add something constructive to this debate and set out your strategy for worried investors.
Interesting to see unique investments website is down today, I wonder why….
All,
CONFERENCE CALL – FRIDAY 15TH MARCH 2013 @ 4PM.
We have received enquiries from people who have contracted with Harlequin Property SVG Limited for either :-
(a) a finance agreement (to pay their mortgages)
(b) a cancellation agreement (to refund their deposit or agreed sum)
The bulk of these arrangements are with Harlequin Property SVG Limited.
1. Harlequin Property SVG Limited is the only company which owns registered land in SVG at Buccament Bay. Some 19 acres. We will circulated documentary evidence to this effect if required.
2. There is other land at Buccament Bay which has not been formally registered. SVG has paid money for this land, but it has not been registered. We have received copies of the undated deeds from an investor and also from Harlequin itself. Harlequin has assured us that this presents no issue.
We havetake separate legal advice and queried the status of this unregistered land. Advice received from our lawyers in SVG states :-
“An unregistered conveyance has no legal effect, because the vendor can subsequently mortgage or sell the land. Registration provides notice to all subsequent purchasers, mortgagee (etc)
Best Regards,
Stephen
Stephen Williams
Williams & Williams
Chambers, Middle Street
Kingstown St Vincent
West Indies”
This is of concern to us and we will be returning to Harlequin next week for further clarification.
SVG Status –
SVG is the company with the bulk of the group assets. It is also the company which (in the main) holds the finance agreements and the cancellation agreements.
What can be done ?
We are being asked what can be done where interest payments / cancellation agreements have not been paid. The current reason for the delays is a “banking” error. In this day and age, we find this inplausible. How about cheques or manual payments ?
We have a course of action which we intend to take for people in this situation.
If you find yourself in this situation, please email gemma.stackhouse@regulatorylegal.co.uk .
We are going to hold a telephone conference tomorrow afternoon at 4pm. In order to join, please email Gemma Stackhouse. She will provide you with our conference call details.
You will need to send us (if you have not already) :-
(a) a copy of your “Finance Agreement” with Harlequin Property SVG Limited or;
(b) a copy of your Cancellation Agreement with Harlequin Property SVG Limited.
Regulatory Legal Solicitors
Visit Regulatory Legal Solicitors at: http://harlequininvestorgroup.co.uk
Subject: Unpaid Interest Payments / Unpaid Cancellation Agreement Payments
All
CONFERENCE CALL – FRIDAY 15TH MARCH 2013 @ 4PM.
We have received enquiries from people who have contracted with Harlequin Property SVG Limited for either :-
(a) a finance agreement (to pay their mortgages)
(b) a cancellation agreement (to refund their deposit or agreed sum)
The bulk of these arrangements are with Harlequin Property SVG Limited
1. Harlequin Property SVG Limited is the only company which owns registered land in SVG at Buccament Bay. Some 19 acres. We will circulated documentary evidence to this effect if required.
2. There is other land at Buccament Bay which has not been formally registered. SVG has paid money for this land, but it has not been registered. We have received copies of the undated deeds from an investor and also from Harlequin itself. Harlequin has assured us that this presents no issue.
We havetake separate legal advice and queried the status of this unregistered land. Advice received from our lawyers in SVG states :-
“An unregistered conveyance has no legal effect, because the vendor can subsequently mortgage or sell the land. Registration provides notice to all subsequent purchasers, mortgagee (etc)
Best Regards,
Stephen
Stephen Williams
Williams & Williams
Chambers, Middle Street
Kingstown St Vincent
West Indies”
This is of concern to us and we will be returning to Harlequin next week for further clarification.
SVG Status –
SVG is the company with the bulk of the group assets. It is also the company which (in the main) holds the finance agreements and the cancellation agreements.
What can be done ?
We are being asked what can be done where interest payments / cancellation agreements have not been paid. The current reason for the delays is a “banking” error. In this day and age, we find this inplausible. How about cheques or manual payments ?
We have a course of action which we intend to take for people in this situation.
If you find yourself in this situation, please email gemma.stackhouse@regulatorylegal.co.uk .
We are going to hold a telephone conference tomorrow afternoon at 4pm. In order to join, please email Gemma Stackhouse. She will provide you with our conference call details.
You will need to send us (if you have not already) :-
(a) a copy of your “Finance Agreement” with Harlequin Property SVG Limited or;
(b) a copy of your Cancellation Agreement with Harlequin Property SVG Limited.
Regulatory Legal Solicitors
@100….. same story as me just the location is BB
It is fairly simple to my mind. I buy a holiday home in 2008 in Barbados (for example), due to be completed in 2011 on my contract. Fast forward 5 years, and it has not been started yet. I ask for proof of finance to see if there is any reason not to get out, and build schedules. I don’t see it, so I exercise my right to get out. Pretty reasonable approach, cannot see how anyone, investor or otherwise, would have a problem with that. No more content required, or substance, anyone suggesting this is unreasonable is quite simply wrong – they have failed to deliever on my contract, and no sign of anything happening. When I realise there are possibly 6,000 others in the same boat as me, with that many unstarted homes, I draw the reasonable conclusion that this is in serious trouble (after all, all substantial facts support my conclusion) and I dig around for options on how to get out as Harlequin are not honouring the contracts. It is no surprise people are looking around for others in the same boat to provide advice. Good luck to them.
Regards Paul
@Beggars Belief. I keep having a go at RL because 1)Their attempt at a freezing order was not a thought out statergy, 2)It put at risk the employees at BB and the other 99% of investors, 3)It was obvious to anyone who had been interviewed by the SFO that HP is not (IMO) who will be the main object of their enquiry. 4)It was just for headlines. If they got it wrong I would think a lot more of them if they admitted it or gave an update to their application.
@BFP, could you publish the reply in the Searchlight newspaper regarding the Prime Ministers reply to the Panoram questions?
@FDNRM, I didn’t actually ask you why you keep having a go at RL. I asked you for your constructive strategy for what a worried investor should now do if they have tried to get their deposit back only to be met with a wall of silence?
@Yorkiepoo
I take it from your lack of contact you will not be meeting me at 12.00 today – I will turn up as I have a meeting with Erica the question is will you?
@FDNRM formerly known as 36
So what you are saying is that you would like to see this scam continued, so that more investors are sucked in and could potentially lose their pensions/home/life savings.
There are hundreds or workers and businesses in SVG and Barbados who claim they have not been paid – just read the local newspapers or listen to the radio news. That is the responsibility of Harlequin not RL or the investors who want their money back as per their contracts.
For newcomers to this forum I’d like to point out that 36 got in much earlier than the investors who have now been forced to resort to law. 36 has admitted that his case was sorted out to his satisfaction. Why he wants to prevent others from seeking reimbursement is beyond me.
I actually think Regulatory Legal are working for the best interest of their clients, they use the law to get refunds from HP it obviously hit a raw nerve going for a freezing order – but it worked.
Whats wrong with that?
Now FDNRM will call me Gareth’s mouth piece,getting my fees for nothing, drumming up trade for RL, putting people out of work,spoiling it for investors,selfish,liking the publicity have I missed any off?
Now here is a radical thought, why did HP not just refund me as per my contract???
@FDNRM formerly known as 36
“BFP, could you publish the reply in the Searchlight newspaper regarding the Prime Ministers reply to the Panoram questions?”
Perhaps they busy. What’s to stop you posting it here? (lazy git).
@Eddie Lizzard2: Misquote! I did not say my case was sorted to my satisfaction. I said ONE of my investments was sorted to my satisfaction, which was paid back over 18 months. I am still an investor in BB. Follow?
@Paul Walton: Misquote! I did not imply you were getting your fees for nothing. I did not imply you were putting people out of work. RL nearly did that with their freezing order attempt. Follow? Anyway I thought I was boring you? Are you now stalking me again?
@Eddie Lizzard2, because I do not subscribe to the Searchlight newspaper. Let me explain something. I am unemployed, my wife does not work through illness. WE HAVE NO INCOME, apart from my BB rental. So dont call me a lazy git. You know nothing about me. Pillock.
@FDNRM, it’s easy to take a swipe at people who are doing what they can to get deposits returned. I’ll ask again, what is your strategy?
Also (and don’t just try to answer this question and ignore the one above), why do you keep saying that the freezing order was a failed strategy? Are you assuming that the fact that HP settled with the investors during the period of adjournment is entirely coincidental and they were going to settle anyway.
If Harlequin is in a position to honour their commitments to investors as clearly set out in the contracts why do they not do so? Is it because they don’t have the resources to so so? Why shouldn’t an investor seek to apply the terms of their contract to the letter?
@FDNRM, do you mean to say that your only means of income is what HP pay you each month, yet you are not worried that these funds will dry-up despite the accounts you have read from others who haven’t seen a penny in ages? You must know something we don’t!
Wonderful scheme, fabulous scam.
@Beggars Belief, If the freezing order attempt was such a success then have the investors received their money back, Paul Walton and Erica havn’t so my guess would be the others have not either. My strategy would have been to take individual action through the courts. Did Paul Walton, Meena Gupta, Erica etc try to get their contracts honoured individually through the courts?
I’m not posting the Comrade’s reply because it’s 12-pages long. Anyone interested to read the BBC letter and his reply can find it on i-witness news for free.
http://i-witness-news.com/2013/03/13/dave-ames-visited-pms-residence-twice-took-photo-with-pm/
http://i-witness-news.com/2013/03/13/sexual-assault-allegation-ames-citizenship-among-bbcs-questions-to-pm/
I’m not posting the Comrade’s reply because it’s 12-pages long. Anyone interested to read the BBC letter and his reply can find it on i-witness-news dot com for free.
It’s a Public Relations disaster. The Comrade and Ames are in deep doo-doo.
@FDNRM, I sort of understand the desperation of your posts now and I have just had a small slug of compassion for you. If the prospect of income from BB really is a lifeline to you then I can imagine that keeping that dream alive is really important to you.
But can’t you see that this business doesn’t seem to be in the kind of shape to fulfill its obligations. Any normally functioning business that had contracts would simply honour them rather than fight everyone to the bitter end. It just isn’t the sign of a healthy business. I think you need to take a hard reality check and accept that you may never see the income that you hoped for.
@FDNRM If BB rental is your only income, you better start thinking of another source…all the travel websites are now offering big discounts on BB..right in the middle of “high season”..(pre Easter)
Low occupancy, as revealed by several on TA , combined with lower daily rates can only mean one thing…another disaster for Harlequin.
@36 I am unemployed, my wife does not work through illness. WE HAVE NO INCOME, apart from my BB rental. (takes out onion)
Now didn’t you say that you had visited Buccament Bay while on a cruise? Is that why you don’t want to be remembered as 36 – so you can play the sympathy card?
Now that Chavez is gone and Venezuela is in a mess, Gonsalves is scrambling to find US$80 million or so to finish the Airport. Apart from the Petrocaribe deal, and loans from ALBA, there are several Cuban workers in St Vincent, working to finish the airport, that have been paid up to now with funds from Chavez….It looks like a 2013 completion date is now a very distant dream.
I mention this because almost every TA comment refers to the long and uncomfortable delays in getting to BB because of Liat and the Barbados connection, and that the new Argyle airport will solve everything.(Forget Harlequin Air, that will never get off the ground)
Sat waiting for yorkiepoo is he/she/it going to turn up?? Who knows?? Taking bets!
E
March 15, 2013 at 11:57 am
Sat waiting for yorkiepoo is he/she/it going to turn up?? Who knows?? Taking bets!
Perhaps he’s gone to see a man about a dog. [wink]
@BBaywatch, you really are low life scum. The trip was paid for by someone else in the family due to a tramatic previous 6 months due to the health of my mother in law. This included an attempted suicide. I will now refuse to acknowledge any posts from you directed at me. Do not even use my current ID as you will not be answered in any capacity whatsoever!
@36 / Fatchett does not represent me. – you are the archetypal internet troll, by turns aggressively bullying and cravenly wheedling, demanding that your questions are answered immediately and ignoring perfectly reasonable questions addressed to you. Using the anonymity that this forum affords you have made outrageous slurs against the reputation of others and cast aspersions on their motives. Constantly seeking to promote your own selfish interests you have shown scant regard for the effect that this will have on anyone other than yourself. Behave badly and you get treated accordingly – a life lesson.
For investors who are new to this blog a quick recap of reality over propaganda.
Sorry to give you what may be life changing news. You have been SCAMMED by David Ames and his family. Most of you have already lost your savings, pension or equity from your home. A very very small number of you will get some of it back from hp, more of you will succeed with advisors, sipp providers and their insurance companies.(that is if your quick enough, the above only have so much £. First come first served)
The rest of you are f**ked and will hopefully have learned how to do your own due diligence and ask the locals who know the build areas there opinion next time.
That Ames faces Justice for the sake of investors should be the next goal.
Yorkiepoop never turned up even after I gave he/she/it my number….. am I surprised no, desparate measures by the HP Trolls.
Harlequin Investor Meeting Number 2
We are now taking enquiries for our second Investors meeting on 25th March 2013.
Central London around 12pm
Basildon Essex around 5-6pm
The exact location and times will be confirmed once we know the numbers.
Please email the locations you prefer and how many wish to attend.
harlequininvestorgroupnw@gmail.com
am with you there BBaywatch – FDNRM, Yorkiepoo, Harlisuccess are all trolls trying to get the confused to not see the very clear and substantiated facts of David Ames’s fraud. It is not even close, a grey area or could go either way – it is property fraud of the worst and most clear kind ever seen in the Caribbean, and Ames will go down with the same infamy as Stanford, and hopefully will spend as long behind bars.
Erica, dont forget to post all the emails from Yorkpoop…..it will show the level these people stoop to.
Thanks for Lunch
Paul
To those moved by FDNRM posts above,I do not wish to see anyone with more than the average amount of problems.but perhaps his post of March 6 th 10.34 on the end for Harlequin etc ,may be an insight on his view of this kind of situation,
@Sam Spade, believe me I am not trying for the sympathy vote. My emotive posting above was to explain to BBwatch (although why I thought I needed to I dont know) how or why I was on a cruise in December and why it was paid for for by someone else in my family. Why that moron thinks I need a life lesson especially from him god only knows. Hopefully hes not stalking me anymore!
@Fatchett does not present me…formerly known as 36
God, 36 you’ve got an inflated sense of your own self-importance haven’t you?
@EL2 you’ve lost me on that one. can you explain in more detail what you are getting at.
@ Sam Spade,
You mean this one? …
Fatchett does not represent me.
March 6, 2013 at 10:34 pm
@Erica, I’m sorry but don’t try for the sympathy vote. This is a very dirty business. The end result is all about money and sentiment does not come into it. And my guess, Panorama will not be the huge exposé people think it will be. Plenty of time for the editorial content to be changed yet.
—–
Spelling and syntax have remarkably improved. Would you not agree?
Harle Quin
Mar 8 (3 days ago)
to James
Hi James, I have just noticed your coment on BBFP and to be honest I dont think Mr Ames is sure if he is coming or not so I do not want to say he is if he is not. So if you can confirm Mr Ames is going to be there then I will reply to you on the thread. Thanks Erica
James Hindle
3:45 PM (4 hours ago)
to me
Erica – I did ask Dave if he was attending or not, he said he felt it would be a set up, I know Sean Ghent felt if he went he would be the focus of all questions and backed out. I have seen written evidence of the audit having taken place confirming funds have gone through to the carribean. I know your sceptical but all I can tell you that I am being told funding is close to speed up the progress on all resorts – I have told Dave that this needs to be made transparent to the investors as this appears to be one way traffic of bad news.
I will be seeing Dave this week.
James Hindle
Mar 7 (4 days ago)
to me
Hi,
Are you Paul Walton, I’m confused as to who you are?
I just read the article in the Liverpool Echo
Harle Quin
Mar 7 (4 days ago)
to James
Hi,
We are a group Paul Walton is a member. But I am Erica who is responding
Harle Quin
Mar 7 (4 days ago)
to James
My number is ————- if you would like to call me
James Hindle
Mar 7 (4 days ago)
to me
Erica – I dont mind calling but this does need to be in confidence
Like I said I do not work for HP but I do know all the Ames family so its really sensitive
The forum is a joke and I dont know why I got involved but us speaking needs to be kept private
Harle Quin
Mar 7 (4 days ago)
to James
Ok no problem I am on my own at home so it would be private
James Hindle
Mar 7 (4 days ago)
to me
Erica
What is it that your keen to find out?
I cant verify anything I say becasue I am only being told what I am being told if you know what I mean.
I know DA wont attend the meeting, not because he feels that he has done wrong but thinks that the numbers mean he will not get heard.
I know you have your own issues with Dave but I can promise you that I have never seen the side of him you talk about
I know the SIPP cash has effected him badly, I do know he is in negotiation for funding, I do know that Grant Thornton have reviewed the accounts, i do know he has received death threats, I know HD Studio is closed for 1 month, I have been told that when the SIPP cash flows again then interest will be paid, I also know BB staff have been paid for sure.I could be wrong but in my experience Dave is no crook, he may have bitten off more than he can chew I dont know, his business may fail I dont know, but that wont be through criminal reasons
What is this thing he wanted off you anyway?
Date: Thu, 7 Mar 2013 14:35:22 +00
Harle Quin
Mar 7 (4 days ago)
to James
Call me and I will tell you everything
James Hindle
Mar 7 (4 days ago)
to me
Erica – I dont know whether to get involved
Date: Thu, 7 Mar 2013 14:43:50 +0000
Harle Quin
Mar 7 (4 days ago)
to James
It was you who wanted my phone number you have it so call me. I don’t know if it was someone from Harlequin who called me this morning at 3am who couldn’t be bothered to talk…
James Hindle
Mar 7 (4 days ago)
to me
What you mean? Someone called you and put phone down?
What is it that is convincing you that Dave is running a big scam here rather than not having business troubles?
Date: Thu, 7 Mar 2013 14:46:47 +0000
Harle Quin
Mar 7 (4 days ago)
to James
I have never called this a scam, I have never called Dave Ames anything. I am the one who has been treated badly been accused of blackmail, been accused of knowing someone who has blackmailed Dave, recording seminars, knowing someone they are in litigation with. Having four different contracts with them the fourth one being that my husbands Sipp re-instating to it’s former glory last June and yet still waiting…..having phonecalls and emails at silly times of the day and night and the worst one was what Dave wanted me to do, he knows exactly what I am talking about he also knows my husband suffers with his health.
His refusal to acknowledge my email several weeks ago is what has brought us to this. He has got a set of questions from the Panorama team regarding all of this. If Dave is such a good man why has he allowed one of his investors to be treated in this way by Mr Simon Terry
I hope you and Dave attend on Saturday I will still shake your hands and I will treat you exactly the same as every other person who comes into that room. I have never raised my voice, shouted, swore or done anything for me and my family to be treated in this way by Dave.
Harle Quin
Mar 7 (4 days ago)
to James
I am also very disgusted that I was called in a meeting last week with another investor “That woman she has had her money back I don’t know what her problem is”
That is not the way to do business.
James Hindle
Mar 7 (4 days ago)
to me
Erica
I hope you would shake my hand because I am a bystander wondering what the hell is going on. If I was there HArlequin would wonder why.
I would like a copy of the mins tho?
Like I said I first met Dave in Dubai when he was working as an agent for IFA Resorts and he was an absolute gentleman.I have stayed at his place a few times, done business with him and he has been an absolute gentleman.I am just a bit worried for everyone here, what damage the bad press is going to do whether its correct or not.I think Dave may be struggling to deliver by the sounds of it but wont admit it and rather than pull together you may pull it apart. He has said himself it has proven alot more difficult than he ever imagined.I can see the O’Halloran issue becoming increasingly nasty – who knows who is sending death threats but they are real too I have copies myself he has pdfed to me which I can show you but cant give copies.
Simon terry I dont know him – I have heard of him
All I was trying to do was get you some answers
If Dave is a fraudster he has fooled me, he is the most hard working crook i have ever met working 18 -20 hour days
I am glad to assist but cant get over involved but I’m not sure this is all helping?
What do you want to ask me?
Date: Thu, 7 Mar 2013 15:00:06 +0000
James Hindle
Mar 7 (4 days ago)
to me
One odd thing to me is why Sean Ghent is attending?
Surely he would be in a better position than anyone to find out the true facts from Harlequin?
What can he find out from the meeting that he cant ask Dave??
——————————————————————————–
Date: Thu, 7 Mar 2013 15:00:06 +0000
Harle Quin
Mar 7 (4 days ago)
to James
Why did he allow this to happen to a investor? why did he allow Mr Terry to treat me like he did? why do Harlequin treat there investors like they do?I also work very hard to earn money but will never in my lifetime earn what Dave pays himself. To be honest with you my Husband has resigned himself to never seeing the SIPP funds again so feels he now has nothing to lose. Mr Terry saying he will come after our house and trying to intimidate and bully us for information just is not the type of people we ever want to be near He and Harlequin are just not our type of people we are different, I am sorry but this is because a lady phoned me up and said she had had enough as a Mr. Daliger had treated her so bad and that she wished she was dead so this is not really just about my Husband now its about how Harlequin treat people. Do you not think that this sort of meeting should of always been the way where people can ask questions and get honest answers. I really think that is where the problem lies.
I am busy now collating the questions and have never done anything like this before and need to get on I am not brilliant on the laptop so you have my number and if you wish to speak great.
James Hindle
Mar 7 (4 days ago)
to me
I will call you when I’m away from the office.
This all seems at odds to what I know.
Simon Terry like I said I have never met – but that seems a little harsh what he said to you.
——————————————————————————–
Date: Thu, 7 Mar 2013 15:28:12
This is the email correspondence with Mr Yorkiepoo. It’s a great shame that he decided not to meet me today even though it was his suggestion……
@EL2 I’ve answered that to Sam earlier.
I am pretty sure this whole thing didn’t start as a scam. I suspect that DA is the kind of person who dreams big ideas and is pretty able at selling these to other people. You have to have a sneaky admiration for the quality of the marketing materials, launch events and the brand. But that’s where my admiration ends.
It is ok to dream big but most people reality check this against their experience and ability to deliver. At this point most reasonable people say, “nice idea but I’m not really the person to do this”.
But DA pressed on regardless. His ability to sell isn’t questioned. He managed to get people to part with their money. This was probably his comfort zone and so it is natural that he paid most attention to this end of the business.
By his own admission he got duped by a couple of building contractors so it seems he didn’t have a sufficiently strong in-house team on that side of things. The sales kept piling in and so it probably looked like a successful venture from Harlequin’s perspective.
At this point I think they believed their own rhetoric and kept selling the dream. The liabilities were piling up and deadlines missed. The gap between reality and the dream got bigger and this required the whole operation to be veiled in secrecy. This explains why it has been so hard to get sensible answers to reasonable questions. There are no sensible answers.
This is where you could build a case for criminal culpability. Most people would stop and the sales process and so their best to deliver the commitments they had already taken on. They would make sure that all the accounts were properly filed (as so the primary responsibility of any company director). This would have revealed that things were not in good shape.
Most people would have stopped. But dreamers always hope that things will work out if only the cash keeps flowing and so the sales arm keeps going. Liabilities keeps mounting and the hole gets deeper.
Someone has to declare the party over. If HP do this themselves (which they should have done 4 years ago IMHO) then there may be some leniency shown to them. If the SFO/police/FSA have to do it then they will get the book thrown at them and I’m sure people will end up serving time for this.
This is only educated guesswork based on what has been written so far. I may be wrong and hope, for the sake of investors, that I am.
@Yorkipoo THE INVESTOR.
I was just on a very interesting conference call and guess who was on it? Yorkipoo unless someone else repeats verbatim what was contained in the e-mails to Erica.
And guess what, he is an investor and wants his money back.
I think you need to call me especially as you stood me up at lunch. 🙂
Paul
I have emailed you.
Very Telling
“I know the SIPP cash has effected him badly” and
“I have been told that when the SIPP cash flows again then interest will be paid”
So Dave is using new investor’s money to bankroll the entire business. No new news there then, but its nice to see Dave’s right hand man put it in black and white for us.
Accounting 101 for Dave Ames: Each new investor is not an asset, they are a liability. Adding further liabilities to an already struggling business will not help. At best you create a pyramid scheme, at worst a Ponzi scheme, neither are viable business models.
And he never turned up for lunch 😦
BB, ignorance of the law is no excuse for breaking it. He has been trading insolvent, and kept piling up liabilities in the form of new clients whilst knowing full well that intially he did not own the land in SVG and St Lucia (illegal) and still does not have full planning permission (unless funds are escrowed subject to/or there is clarity in the contracts that it is all subject to final planning permission, this is fraud). I for one do believe this was a scam from the outset. This is in a very small way based on what we know about Ames prior to Harlequin, and dealings in Thailand. It is also based on the very obvious lies in the sales material. It is largely also based on the lies he is caught on film of telling, about the marina at BB, about occupancies at BB. But it is mainly based on the fact that as developer, he took large dividends from the start, when nothing was built and he was taking from investor money, kept making sales he knew he could not fulfill (would have to be unbelievably dumb to not realise that without strong financing in place, he was taking on commitments he could never fulfill – again being dumb is no defense) and kept taking the commissions and paying himself. Even loaning himself $5m. A scam is done to benefit the scammer. If he was also potless after such poor management, then BB’s position that he is just incompetent may hold some sway, but he is not – he has ensured he pocketed from the top line, and no developer does that. Plus, lavish launch events, celeb fees, planes, small hotels etc he would have known the business just could not afford with so many liabilities. As you say BB, he should have shut up shop the moment he realised he was in too deep, say in early 2007. He did not, he kept selling, lying and paying himself. In my view, this is not an innocent mistake of him getting in too deep, and thousands of people’s lives are affected as a result of this. The courts will ultimately decide when all is unravelled, but there are so many debts and bad feelings about this man throughout the Caribbean, to us over here, he looks as guilty as sin.
Dave Ames ‘special dates’ when he went BUST!
1993 29 Sep – 564 of 1993 Southend County Court – trading as PH Agencies – trading as Glenrose Leisure Ltd petitioner.
1998 10 Jun 1998 – 165 of 1998 Southend County Court – trading as Diamond Windows and Window Design – Conversion Fitting Services petitioner
Whether it was an intended scam from the start or not is only for the courts to decide. But Harlequin have been lying to investors through newsletters, email communications and brochures since 2006 (land ownership, planning permissions, project completion dates, investment returns and contract conditions) and they have failed to publish accounts in the Caribbean.
Fraud is obtaining money through deception. I think that’s clearly the case here.
@100 thanks again.also I understand dividend payments can not be dished out at a whim,as far as I am aware
I would love to know how anyone still thinks HP is still a good investment?
time is running out
They should come out of profits, in the UK anyway no idea about SVG
I agree with both 100 and Anon- RU above.
I’m certainly not making apologies for Harlequin. I just don’t think it started out as a scam but I do think they are guilty of believing their own ridiculous marketing material and then doing everything to present that as the reality.
I completely agree that this does not absolve them of the legal duties as directors. Deluding yourself that you’re great wouldn’t stand up in court as an adequate defence!
You are right to point out that shooting a video on the beach at BB saying that the marina is being finished off when, in reality, it wasn’t even started, is unforgivable. I always thought that was laughable when DA said on the video, “you”ll have to take my word for it that it is nearly finished” (OWTE) when all he needed to do was ask the camera operator to spin round 180 degrees to prove it!
Yes, there have been lies that can now be proved to be lies and distortions. And, yes, some people may have invested on the back of those. This makes them guilty.
The wrong doing will extend beyond the two directors and will includes the chairman and other senior people like the in-house lawyers. This will be a very ignominious end for some people I’m sure.
More interesting revelations from Paul, Suddenly Yorki’s interests are revealed!
Well Yorki, your good mate Dave has been lying to you too. Every time you ask if your money is safe he fobs you off with the standard line “The funding is just around the corner”
Now that you’ve realised he’s lying to you, you need to be nicer to Paul. He might just help you with some advice on how to get your money back.
Rather than calling them dividends, the ‘clever’ thing would have been to extract money as ‘management fees’.
Of course, the endgame will involve the companies going bust with owners saying its a normal business failure due to economic climate for property etc….don’t have much confidence given the poor reputation of the SFO for competence(read any recent issue of private eye).
I was on the conference call today and said something similar to what Yorkiepoo wrote, as I knew Ames from Dubai, I think you are getting 2 people confused. The thing that surprised me most was the figure quoted for property sales in Dubai – I have a good idea what property assets are in Dubai and you can knock a few noughts off!
Very disappointed that yorkiepoo didn’t meet Paul Walton. After all the rubbish he/she/it has posted, thought they would have the guts to see Paul face to face!
Just wanted to update everyone,
From: Erica broughton
Date: 15/03/2013 15:57:44
To: dames@harlequinhotelsandresorts.com
Cc: matthew.hill3@bbc.co.uk; russell.myers@mailonsunday.co.uk; newsdesk@men-news.co.uk; news@liverpool.com; vicki.stockman@guardiangrp.co.uk; granada.reports@itv.com; gerald.main@bbc.co.uk; help@onevalefan.co.uk; gareth.fatchett@regulatorylegal.co.uk; Jon Austin; marc.shoffman@ft.com; bcantwell@citywire.co.uk; julia.norris@pannone.co.uk; ddalligan@harlequinproperty.co.uk; kevin@optimus-wealth.com; alistair@tm-fs.com; aregan@harlequinproperty.co.uk; steve@amicablepropertysolutions.co.uk; mail@riskwarning.co.uk; Katherine Manderfield; p_walton@btconnect.com
Subject: Harlequin Investor Group Meeting 2 London & Essex
Dear All,
We are pleased to invite you to our upcoming event and would be pleased if you could attend. I have also sent the set of investors question to Mr Ames and hope that with all the additional time he will be able to attend and answer them in person.
please RSVP
Thankyou
Harlequin investor group
Harlequin Investor Meeting Number 2
We are now taking enquiries for our second Investors meeting on 25th March 2013.
Central London around 12pm
Basildon Essex around 5-6pm
The exact location and times will be confirmed once we know the numbers.
Please email the locations you prefer and how many wish to attend.
harlequininvestorgroupnw@gmail.com
@confused.com. Now I’m confused?? Are you yorkiepoo? You have written same thing that yorkiepoo wrote on emails to Erica before the conference call and said the same in the conference call and now on this thread?? Have you changed your name again confused.com aka yorkiepoo aka 36??
Would just like some answers not fobbed off all the time. Huge worry.
No first time on here Gareth told me about the site in a phone call tonight. Harlequin issuing a statement tonight.
My problem with Harlequin has always been that there is no transparency and this meeting Yorkie is having with Mr Ames on Monday is just typical of Harlequin. If it is good enough for him to have a refund then why not anyone/everyone who wants one why only the chosen few? How is this fair to all other investors? The truth is it is not is it?
It was me that mentioned a meeting? I haven’t asked for a refund? Is everyone mad on here?
confused, what time is there going to be a statement and will you put it on here as I dont get updates 😦
So Yorkie I can see why your confused you dont even know who you are half the time your the one who is mad, Firstly your not a investor, then you suddenly become a investor, and then you manage to get a meeting to chat about what??? if your thinking of a investor takeover let me know I have a three toilet rolls left out of a nine pack, you could always use them to wipe the crap coming out from your mouth.
SFO not great,Dont upset HMRC as I said before Al Capone was done on tax
Dave ames & Harlequin are a f###ing disgrace. In the statement they are still blaming everyone else but themselves. how could a court case that involves 8 or so million out of a reported £250million delay resorts for 7 years.??? He is scraping the bottom of the barrel if he thinks we are stupid enough to suffer that. Your times up fatty, the nets closing.
Just been told to look out for one tonight, didn’t ask what was in it am assuming it will be about the O’Halloran case? Can’t imagine anything groundbreaking! E if your an investor you should get a copy?
E – I don’t get this? Anyway I don’t think this place is a forum for me so I’m out of here! Think I will do my own thing!
Of course you will porkie!!! you go and do your deal and forget everyone else why does that suprise me!!!! NOT
Anthony75 can you post the statement on here please?
Is it true that Tailormade have been shut down and prevented from dealing with pensions ?
Last word before I dissaper – statement contains nothing factual
I often wonder,what has happened to the Iron -qualities,that once defined true manhood?
It is the taking of his cut out of the initial deposit that is the glaring pointer whether this was a scam from the beginning or not. When the developer has already received their profit before building , in most cases, any of the properties. What is incentive is there to complete the project. This is not the norm in building contracts. It’s because he never intended to build anything beyond showpieces (bait) to keep the scam going as long as possible.
@lighthouse – tailor are website is down as far as I can see….I suspect they’ll put the company into liquidation to pre-empt lawsuits….
It will be first come first served when suing…..
Honestly people, I can’t take no more of your, pseudo -intelligence,vain -bubbling,presumptuous -pronouncements ,and interpretive -extrapolations, its time too grow a pair of Balls. There ought to be something more interesting than this heap of crap to discuss??
I was told FSA have nobbled them. Can anyone confirm this ?
Tailormade is being dissolved – the issue is that the PI is in the aggregate per annum not an each an every claim. So even though they had PI of £2 million the claims from Cyprus have maxed it out and there is no room for Harlequin Property claims – so getting out and starting up Tailormade mark II – very bad news for us all
in the know – how accurate is your source on this ?
Tailormade move is logical from their point of view but doesn’t absolve them from personal litigation re lack of DD/Negliegence in the best case and being in cahoots in the worst case. Maybe someone with legal background can confirm the situation?
What’s clear is that everyone needs to move against their IFA/SIPP provider ASAP to have any hope of getting anything back.
Once Panorama goes out the house of cards will collapse pretty quickly IMHO….
Very good source – Steves point is valid in some instances but not this. If the PI is insufficient you can pursue the company but not the individuals as its a limited liability company – the company has no assets so nothing to pursue! I heard plenty of smugness there over this
One other point specifically to E. I am almost certain I know who confused.com is. If its who I think you would deffinately have been better moving forward with him as has alot of influence with Ames and has alot of access. What I do know is that unless Ames says so nothing happens at HP and he has access and influence for some reason.
If a company has debts that exceed assets, it’s not quite as simple as them being able to voluntarily liquidate the company unanswered off their own volition. Creditors have a right to intercede — and have to be informed of what’s happening. Being a limited company doesn’t necessarily absolve a company, or its directors, of any responsibility or liability if the company fails. Where a former client becomes a creditor is not something I could comment on.
There’s plenty of good information about this online.
I know nothing about the company mentioned, the info above is only general UK company stuff. I’m less au fait with LLPs etc — though liability again isn’t unconditionally relaxed.
But that isn’t what has happened – TM have called in the administrators because the PI has been potentially exceeded plus I know they have cash problems because HP are not selling and they have not been paid commissions from HP.
With insufficient insurance cover left and no assets I am now worried as recovery of my cash has deminished today!
In that case, the administration period could be quite complicated.
“Phoenixing” is not necessarily as straightforward and easy as it seems — it all depends on what comes out in the administration process.
Is anybody familiar with the name Andrew Smith? Does it mean anything to anyone?
Sorry not even close, but still very very painful for many, especially when regulators and governments fail to act!
Never forget Clico and the deafening silence of those that have been complicit.
@In the know
March 16, 2013 at 4:45 am
Is anybody familiar with the name Andrew Smith?
Just Google Andrew Smith and Procure it Direct. Smith sources furniture for projects such as Jack’s at Buccament Bay. I heard that Smith and Ames fell out because Ames accused him of theft and overcharging [sound familiar?]
WITHOUT PREJUDICE.
@ In the know, My Husband has now wrote off this pension (we have been trying to sort this out for over two years) and we now have nothing to lose hence nothing to be scared off and so holding meetings and wanting answers seems the way forward to us, We will not do a deal with Mr Ames or Mr Porkie/36/or James?? as the truth is more important to us than the SIPP.
Everyones situation is different but one thing is certain as far as I am concerned is that Mr Ames via Mr Terry will not bully me any more if you are telling the truth you have nothing to fear Mr Ames, So stop acting like a angry toddler, I find it very interesting you are trying to do everything “proper and going through the legal chanels” maybe if you had always done that you would not be in this situation
Mr Ames conspiracy theory does not wash with me this “smear” campaign that he talks about is utter rubish I personally think Mr Ames is clutching at straws and the facts speak for themselves. It is not the BBC Panorama team that tried to push Mr Ames down the airplane steps earlier in the week it was Mr Ames who behaved disgracefully,also this smear campaign would have to be false knowledge which I do not see, everything I have seen in the media about you Mr Ames and Harlequin seems to me to be very factual I dont understand what you have a problem with you have not done what you said you would do and cannot show all investors where there money is,
How can it be my Husband cannot touch his pension until he is sixty five and so entrusted it to you and you will not show us where it is Mr Ames it makes me wonder what money did you use to buy Airoplanes,Hotels and give yourself a directors loans a radical thought might be instead of chasing the builder why not pay back what you borrowed ,why not pay back all the bonuses you and your family took? none of us can touch those pensions and it looks to me like you have helped yourself and spent it on what you liked instead of doing with it what we gave it you to do which was to build our resorts
Mr Ames just answer the questions we have sent you, we all as investors have a right to know the answers, stop this silly nonsense and do what we paid you to do build our properties, You have had the money now deliver the goods.
I have to say guys Mr Terry thinks Mr Ames owns BB I have told him Mr Ames does not own it people like my Husband and you do but I dont think he gets it perhaps that is why noone has recieved there titles yet.
So all this rubbish you Mr Ames tell anyone who will listen about me is no way to treat a investor and dispite you saying I have been paid of we all know that not to be the case, Anyways I am now in the process of filing a complaint against Harlequin and Tailormade to the ICO.
It was a great shame Mr Ames that you could not make the meeting last week and hope that the one we have planned to coincide with the Panorama program you will be able to attend hopefully by then you will be able to answer some if not all of the questions your investors want answering, I have made it clear to both Harlequin and Tailormade that we have not recieved regular updates and would like you to address this issue the very least you can do is keep investors up to date
So I cannot wait for all the transcripts to become public knowledge I have heard that some people involved have suffered amnesia we will have to wait and see wont we.
@Erica, speak to BBaywatch, he will tell you how to turn spell check on. Its what he does.
I know Andrew Smith. His firm Procure IT Direct supplied all the furniture and equipment for Buccament Bay. He was also instrumental in helping open phase 1 and 2. He is a very experienced property devloper and walked away when he realised what a farce Harlequin really is. I am also led to believe that his firm are Harlequins largest creditor.
I could be wrong then but I thought from what was said that Porkie is Andrew Smith. I am almost sure I know who confused.com is too!
I wonder if HMRC are also investigating the set-up?
E – Dave Ames won’t be reading this blog.
@in the no know. He probably wont but he has got you and his other minions to read it has he not
E – I’m no minion of Dave Ames for sure! I don’t have any time for him. Your postings seem more and more desperate by the second – are you loosing the plot?
You seem to be attacking anyone that doesn’t conform to your way of thinking!
@74 you are Andrew Smith? Seems to be many different stories regards to what happened to the relationship between Ames and smith. Be very good to hear the truth from someone. Yes Andrew Smith did a good job to get things open. Procure it Direct did a lot down in SVG, when I stayed there I used to speak to one the guys who worked as the buyer regular (Big welsh guy). He was always pleasant and answered any questions on the products. All very strange Ames and Smith relationship. As Smith was the CEO at one point I remember seeing somewhere.
I have some dim and distant recollection of Procure IT Direct taking some form of freehold interest at Buccament Bay in lieu of payment.
Is this a correct recollection and was there any truth to this?
Another thing whilst its in my mind – has anyone checked if Andy Townsend is still football coaching at Easter – I think he has disowned Anes
@bb I don’t believe that to be case. I believe that Procure it Direct are claiming they are owed money and Hq claiming they are owed by Procure it Direct. This has never come out to the public. Not sure if @74 can tell you more as he seems to know a lot.
E – back to your question why confused can get a meeting with Ames, some individuals can be your priority to pay off over others – fill in the gaps yourself!
At least investors can have the warm glow of knowing that some of their money helped others have a great night out.
Do we know for a fact if Tailormade in Warrington have called in the liquidators?
TM charged up to 5% of the original transfer + 1.2% renewal + rec’d up tp 16% commission from HG, not just on deposit but on the whole amount of finance raised by client. FSA recent visit will probably close them down?
@BFP. In light of the HP statement last night, will BFP be headlining the transcript of the O’Halloran case when it becomes available in the next week or two.
Also could you put up the ST Vinc Prime Ministers reply to the Panorama program questions?
Not liquidators — administrators have been appointed,
how do you know? who are they?
@ in the know My big problem is that I feel we should all stick together and we should all be treated the same that is why I was like I was before I no longer kiss ass to try and achive what my Husband is entititled to, there will be no deal for us,
We would rather do Panorama and show the “real” Harlequin. People doing deals are desperate but this is not the answer we should all get treated the same end of. how can they change the amount they refund ie Paul Walton and try and barter it is so wrong on so many levels.
E – so if Harlequin Property gave you a refund you would still be pushing the Harlequin Investors Group as vigorously as previous? Your not telling me if you were offered a full refund you would refuse it on the principle that others hadn’t?
Andrew Smith and Patrick O’Halloran both overcharged for services and supplies. Hmmmmm……………………………..seems like a pretty easy way to drain BB and HP of money and direct to overseas bank accounts.
Why was Smith, O’ Halloran and Ames meeting at the Hiltin in Barbados 4 weeks ago?
4 weeks ago? wouldn’t that have been in the middle of the Dublin trial?
Regarding TailorMade.
I have been told they are not in liquidation, but had their ‘Permissions varied’ see extract from the FOS site for an explanation.
Similarly, if your firm stops a business line or wishes to reduce or restrict the scope of its Permission, you should consider whether you should:
Remove the appropriate regulated activity;
Change the client types or related product / investment types; or
Add/delete limitations or requirements
What the change is I don’t know at the moment.
Talk of them going bust only causes panic when I find out more I will advise, unless somebody could help?
Regards
Paul
WITHOUT PREJUDICE.
@ in the know I would refuse it because I refuse to be gagged the guys from Panorama are a fantastic set of investigatve journalists and they have worked so hard investigating everything I will not could not not take part in the program, I do not believe my husband will be offered a refund with no strings attached and to be honest I really never thought there was so many people who were as unhappy with this product as us and so now that I know there is I just cannot/willnot walk away.
I used to blame myself for us investing as my husband was not as keen as me and that was my motivation if you like, but then I started hearing about all the other people out there and I had to do something, there comes a time when you have to stand up and be counted and for us this is that time and I totally get it if this is not your time ( it took me two years) I think that soon enough we will all need each other. If people are unhappy with this product then they should be able to walk away (preferably unscathed) if we have to take a hit I personally would rather we all took the hit and lost a percentage rather than some getting all back and others getting nothing and losing there homes but that will not be up to me and I understand that.
One thing we should ALL agree on is that nobody should take a cut of our pensions for recomending a certain product.
The last thing I want is people arguing I undestand some people have faith in Mr Ames and want to continue with this product and that is totally fine by me and then there are other people who are not happy and want a refund and if they are out of contract that should also be fine for them to walk away should it not?
I hope to see a lot of you at the meetings we have planned in London and Essex and hope to get chance to chat to you all. Thanks
Tailor made are not in administration.companies house has them as active.
Lighthouse – if you have been looking at companies house web check then it isn’t an instant update service – it takes days to update!
@Erica, while I understand your frustrations at your situation, to make the statement “One thing we should ALL agree on is that nobody should take a cut of our pensions for recomending a certain product” Thats the IFAs role in life. Endowment mortgages, pensions, etc, they dont do it for free. Whether the “cut” is reasonable or not is another question. IFAs now have to declare their commision with other products. I think that should cover all investment advice.
FDNRM I think the % should be the same and not the gain 🙂
@Paul Walton, “Talk of them going bust only causes panic” Isnt this exactly what you are trying to do to HP? You have possibly put Tailor made into administration so any chance of getting money back through their insurance will now have evaporated? Correct or not?
Which insolvency practitioner have they appointed. ?
THEY ARE NOT INSOLVANT!!
Regarding TailorMade.
I have been told they are not in liquidation, but had their ‘Permissions varied’ see extract from the FOS site for an explanation.
Similarly, if your firm stops a business line or wishes to reduce or restrict the scope of its Permission, you should consider whether you should:
Remove the appropriate regulated activity;
Change the client types or related product / investment types; or
Add/delete limitations or requirements
Lighthouse – you will be getting a letter. I’m not 100% sure so I don’t want to speculate
@Fatchett does not represent me
That would depend when your claim was filed, correct or not?
Paul Walton has done or will do what he has been forewarned would happen – the PI was insufficient and no assets – it had to happen!! The guaranteed route for Walton was always high risk. Hope he hasn’t upset HP too much or he won’t be a priority pay off!
@Fatchett does not represent me
So, now the apparent demise of Tailormade is my fault now,a predictable comment. If, either of the two companies you mention go bust it will be due to their own actions not mine.
They both require ‘investors’ to stay afloat………. via SIPPS and thats not going to happen is it?
wake up!
FDNRM – the issue is that TM PI is in the aggregate its not an each and every event policy. So when the limit is exceeded the PI can accept no more claims – the PI policy was almost full from the Cyprus issue. Waltons tactics were correct as long as the PI held out
@In the know
Will find out soon….. I have a few options I am taking.
Foul mouthed (and getting worse by the day ) ,troublemaker, desperate, freebie girl,Fatchett’s PA, ( maybe Paudie’s secret lover? ) aka E
Another day of farcical posting. Round and round in cirles. As Mark Fenty says “What a load of crap”!
If TM go into administration, who do you go after next? Why are you so desperate to sabotage everyone else’s investmant?
Fatchett says he stopped the court actionto freeze Harlequin’s assets after six investors settled out of court and that he cannot give details because the agreements were confidential. How do we know he is telling the truth? Why should we believe him ? Why could he not admit that he was wrong to attempt this as FDNRM says?
How silly of you to ask Dave Ames to answer your questions while he has a court case going on?
Sounds like you have a different approach to recovery of cash, putting yourself first, at least your honest unlike Erica! And quite right too!
Your best bet is to share the petrol money with confused on Monday I think!
FDNRM – The freezing order was a long shot but at tactic that worked. More importantly to prevent the freezing order being granted HP had to provide substantial information in relation to their accounts.
These have proven more than worrying and if a freezing order is applied for, now the information is availible, wait for it to work!
Regarding TailorMade if you check the FSA’s website you will see that their permissions have indeed been restricted as follows:
1. Stop transacting new pensions business and
2. Restriction on the disposal of assets
https://www.fsa.gov.uk/register/firmPermissions.do?sid=225384
The second restriction is particularly interesting, the narrative for which is as follows:
“Restriction of the disposal of assets
TMIL must not in any way dispose of, deal with or diminish the value of any of its assets without the prior consent of the FSA. This requirement does not prohibit TMIL from dealing with or disposing of any of its assets in the ordinary and proper course of business. For the avoidance of doubt, the following would not be in the ordinary and proper course of business for these purposes:
a) the making of any capital distribution;
b) the payment of unusual or significant amounts to TMIL’s shareholders, employees, officers or partners or any persons connected thereto;
c) the making of any gift or any significant loan by TMIL to any party; and
d) the entry into any financial reconstruction or reorganisation.”
Gingerbread – don’t come on here telling lies about meetings – that is 100% not right, don’t come on here stirring like that
TM ate in the brink in anyone’s eyes! Do a dune and Bradstreet financial check the have no assets to talk about no owned premises or anything of any worth – anyway Monday it will all be clarified. I’m sure last Saturday they knew what they were doing sat there laughing!
@ Paul Walton, it is a genuine question. Stop being so defensive. If they go into administration does the insurance still cover investors or do they just become a creditor. Administration means that an investor could pick up the assets cheap and not have to pay any oustanding debts.
FDNRM – my business has PI so I know a bit about it. As long as TM has paid their premiums then the policy will be in force for the last 12 years. However with the policy being in aggregate it closes its door once the maximum is breeched.
I wondered when Harlisuccess would make another appearance.
@Harlisuccess, it really is very simple. Harlequin Property drafted some contracts, investors signed them and handed over money, the delivery dates were breached, the contracts require HP to refund investors, HP have reneged on the terms of the contract that they drafted.
Now who is to blame for that?
HP had a choice – pay up as required by the terms of the contract or get taken through the courts by the investors.
Why do you keep attacking the investors who have simply sought to get the terms of their contracts honoured? None of this would have happened if Harlequin had either built the resorts and handed them over in the timescales that they themselves set out or refunded the investors as per the contracts. To claim that this whole sorry mess is the fault of anyone else is completely ridiculous and, if you don’t know that, you require some form of psychiatric assistance.
I had rather thought you would come on here saying something like:
“Nobody has anything to worry about because the house-keeping staff at Buccament Bay have learnt how to create a new animal with the towels and so the resort can only go from strength to strength. All you green-eyed, evil troublemakers who are seeking to bring down the wonderful genius efforts of Harlequin should be thoroughly ashamed of yourselves.”
I miss those posts of yours because they provided no end of entertainment. Do you think you could write a few more for us.
Given the asset position disclosed in TMIL’s latest set of accounts the restriction on the disposal of assets would seem academic.
As at 3o November 2011 they had cash assets of £78,661, total assets of £347,956 set against total liabilities of £338,622 giving a book value of just £9,334. Clearly whatever money they earnt they spent.
As has been pointed out, PI insurance will only go so far and will barely scratch the surface in this case.
@FDNRM
If you have your claim in and logged with the insurance company it is irrelevant if they go bust.
I have said all along you need to get your claim in ASAP, because one the limit is reached that’s it.
If you try to claim after the company goes bust, I assume its too late.
This is an extract from an email from Julia at Pannone today.
”The email you had confirming they had notified the insurers should mean you are covered even if they do go bust.
As to what extent is cover is available, that depends on the terms of the policy and we would have to wait and see. Would be rare for there to be a problem.”
All the Best
Paul
@ in the know…..
I have never made any secret that I just want my money back and have taken various steps to that effect, nothing wrong with that?
However, if I can help others along the way fair enough I am more than happy to do that.
Regarding going to see Mr Ames, done that 21st February 2013 and it did not work out.
I suspect if Yorkipoo aka Worried investor aka confused.com gets his money back we wont hear him on anymore conference calls saying if he doesn’t get a cheque form Mr Ames on Monday – no one will?????
Re FDNRM36’s post on March 16, 2013 at 2:13 pm
‘Re your post to Paul Walton…
Stop being so defensive. If they [who they?] go into administration does the insurance [which insurance] still cover investors or do they [who?] just become a creditor. Administration means that an investor could pick up the assets cheap [no it does not] and not have to pay any oustanding debts [not correct and unlawful]. ‘
Your post is so vague FDNRM36 that I can’t quite comprehend exactly what you mean. Are you referring to Tailor Made or Harlequin? If this is your understanding of how company insolvency works, you had better get some professional advice pretty damn quick.
THERE ARE NO ASSETS! It’s over.
‘BB well done need a bit of humour 🙂
@EZ2 I don’t really care if you understand the post or not. It was aimed at Paul Walton and he understood it and also answered it. Also before you make a smart arse comment I talked about ADMINISTRATION not insolvency. Do you know the difference?
Paul why you so hung up on what people’s usernames are?
I know the 3 names you gave are 2 people if not 3?
Because your on a moral crusade you think your unquestionable?
I was on the conference call and the person who you refer to said he was going to view the audit and the proposed finding and if not happy would ask for a refund.
He made it clear that up until now he had never asked for a refund.
Why do you twist people’s words? Just because your sat there worrying about PI levels don’t be so off with people. If you can’t stand the pressure don’t put yourself forward as our saviour
Paul – when your having pillow talk with gareth maybe you should ask him why Ames takes some people’s requests more serious than others, and why yours isn’t priority. You think your some kind of intellectual but you seem oblivious to the ways of the world.
@In the know. Take your money back over 12 months or get none at all. Would seem a no brainer to me.
FNRM – everyone is entitled to their opinions or they should be. I’m newish on here but if you have Ann opinion different to Erica or Walton you get personally attacked. What a pair of arrogant self righteous people, talk about chips on shoulders!
BB well said, that’s is the facts in a nutshell.
FDRM – you would have always thought there was a deal to be had – a compromise, unless your Erica or Paul or arrogant.
Fatchett does not represent me.
March 16, 2013 at 3:57 pm
@In the know. Take your money back over 12 months or get none at all. Would seem a no brainer to me.
A question – where is the money going to come from? According to Harlequin’s advertising nearly all units are already sold – not that it makes a difference, as using new investors money would indeed be a ponzi scheme and illegal. Buccament Bay is the only resort operational, and only about 25% completed, yet cannot attract sufficient guests to fill it to capacity and so quite clearly that is not going to generate any kind of significant profit – indeed it may still need to be subsidised and that money will of course be coming from investors deposits. There is the Hotel Blu of course, but with rooms from only $100 a night that won’t generate more than a drop in the ocean of Harlequin debt. None of the other developments will be ready for years and the money on those will be going out, not coming in.
Where will the money come from to pay anyone back over twelve months? Seriously, where will the money come from?
BB – never mind 12 months where u think it will come from full stop. From my information it’s all gone and infancy is at negative seven million.
I was just thinking is there anyway we could form a group of investor and buy BB in ST vincent .I still feel very strongly about this project if given the chance and was run the right way I think it could be very profitable.I know it would be hard to pull off but just maybe if we all put our heads together maybe we can come up with something.I am still hoping
regd BB if 100 is involved count me in
@ John Delhirro. It’s a nice idea but I don’t think it will be practical.
It is currently not at all clear of the status of legal title with respect to Buccament Bay.
If things really are as bad as some fear regarding the finances of the various Harlequin group companies there will be no end of creditors lining up to be paid when it goes pop.
Even if there is clean title and there are no creditors other than the investors, it will still be a tough situation to sort out. For example, FDNRM says his unit is built and he is getting a return (even though clean title has not been transferred to him). Is it going to be easy to persuade him to throw his unit into the communal pot in order to share it with others? (I think we know the answer to that FDNRM so you don’t need to share it with us).
Then, what about all the investors who have paid deposits for units in all the other resorts? Would they be invited to the party?
You would still need to complete the resort and so find some funding to do so. This will not be easy.
Once complete, the margins on the operation of the resort to share with the 3500 investors will be much smaller than the examples given in the marketing material.
In short, even if there are no other creditors, the amounts to share amongst the other investors will be so small as to make it unattractive.
FDNRM – have you received the deeds to your property and receiving your 10% guaranteed return? Was a mortgage arranged for you?
I think FDNRM has said before that he is receiving his 10% return but has not yet received clean title. If I have that wrong then please correct me.
@In the Know
Quite strange your hostility you have towards me? Care to explain…. your not the first or the last…..
If you were on the conference call you will know what is happening? Is that why you are so uptight?
You would not be the first person pretending to be an investor would you?
are you Confused.com 🙂
@in the Know.
What is this all about?? please try and explain…your talking in riddles
One other point specifically to E. I am almost certain I know who confused.com is. If its who I think you would deffinately have been better moving forward with him as has alot of influence with Ames and has alot of access. What I do know is that unless Ames says so nothing happens at HP and he has access and influence for some reason.
Paul – yes I’m an investor and I was on the conference call and I know the plan going forward.
Are you paranoid? No I’m not confused but I sat next to him last Saturday!
Everything is about Paul Walton the know it all who is above questioning! Poor me, me, me!
Everybody’s opinion is worthless unless it agrees with you!
No bloody wonder has no time for you with your arrogant approach to life!
Thank you for your kind words 🙂
I think that FDNRM got a his deposit +10% refunded on one project (one of the DR ones?) and is receving his 10% pa on his Buccament Bay unit that is now built.
Perhaps best for him to clarify.
Awww in the know tell confused im sorry 😦 I was told he was Yorkie and he had wasted my time this afternoon, I have just reread some of the thread he seemed okay after, I had asked him to post the letter on!
And as usual I never got it from Harlequin but not to worry a really good friend sent it to me 🙂
@ hardly you sound desperate to me, come to the meeting and have a chat with my hubby and tell him what you think lol You come on here all hard and hide behind a pseudonym really do you realise what you sound like??
john Delhirro
March 16, 2013 at 4:57 pm
I was just thinking is there anyway we could form a group of investor and buy BB in ST vincent
John, I think that you have to accept that BB is a lost cause, the complications of the land title (including the illegal development on Crown Land), the debts owing to local firms and the tangle of investors titles and interests just make any such plan as you describe completely unfeasible.
To be really frank this was never going to work anyway, there is absolutely no reason to believe that a 1200 unit, a high density resort with insufficient infrastructure was ever going to be a working proposition in this region. Many of the guests who have otherwise posted genuine and positive reviews have commented on the small beach area, the small pool areas and said that they have concerns over the quality if it ever became fully developed. It was always the wrong concept in the wrong place, look at the successful luxury hotels in the region and compare. If HP cannot fill the hotel when it is only 25% complete where would the guests come from to fill 1200 units? They have very well recognised travel companies like Virgin etc selling their product and still not enough people want it. If you read the latest review about the tennis ‘academy’ even that gets heavily criticised for inadequate facilities and poor construction. Ames and Harlequin did not know what they were embarking on and were incapable of managing it or any of the other resorts.
I am particularly sorry that this is going to impact so heavily on St Vincent and the Grenadines, they really needed some good investment and not this mess that they will eventually have to clear up.
@beggars belief. Pretty much correct.
E – I think that yorkiepoo worked for TM , when I was talking to confused the guy from TM was listening too and I think Yorkie has just regurgitated what was said in that conversation. Good old TailorMade!!!
Just been informed Dave Ames has had some serious threats made against him and his family – the police have been informed and investigating
I see someone is getting desperate again…posting spam comments on old BFP posts, so as to dilute the effect of all the negative comments being made about Harlequin and co.
Taking FDNRM at face value, is he the only person who is receiving the 10% income on a finished unit at BB?
Also has anyone managed to get a mortgage?
Pingback: Harlequin Properties stunner! “No agent confirmed Harlequin’s land holdings or company information” SIPP-Pension investors advised to act immediately | Friends of St Lucia's UNESCO World Heritage Site
I am sitting in Miami typeing this. I am not @confused or @confused1.
I am changing my name to @perplexed. It gets (this is so bad but I will
say it anyway) CONFUSING. Signed – perplexed
@ In the know/ Can I ask what yoou thought of Tailormades behaviour? I had other people come to the meeting who had signed NDA and who now are scared 😦
I honestly thought the meetings would be a good idea?
I think anyone trying to intimidate and /or scare the Ames family should be ashamed of themselves I know tempers are high but this is not the answer
There is no evidence of any individual having land subdivided and transferred to them by any Harlequin company. People suggesting otherwise are wrong.
If they did, they would be able to quote the conveyance number – eg 1234 of 2013.
Odd that people make up fairy tales when others fear they have lost life savings.
E – I thought that TM behaviour was inconsiderate, distespectful, and unprofessional
It would appear that that approach is teflected in their business dealings too.
Agree with your comments regarding the threats made to the Ames but it is inevitable in situations like this, Don’t feel too bad for DA I hear he is no angel himself!
Its always innocent family that suffer in any case like this
RL – too true, I spoke to confused.com yesterday, who had spoken to Ames (you will know the individual I mean) he had asked Ames directly why are some people getting their 10% guaranteed returns paid but he hadn’t and his cabana was complete. Ames said no investor was being paid this yet!
So who is telling lies FDNRM or Dave Ames?
Sam Spade – seeing as all the family are involved in the business and reap the rewards – they can hardly be called innocent family if this does turn out to be something sinister or even not keep their part of the bargain/ contract!!
All INNOCENT family, on all sides
How much better and simpler it would be if you all used your own names.I am a complete outsider with no interest other than the people and country of St Vincent which I have visited over the last four years.being completely unbiased it seems obvious to me that BB was not going to benefit the island as a whole and the airport money would have been better used upgrading the islands roads accommodations airport etc.Whatever the rights and wrongs it seems that it is now coming to a head and with all the publicity the truth will come out and be made public.
Chalmers – some people on here are bound by NDA’s – why would they risk their own names when there is no need to?
J Chambers I do use my own name do you I wonder?
@In The know. So you are quoting a 3rd party statement. Show me where D Ames has said no one is getting a 10% return.
@RL, what fairy tales are you referring to? Rather ambiguous statement for a legal company. Oh I forgot you do not answer questions on here do you, just put out press releases.
FDNRM – ok so Dave Ames is a liar then is he? 3500 investors and just you getting a return?
Odd that?
FDNRM – ever heard of an app called tapacall? Well I have and I have the file with the convo on!
FDNRM – there’s only one person I know with blind loyalty/ BS like yours and its that goon Sean Ghent!
There’s another one to mull over!
Think Sean Ghent is going to be busy going forward!
@In The Know. This is very odd. You said in an earlier post that you had spoken to @confused.com and he had had the telephone conversation with D Ames, but now you say you have a transcript of the call? Believe me I have nothing to prove to you.
FDNRM – it’s not odd let me put it in simple terms. Confused.com called Ames used tapacall. He told me what was said. The app lets you email the recording – he has forwarded it to me.
Simples!!
Odd this, RL start talking about “fairy tales” but have not yet substanciated what they mean then In the Know (who obviously is not) then suddenly starts a personal attack on me. Any connection I wonder. Would RL like to comment.
FDNRM – I hope you are a stooge because if you are relying on HP for your income you will be on fresh air sandwiches soon!
FDNRM – I personally attacked you? Shut up you big soft girl! Man up!
@In the know. so @confused.com had a telephone conversation with D Ames and recorded it? Yes? Did D Ames know it was recorded? Send the transcript to BFP I’m sure they will put it on here. As I said I dont have to justify myself to you and until you put up your evidence I will not be answering you again on this point.
I was on the conference call Friday in the car with others, something’s don’t add up.
Yorkipoo aka worried investor has gone into hiding…. But..
Confused.com appears and somehow, (like Yorkipoo) has a lot of influence with Dave Ames ‘for some reason’ poor old Confused.com, gets upset cos Erica said something nasty….poor thing….so thrown the toys out the pram….. And won’t come back…a huge loss to us all.
The ‘in the know appears’, who apparently sat next to Yorkipoo and Confused in the Manchester meeting and are now best mates!!….. Honest we believe you ……
Now confused.com who is Ames bum buddy, speaks via ‘in the know’ ‘in the know’ says following Confused.com if the way forward. But we don’t know who he is!!!
And Yorkipoo the investor who is seeing Ames for a refund Monday, ‘cos if anyone can get one it’s me an if I don’t nobody will’ hey but Yorkipoo is not an investor yeah right!!
@1307, I like your theory above but, “in the know” is now having a go at me, implying I’m a lier which suggests to me he is someone elses puppet.
1307 – yorkiepoo works(ed) for TM no refund to be had.
Confused is an investor I met and kept contact with. He has been involved in business prior with Ames and can’t believe what a mess this is!
No meetings with Ames he has told me – court case back on 11am in Dublin!
Too complicated for you!
FDNRM – no Ames didn’t know he was being recorded but then maybe the gloves are off! And your still crying to 1307!
Let me assure you Ames is running out of friends faster than he is burning your cash.
In fact I might ask confused.com to send the recording to Erics because she clearly doesn’t care about upsetting Ames
@In the know. Its too complicated for you also, the court case was back on last week!
FDNRm – haha ha the court listings are online – check out who is in court at 11am HP(SVG) v o halloran – you muppet it’s there for the world to see! That’s too funny!!!
and did you check last week?
Yes I did check and the case was on Tuesday to Friday – but you were thinking it was all over!!
No that’s your investment isn’t it that’s all over!
What a joker!
FDNRM – checked the court diary yet?
You need to wake up and see what a perilous position HP are in and protect your position best you can!
Your daft enough to be Sean Ghent if that’s not who you are!
When did I say it was all over? If you were really “in the know” which obviously you are not, you would have seen the press release from HP on the transcripts of the case. Now if you insist on being some sort of agitator then I suggest you get your facts right first. Run along and do some homework then we can have a grown up conversation.
FDNRM – no transcripts have been made available to the public so what are you talking about now!
What colour is the sky in your world?
@In the Know (not) OK I will spell this out to you slowly. You obviously are not an investor otherwise you would have received a copy of the HP statement. It says that by the end of this week the defendants transcripts will be available. After the HP witnesess have been x examined then those transcripts should also be available. You may be a whiz with Apps but simple knowledge is beyond you. By the way its snowing so I would say greyish.
@in the know
That’s strange cos ‘someone’ on the CC said they had a meeting with Ames on Monday and they were so confident they would get a ‘cheque’ they did not want to engage with our groups course of legal action! But then said they did not want to miss the boat???
@in the know aka Yorkipoo.
Now you are playing the poor victim investor….. At least try to be good at it….talk about BS your just here to upset people and misdirect.
@ in the know
You just seem to want to attack anyone……. Have you just lost your sales job at TM or HP…that’s why your so nasty?
John Delhirro march 16 4.57
Very very good idea. Good thinking
Beautiful Buccamentbay.
I got the meaningless statement on Friday night about the meaningless sideshow of the court case. I know what it said – nothing. You believe the spin it will solve everything!
I am in investor I wish I wasn’t! And soon will u soon!
1307 – no I don’t work for TM – I would rather sweep streets
@In the know. You brought up the court case, no one else. I’m glad you think $13m is meaningless. Right now you have run out of silly insults and comments I’d go and practice your sweeping.
Fatchett supposedly filed a petition for a freezing order containing ten signatures of disgruntled investors. A settlement was supposedly reached for six and the order was dropped. Can Fatchett tell us what happened to the other four signees?
Fatchett, I know for a fact that you are wrong on the 10% rental return issue. Not surprising in that you are wrong on most everything else!. I agree with FDNRM ( Ppost 11.17 am today)
Contributors to this website fall into various categories:
1. Investors with genuine concerns but still supportive of HP.
2. Non investors out to cause trouble in following their own political or sinister agendas e.g. B Baywatch, Yatinkiteasy, O’Halloran and Newman etc.
3. A tiny minority of investors, of unsound mind, who are prepared to throw away their investment without the least bit of concern for anyone else, investors or staff at BB, Barbados, Basildon etc.
4. Pawns of ambulance chasers. Pawns such as Paul Walton and Freebie Erica. Why bring others into your dispute? These pawns are recruited to help fill the bank accounts of those leading them on. Paul and Freebie Erica, you are causing much unwanted distress for many investors.
The only beneficiaries in this farcical operation are the ambulance chasers.
Answer me this. Lots of contributors say HP is broke. If this is true, which I believe is not the case, where do you think the money is coming from to repay all the deposits?
If my comments are silly fine – but you are a liar
@Harlysuccess,
‘The only beneficiaries in this farcical operation are the ambulance chasers.’
Actually you’re wrong. The only beneficiaries in this debacle is the Ames family, the sports ‘ambassadors’ who pocketed a great deal of money for promoting the brand, the unregulated financial advisors who took fantastic commissions, sales staff at the Basildon Bunker who enjoyed fat salaries, cars and holidays, and lastly a few politicos who are now back-pedalling like mad to disassociate themselves from Ames & Co. They are all LYING HARLEQUIN SCUM!
@In the Know. OK I’ll tell you this. You post on here your full name and post code. I can then find your address and telephone number I will call you and you can give me an e-mail address. I will then send you an e-mail with a copy of my payment statement. Either do that or just bore off. Do not call me a liar unless you can prove it and believe me you cannot! Or do you just want to hide.
@Harlisuccess …..”where do you think the money is coming from to repay
all the deposits?”
After Ridgeview Ltd, I.C.E.,Krauss-Manning, Procure-It-Direct, water-taxi
services, crying fishermen in Beguia, local suppliers and tradesmen in
both St Vincent and Barbados have whatever mechanics liens they wish
to initiate, then and only then will the investors be in the pecking order
to be compensated. Do you really think in all sanity that $16 million is
adequate for all that?
@Regularatory Legal FAO Gareth Fatchett. You have implied on an earlier thread that there are fairy stories on this site. I believe that was aimed at me. I have asked you to substantiate what and who they are aimed at. Either answer the question, and I’m not holding my breath otherwise I will round to your industrial estate office to ask you to either back up your words or retract them!
WITHOUT PREJUDICE.
If anyone wants to pass information between themselves you can use the Harlequin investor group nw @gmail.com( without gaps) and I will pass between you if that is better for you
@hardly I have to say I have never meant to cause any distress to anyone and if I have that is terible but I didnt take there money and said I will build a resort did I? I didnt buy two areoplanes? two hotels? a five million pound directors loan loads of cars and possibly left luggage at various MPs Houses now did I so who has caused the distress?
@in the know. Contact details or go away.
FDNRM – that’s not a bad idea if your willing to back your statement up. Erica at the investors group could verify and then ……. Well your fully credible and also I would add would give some others a glimmer of hope, because we know nobody else who is getting a return!! I take it you haven’t been passed title of the property?
FDNRM – Also I will apolfor calling you a liar if the statement proves I am wrong and you are telling the truth
*apologise
@Erica, I appreciate the offer, but I will not be supplying my details to the investor group nor any substantiating evidence. I do not trust Paul Walton or RL who still have ignored my request for an explanation.
@In The know, you have this the wrong way round, you can supply your details as you are still hiding behind your ID.
FDNRM. Do you want my private email address if you do I will give it you on the gmail okay
The land title question is very easy. Give people your conveyance number. Without it, you have no sub division of land. We are happy to ask Williams & Williams in SVG to double check their original searches.
All that people have if they do not have registered land is a contract relating to land. Such a contract would count for nothing.
As for retractions, the last one was well received. Thank you.
As for the number of people involved in settlements. Ever thought some of them could have been joint ?
We will answer any sensible questions, but not ones which are confidential or commercially sensitive.
We feel that “ambulance chaser” is better than being an “adviser” who checked nothing other than when the commission was being paid and in what amount. The FSA are not stupid and any regulated firm signing off the pension transfers will be finished.
The FSA know who the advisers are and will force them to redress or go bust. frankly, the advice is so bad it’s laughable.
If any adviser mentioned no SVG accounts or no registered land title until January 2009, then we would be surprised.
We are in “what was it about the very high commission which made you forget the downsides” territory ?
@fdnrm
We do not need the comfort of knowing you “trust” us. Your not a client. Just someone hiding behind a website name.
We suspect Paul Walton does not feel that upset that you do not trust him.
Ps – thank you for using Gareth’s name. He finds it very flattering.
FDNRM – I think it’s clear that you can’t provide this stuff to Erica or you would. Where’s your credibility or land registration number more to the point!
Harlie…If Harlequin is not broke..why has all work stopped at Merricks, H Studio and H Hotel in Barbados.Why has nothing even started in DR, Marquis St Lucia (except for a dirt track)…oh I see, they are waiting for the money from the court case in Ireland.What a joker you are.
You forgot at least two categories or commentators on this blog…1.Harllequin employees and delusional investors
2. People(like myself) who hate to see scams and ponzi schemes operating in their country.
Yankin it easy – I think your right about no cash but they do have assets that RL are aware of that we may be able to get our hands on!
In the Know…true..they do own property in the Caribbean that could be sold….unfortunately, those assets can not be used by H to pay workers, suppliers, contractors etc…this is what we call property rich but cash poor.
@RL and In the Know, you seem to think that you need a land registration number to get an income return. Oh dear. So now RL you are back could you answer what you think the fairy stories are?
No I don’t think that – logically you would but you/ harlequin – one of you is making it up as you go along! Hans Christian Anderson stuff you write!
@ Harlisuccess,
this is Paul ‘Pawn’ Walton of unsound mind.
Do I believe HP is broke – yes
In a recent meeting with Mr Ames he said ‘’ i’m only ever going to give someone else’s money to you that i should be spending on their properties….and that’s why we do it over 12 to 18 months and why people…..’’
@Fatchett does not represent me….& I dont trust Paul Walton
I take comfort in your kind words ……. I would not expect you to trust me or RL … you live in another world
With kind regards,
Paul
If FDNRM is not the half wit goon Sean Ghent I’ll pay you all back your deposits!!
Then I hope you have deep pockets
I see the Harlequin Scum trolls are back on here again with new names and trying their best to derail the threads; but not doing too well. Where is Matt Ames when you need him to tell you what to say? And we know why Katharine M isn’t around to help him with his spelling.
Eddie – what’s the Matt & Katherine comment mean? You lost me?
They post crap as other people
@ In the know
If you’re really in the know as you claim to be, you’ll know exactly what I mean. And BTW, it’s Katharine with an ‘a’.
I’m not personally in the know! But I don’t know the question so I sure don’t know the answer!
FDNRM – how did you complete your purchase? Was it using your own funds (borrowings) or Harlequin finance?
Any idea what your return will be after costs once the guarantee period ends?
@ In the know…..
If your not Yorkipoo AKA Worried Investor…..
What a stupid thing to say when people are so upset about loosing their life saving you make such a flippant comment idiot
I have followed this forum as a citizen of St Vincent and a businessman working within the hospitality industry. There is no doubt that Mr Ames has been dreaming of pulling this investment of and to make it a success, unfortunately is has been deemed to fail from the first day. It is amazing to read and understand how innocent investors have entered into agreements with Harlequin properties based on vague promises of great returns. Anyone who acts as a businessman within the hospitality industry in the Caribbean can confirm that the scheme operated by Harlequin would never work. It is sad to see how so many investors with great expectations have dreamt about a great investment and return of their pension funds. Even if Mr Ames could get full financing which will never happen, it would take another 10-15 years before he have been able to build all his resorts.I hope you who actually owns a property at Bucament bay can organize some kind of investment committee and work together to negotiate with the government of St Vincent to get your deed of ownership registered and to take control of the actual resort, you are worth it. To all others who have invested in nothing, make sure to join forces and get back whatever you can, there is some value in Harlequins assets, although there might be some surprises related to how they have structured ownership of lands in DR.
I am sorry on behalf of all caribbean business people that you have been dragged into this unfortunate scheme operated by obvious crooks, there are so many good investments which can give you you joy and pleasure as well as a solid investment.
Hopefully we will see an end to this soon.
1307 – what did I say so flippant? I’m as at risk as anyone you moron
In the know – why are you filling BFP with all your crap posts??
1307 – I didn’t know I needed your permission do I? Secondly I’m not answerable to you!
Just been skimming back and you have contributed FA!
Trot on!
In the know – you are a team of spam trolls aka yorkiepoo! And contributed nothing but crap!
1307- grow up
In the know – sad person posting all day for dave aim less.
1307 – yawn yawn – keep posting irrelevant rubbish, and you think your the blog policeman LMFAO!
It would be good if you all read what Mr Lars has to say.
Some of you might even learn something.
I really admire the resilient spirit of the American people, a quality I’ve found quite lacking in some of the British folk here.
A lot of hindsight merchants who always knew HP would fail,don’t know where lack of resilience comes into it.
If you don’t know who Mr Lars is then clearly you know nothing about SVG or tourism in the region – which is probably why you were suckered into this scam in the first place. Those of us who are in the know have been posting about BB and the fact that it was never going to work for years and if any of you had done even a small amount of investigation you would have been aware of the issues.
I’ve been refraining from saying “I told you so” because quite clearly there are investors who deserve sympathy – there are also others who deserve everything that is coming to them.
It matters not a jot.
The “banking error” sounds very much like “the cheque is in the post” excuse.
The Statutory Demands will sort out whether HP are solvent or not.
The cupboard is bare I am afraid!
BBaywatch —-Thanks so much for your getting everything
back into perspective.
We all know what is going to happen…….but none of us know the final
result
Can I ask what if any due diligence an agent or an IFA should do ?
What a strange day or so on BFP some posters seem to be spending all their weekend cluttering up the site with nonsense – I wonder why……. BFP under attack again? One, even posted over 100 times, little obsessive?
The next few days will prove very challenging for HP and some of the companies who have been pushing the product.
I will try and find out facts about what PI cover is left with TM and let you know, I would assume they would only be able to trade if it’s in place?
The investors meeting London and Essex will be worth while attending as you will be able to cut through all the waffle that has been on this site recently and find out, from professionals ,what choices you have to help recover your money.
Harlequin Investor Meeting Number 2
We are now taking enquiries for our second Investors meeting on 25th March 2013.
Central London around 12pm
Basildon Essex around 5-6pm
The exact location and times will be confirmed once we know the numbers.
Please email the locations you prefer and how many wish to attend.
harlequininvestorgroupnw@gmail.com
@ lighthouse
just a few would have been nice….
Accounts
Title for land
Planning
All the best Paul
What’s the offs on HP still when the meeting is held on the 25th?
@perplexed
Yep, you are correct. Unless Mr Ames can start delivering what he says instead of blaming everything on the court case there in only one result and its not good…… for anyone involved with HP.
Odds? of them coming or still trading?
@HIGnw, I only counted 91 posts on this thread in total. Did I miss some?
Sorry – odds on them still trading! Odds on attending I would say are zero!
Mr Ames won’t come he has a court case, how could you forget.
We have gave him two weeks to answer the questions, this time (we informed last time we did not give enough time)
Have a read of this old thread on Tripadvisor (c Jan 2008) when Harlequin attempted to steal the Buccama beach in St Vincent from the people who live there. http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowTopic-g147379-i1174-k1705179-Buccament_Bay_Beach_Public_Beach_It_is_now_posted-St_Vincent_and_the_Grenadines.html
This is what life was like for local people on St Vincent back in 2008. Now, for some, it’s even worse because they didn’t get paid for the work they did for Harlequin and its related companies. Citizens are still denied access to their own beach because the approach has been made virtually impassable .
Sometin’ fishy in de bay and it stink. Where de money gone?
@Eddie Lizzard2
And some people think that if Mr Ames decided to leave the UK and take residence in St Vincents he would have a nice time, I think he is less popular there than here?
Who knows where Ames will end up but maybe that explains the purchase of the 2 planes!
@ Anonymous March 17, 2013 at 10:07 pm
If Dave Ames decided to leave the UK (or was forced to surrender his UK passport) he can still travel anywhere in the world with his SVG passport. However, I doubt he’ll be going to St Vincent any time soon what with all the ‘local difficulty’ going on at the moment… I suppose that might rule out Mustique for a while too but I doubt it. You see, money speaks, it opens doors, buys silence and favours, and intimidates people too.
I wonder if Mrs Dave has got a SVG passport too?
Actually that reminds me – what happened to the galleon ship and where are the 2 planes?
if things go as we think…. prison and 3 time going bust :0
The galleon ship was burnt out a couple of years ago. Don’t know where she is now. Probably sunk. I have some pic somewhere – I’ll try to find them.
Lordy, look what I did find in my archive. DAVE AMES TELLS AGENTS TO STOP CLAIMING THAT MONEY IS HELD IN SOLICITORS’ CLIENT ACCOUNTS (ESCROW?) TO AVOID INVESTORS BEING MISLED.
Can’t post the pdf so here’s a transcription
POLICY STATEMENT
Harlequin Management Services (South East)Ltd
Ring Fencing
To: All agents
From: Dave Ames
Date 24th March 2009
Dear Agent
In our continuing efforts to improve compliance across the business, I have to be sure that our investors are receiving the correct information.
A question that is often asked concerns whether the investment payments are ring fenced in the development containing the investor’s property. The simple answer to this is that it is not although the money is only used for the development of resorts within the Caribbean.
I am aware that some agents have been suggesting to investors that we do ring fence the payments and this has to stop immediately to avoid investors being misled.
It is also not true to say that investors’ money is held in a solicitor’s client account. The payments are used to cover development costs , commission and marketing expenses. The marketing expenses are important to ensure there is increased demand for the properties and that the values increase.
Please ensure that you amend your presentations and marketing material to reflect this policy.
Harlequin Property are proud to be the main sponsor of Port Vale Football Club
—
@EL Statement from Ames is quite interesting..”A question that is often asked concerns whether the investment payments are ring fenced in the development containing the investor’s property. The simple answer to this is that it is not although the money is only used for the development of resorts within the Caribbean.”….
So where did the money come from to purchase two planes, and two hotels?
…..a Lamborghini, the $5 million loan, launch events, sporting endorsements, litigation, advertising, IT fees for the CGI, a new house, holidays in the Maldives, TM’s holidays at BB, Do I need to carry on?
How much ofthat money was actually spent on the resort (the only one. There are no ‘resorts’ Dave, just the one barely finished one)
In fact let me change that to ‘barely started’
If my employee told me they had done 25% of a job, I would accuse them of barely starting it, not barely finishing it.
Can anyone tell me,(less insults and BS) where invest5star ltd are registered , cant find them on companies house,Im out all day, will thank you when I return
I have argued with Mr Terry many many times about the IFA Debbie Stokes (Tailormade) telling us that the money was held in Escrow and ring fenced not being sophisticated investors I asked Debbie Stokes what that meant and she replied “all the money you invest can only be used on your project and that it would all be kept in seperate little pots so to speak and that there would be no co-mingling of funds” and Mr Terry always replied with “have you got proof of her saying that” I think the above letter is more than enough proof.She Debbie Stokes has walked away from this unscathed and has moved jobs and now works for Maple Leaf.
Along with the youtube video clip of Mr Ames saying there was going to be Gary Player golf courses on all resorts she actually gave my husband Gary player endorsed products and called me a “liar” for telling her that I had corresponded with Mr.Scott Ferrell (Black Knight) and he had informed me that they were only interested in building a golf course on the Marquis Estate.
Mr Terry told me that Gary Player had approached Harlequin to put a golf course in the Dominican Republic and that Harlequin had refused Mr Players offer. I do also have proof over the golf courses I have the youtube clip of Mr Ames saying it.I also have the emails from Mr Ferrell saying different so who is telling the truth Mr Ames or Mr Ferrell?
I personally have been accused by Harlequin and Tailormade of doing so many things that the negative comments no longer bother me and I just know that it is desperate attempts to discredit me, So many people have contacted me after reading some of the many things said about me that it has just magnificently backfired on both Harlequin and Tailormade.
The next investor meeting will be held next Monday 25th March 2013 the first one will be in London and the evening one will be held in Essex.Mr Ames has yet to confirm his attendance but hopefully he will be able to answer the questions that all of you investors have sent to me,I would of thought two weeks is ample time to answer your questions and your concerns.
Can anyone remember where the areoplanes are? I thought I read somewhere they were in St Lucia but my hubby says they are in Russia?
@ Sam Spade March 18, 2013 at 7:00 am
Woodlands Project Management Services Ltd.
t/a Invest5star
Company Number: 04509868
Registered Address
14 Hackwood
Robertsbridge
East Sussex
TN32 5ER
United Kingdom
Directors Michael Ronald Withey and Kim Yvonne Withey have a chequered financial history but by Jove they’ve made some money at the Harlequin racket.
What options??
Apart from just a couple of people who post on this site, it would be fair to say there are reasons to be worried about Harlequin.
For investors trying to get your money back yourself, it’s very difficult unless you accept staged payments, I don’t think that is acceptable particularly when so many people have been affected by the ‘banking error’
I have spent hours talking to ‘investors’and believe me the stories I have heard are bad,very bad, the only variant is the amount, how the individual is coping and methord of ‘investment’
I have been openly criticised for my support of Regulatory Legal, so has anyone else got any alternitives they would like to share?
What other option do investors have? Please share it.
All the best, Paul
It states clearly in the Harlequin GUIDELINES FOR PURCHASERS that investors’ money is not held in escrow. Basically Harlequin can do what they like with it.
4.1 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. However, in order to ensure that the resorts can be completed and operated smoothly, third party secured finance may be required. Lenders may also be approached to provide a facility for purchasers to obtain a loan at completion. Lenders might require security over the assets which would have priority over your interest. In this case it is possible that the Seller may request a release from you in order to charge your property up to the point of completion.
——-
Why any investor would agree to this is beyond me. It’s plain foolishness!
@ EddieLizzard2
That’s all true and we are all wise in hindsight, and yes feel foolish – but you don’t offer anything constructive to correct things?
any ideas?
all the best Paul
Ames not going to Dublin for the court case, so I understand an investor or a couple of them will be meeting with him today
@el2 . The original presentation material way back in 2007 did in fact state that funds held in escrow. The problem is that the contracts, marketing, guidelines etc have been constantly changed and amended since 2007 so investors over the years would have been sold to, marketed this will very different information ..
@ Paul, I wish I knew what to do. I really do sympathise with people who fear they have lost their money. I’d like to see a few people behind bars and all the lying scum Harlequin agents and IFAs put out of business so they can’t harm any more people. That doesn’t help you or any of the other investors though does it? By bringing it to public attention you have helped to prevent more people being fleeced. That took guts and I admire you for it.
@ Anonymous March 18, 2013 at 10:14 am, I took that Guideline off Harlequins current webpage today. I don’t know about earlier contracts but I agree you have all been lied to over and over.
@ Gingerbread girl
You’ve been had, and probably next time you’ll think serously, about putting all your eggs in one basket.
@ Eddie lizzard 2
Thanks for that, I think you will get was you wish for…
The investigations will continue and from what I have seen many people will be very worried about their past actions.
I believe we are with the best people to have any change of redress whether, it be direct action against HP or individuals.
I would be a very worried person indeed if I had sold Harlequin products on so many different levels.
Thanks for your input, you are one of the more realistic practical posters.
Kind regards
Paul
Monday 25th 8.30 BBC1
Panorama investigates a series of financial scandals which have put at risk the life savings of tens of thousands of people.
A twice-bankrupt, former double glazing salesman from Essex has collected an estimated quarter of a billion pounds from investors, which is now at risk. In one of Britain’s biggest ever pension scandals, he promised to build luxury rental homes in the Caribbean, some on the island of St Vincent, where the film Pirates of the Caribbean was filmed. Wimbledon tennis champion Pat Cash and golfing legend Gary Player helped promote the property scheme. However, reporter Paul Kenyon finds most of the planned properties have yet to be built and there are disputes over planning permission and land ownership.
Pat Cash, Gary Player and Liverpool FC must all be cringing. I noticed Pat Cash has issued a very brief statement that his organisation is under contract with HP and it will be honoured, which puts a very business like spin on the whole arrangement…….a far cry from the very personal statements he himself made in the early days. I’m sure they won’t face any legal action, but the reality is, had they not all been involved, I for one could have easily overlooked this investment as I’m sure many others would have. Which makes them partly responsible, but we’ll see what Panorama has to say.
Didn’t Andy Townsend play a big part in this too?
What of Andy Townsend who has been heavily involved?
Eddie Lizard –
Do you have the PDF you could send us in relation to the escrow accounts etc ?
harlequin@regulatorylegal.co.uk
Google ocean view property fraud. Groundhog day
To my knowledge, Andy Townsend has always been and still is an official spokesperson of HP. He’s still on the website yapping away about how great the whole thing is. You can’t blame him for taking the money, it’s just a shame it’s our money he’s taking. Does anyone know if Andy, Pat or Gary have been approached for personal statements? They must be very embarrassed by the whole thing as must Ames who I’m sure considered them to be close celebrity chums!
Also, I haven’t had an email for a while telling me that an ex Liverpool player or England rugby star will be on resort in BB coaching. Is this still going on or is it another sign that there’s no money in the pot?
It will no doubt be Ames and Harlequin who have to take the rack, I would like to see Carter Ruck take some blame for sending threatening letters to people that just wanted there money back.
You talk about Andy Townsend being involved – he told me at the webley shin dig that he had personnally invested in the schemes
Did anyone else get the press release calling the recent bad press a smear campaign? Everyone’s out to get them it seems. If I was an outsider looking in and didn’t have money tied up in this thing I would pi$$ myself laughing at all the mugs who got sucked in by the promise of riches and the celebrity endorsements. I can’t believe I could let myself be part of something so blatantly wrong. I must have been high!
@In the know. I like how yo have called them ‘schemes’. Sums the whole thing up beautifully!
Hello
Followed this thread for a while. It looks like a lot of people have pension funds involved – we are cash investors at the Barbados development and wondered how we stand in getting our deposits back – or what the course of action is for us.
property-girl@gmx.com
@Sid, Thats exactly how i feel, in hindsight ..what a mug!
On another subject take it or leave it – Feedback from an investor who met with David Ames today confirmed that HP were unable to make a refund as contractually entitled as there were insufficient funds to do so, however things are progressing to resolve this situation. When tackled on what this resoulution was Mr Ames said it could not be disclosed right now. What a load of Bull, HP sound like they have no cash left!
@Anthony75, you were probably high too! Maybe we were all drugged?! That’s the only rational explanation I can come up with. I really cannot believe that £250m has been raised on the back of a small beach resort in SVG, and that the government would allow it to be part of an approved pension scheme. The mind boggles.
@Cash buyer, im in the same boat as you, the honest truth is they haven’t got any or hardly any money left to cover a fraction of the people who want a refund. hence interest payments stopped.
There is Regularity Legal who have supposedly got refunds for clients but i very much doubt if they have received it yet, unless they can clarify?
@In the know, I know the investor you are referring to. He is close to Ames and a supported of his. He was expecting his money back from Ames and said that if he can’t get a refund, nobody else will. I was waiting on the outcome of that meeting. Not a good sign, but no surprise.
@sid i agree, we all got suckered into that one. but at least the net is closing in on the con artists.
Well he hasn’t got it because Ames cant pay it – and your right he has always been a big supporter of Ames over the years!
I am aware that some people are placing cautions on property Harlequin own, mainly the land they own. When the land is sold, then those who have cautions on the land should get paid out if they rank high enough on the list of creditors. You don’t have many options, so it may be worth trying that.
Sid – If you know the investor, and I have only known him from the Marriot meeting,wouldn’t you say that there could well be some consequences for Ames not returning his cash?
It looks like your lack of foresightedness has led too far-reaching consequences that are probably irretrievable at this juncture.
@In the know, sorry, I should have said I know of the investor. I have met him as you have, but don’t know him personally. He has said clearly in the past that if he doesn’t get paid no-one will, and I believed him. What kind of consequences do you mean?
Well he never said but if you have met him there’s something about him that looks like he may not always use the legal process if you know what I’m saying?
Didn’t Phil Spencer that well-known property guru (who didn’t take his own advice and left lots of creditors unpaid went his own company went tits up) make a film with Kim and Mike Withey from invest5star? I remember him waxing lyrical about what a fabulous opportunity investing in Harlequin presented. Well I just went over to Kim and Mike’s website to get you all a linkie and it’s not there any longer. The whole site is gone except for the front page with a contact email and phone number. Oh dear!
@EL2 Many thanks for that. I found them,hidden in the Wood(land}s I see invest5star web site now blank other than some contact details.Also have an odd lead showing the Witheys leaving as directors invest5star LIMITED. in 2010.
maybe FSA have done the same to them as TailorMade?
@In the know, then it’s even more worrying that he isn’t getting paid! I suppose it’s only a matter of time before someone takes matters into their own hands.
I believe this is what Mr Ames is going to look like after his surgery….;)
@Sam Spade,
“Can anyone tell me,(less insults and BS) where invest5star ltd are registered , cant find them on companies house,Im out all day, will thank you when I return”
Strangely – or not – the Invest5Star website appears to have crashed or been taken down some time today. I had a look around it this morning after reading an earlier post and it was still live but now every link seems to generate a ‘Page Not Found’ error
So when people say there’s no money left, it’s starting to sound like the cupboards really are bare rather than being almost empty. Are HP hoping that they will be awarded $13m this week and it will go straight into the bank? It won’t happen. If they do win this court case it will probably be appealed and will drag on. He may never see a penny and even if he does, how far will $13m go to getting things back on track?
Well Mr Ames could always pay back the 5m he borrowed from all of us without asking
@Charles&Eddie, I liiiiike
Where are all the HP supporters today? Have they given up spreading the good news or have they not been paid either?
I don’t think that Ames is expecting to get $13m from O’Halloran but thinks that if its won then Wilkins Kennedy insurer will avoid the court case and settle – this is where he sees the cash coming from
I will not even bother with my usual question of who is on site working today.
I doubt anybody is working because there’s no funds to pay. I take it the design studio is still closed?
Tailor Fade
http://www.ifaonline.co.uk/ifaonline/news/2255446/harlequin-distributor-has-permissions-changed-by-fsa
If they are going bust then I have received nothing yet.
The supporters have disintegrated – FDMRM was caught in a lie so won’t show his face!!
@sid , very good point??
Invest5star are still on twitter ,flogging oil and student digs
TailorMade Warrington.- the facts
http://www.moneymarketing.co.uk/regulation/fsa-restricts-asset-disposal-by-ex-harlequin-
Regards,
Paul
TailorMade the facts and correct link!!!!
http://www.moneymarketing.co.uk/regulation/fsa-restricts-asset-disposal-by-ex-harlequin-distributor/1067886.article
“The path of the righteous man is beset on all sides by the inequities of the selfish and the tyranny of evil men. Blessed is he who, in the name of charity and good will, shepherds the weak through the valley of darkness, for he is truly his brother’s keeper and the finder of lost children. And I will strike down upon thee with great vengeance and furious anger those who attempt to poison and destroy my brothers. And you will know my name is the Lord when I lay my vengeance upon thee.”
@Lighthouse, what was the lie?
Which one, there are so many !
It looks like the end really in nigh doesn’t it? Everything seems to be panning out just as we all feared it would.
FDNRM – Stated he wasgetting an investment return on his oproperty but couldn’t provide the piece of paper to prove it – even though it would have been good news to us all!
@In the know, just out of interest, how did you get news that our investor friend won’t be getting the refund he was hoping for?
FDNRM has been quizzed over that for a while hasn’t he. It always seemed clear that he wasn’t telling the truth and no one in their right mind could be so satisfied with HP given all the recent bad news.
Tailor Made – I am worried that they directors will have to return their Aston Martin’s. How will they cope ?
Sid – I called him this morning (I have his business card) said he got nothing bu waffle and promises but no cash, no information that was tangible, just told they are working on a solution but couldn’t provide any paperwork to back it up
Lighthouse – I bet the cars were leased. If you do a financial check on the company and compare asset to liability its abot £10k!!!
Another set of jokers!
We all know how this is going to end. Anyone thinking otherwise is deluded.
@In the know, apparently Ames was going to show him evidence today that would convince him things were ok and moving forward, and I believe if this evidence existed he would have shown him.
@Lighthouse, deluded=hoping for some sort of miracle!
@EL2 dont understand why they {Witheys} claim to be ex directors of invest5star I did see a name claiming to be a current director,any ideas?? Is it possible reg. in Barbados??
There is no evidence. If a rescue plan was in place, Ames would be all over it by now. He would tell everyone.
Which dumb idiot is going to lend him bail out money ?
What is it about the twice bankrupt individual that you would trust ?
Nope, this is going to the wall.
I could have told you that would happen…… been there. 21st Feb 2013
He said they have no cash then….to pay me.
The Harlequin resort scandal is a wake up call for St Lucia as well as Barbados and St Vincent. Investor losses in the Marquis Estate/Harlequin resort in St Lucia are unknown. Investors in resort developments in St Lucia are commonly influenced by expensive PR campaigns, glitzy websites, fancy brochures, sales presentations, promotion by professional athletes and agents that talk them into investing in a resort property, as occurred in the Harlequin resorts fiasco. Currently, the UNESCO World Heritage status of St Lucia’s PMA is threatened by Robert Whitton’s Freedom Bay resort development while Freedom Bay’s land holdings, assets and liabilities are unconfirmed; http://wp.me/p39PnC-bS. St Lucia risks the island reputation and their World Heritage site on Whitton’s Freedom Bay. Until Freedom Bay confirms its land holdings, assets and liabilities, there is no proof that Freedom Bay is not just another Harlequin and Andrew Strauss just another Pat Cash. Freedom Bay company assets are likely safely tucked away in the Whitton’s St Lucian company the “Malgretoute Hotel and Development Company” in an offshore account. Sound familiar? Government ministers in St Lucia, Barbados and St Vincent must all read the same training manual…
@ Sam Spade. I don’t understand. How are the Witheys claiming to be ex-directors of invest5star? I suspect they are trying to distance themselves from invest5star to avoid answering awkward questions. However, it is merely a trading name, they have both been directors of Woodlands Project Management Services Limited since 13 Aug 2002. Kim Withey is also Co Secretary. The information I have given you comes via Companies House in UK and all annual accounts have been filed on time. I don’t know if they have any registered companies in Barbados.
Any worried investors could try phoning Kim Withey on her mobile: 07775 666063 or Mike Withey on 07866 434665. I am sure they’d like to try and put your minds at rest. (not)
If there really is no money then they are trading insolvently. I’m sure the SFO will pick this up quickly, if they haven’t already, which will call a halt to Ames and family and shame the likes of Pat Cash etc…..but won’t get us our money back.
@ In the Know (not)
where did you get your info from regarding TM calling on the administrators and them using up all their PI cover on the Cyprus property problem they had?
They are both incorect, so maybe you should get a new informant or check before you post?
Lots of diliberate mis information being posted.
@In the Know. right gobby, get in touch with RL now, give them £100 to pay my petrol and I will be there in 1 hour to show the evidence. Go on do it!
@RL let me know when you have the £100 ready to give me.
I’ve got dibs on the Lambo…
“Under wrongful trading legislation in the UK, if the company continues to trade while it is insolvent the directors of the company may become personally liable to contribute to the company’s assets and help meet the deficit to unsecured creditors if the company’s financial position is made worse by the directors continuing to trade instead of putting the company immediately into liquidation”.
@FDNRM, I’ll gladly pay the £100. Just let me have your bank details and I’ll send over now. It’s a very small price to pay to see evidence that people are seeing a return
Bankrupt 3 times. That is an achievement.
Leopards rarely change their spots.
@Anonymous, dont be an arse. I’m really going to give you my bank details. Are you from Nigeria. Give it to RL. They can hold it. As soon as they can give it me I will be there with the proof.
http://www.moneymarketing.co.uk/regulation/fsa-restricts-asset-disposal-by-ex-harlequin-distributor/1067886.article
@FDNRM, what happens to you if/when HP go under? Are you still liable to pay a mortgage, assuming you have one of course?
Do you like what I did with the name btw? You can call me FDNRMDNRM for short.
FDNRM – RL are telling everyone that the land has not been registered in any individual investor names. It would be easy to give yourself some credibility by telling them the conveyance registration number.
You may have been paid some return. However, that means nothing if you do not have the land ownership.
If things went pop, you would be in the same boat as the rest of us.
It would be really good if people were truthful. People have lost life savings and pensions. That is bad on so many levels.
Just to make a point again, if you are a SIPP investor you need to register your complaint with the company now – for two reasons
1. Once the PI cover is breached that’s it
2. Even if they go bust providing your claim in is it does not matter.
Do it now…….. I have said it for a long time now. Cash investors are more at risk and unfortunately have fewer options.
@ in the know…earlier post…..
@ In the Know (not)
where did you get your info from regarding TM calling on the administrators and them using up all their PI cover on the Cyprus property problem they had?
They are both incorect, so maybe you should get a new informant or check before you post?
Lots of diliberate mis information being posted.
regards
Paul
@Lighthouse and anybody else. You want proof or not? The quiestion was “am I getting a rental return” The answer is yes. You people really do not have a clue do you.
@RL your very quiet on this. Or do you think it is another “fairy story”?
@Harlequininvestorgroupnw – I think everyone’s at risk…….apart from FDNRM of course.
FDNRM – Im sure Gareth Fatchett will give you some petrol money personally to see that information!
@BFP, is this the central and only forum now?
HIG – FDNRM told me
@fdnrm, done. £100 transferred to RL.
@In the know, your the one who threw down the challenge today and now you are backing out. So just bore off and do not ever ever challange me again. I can put up the proof, you have backed out. Troll
FDNRM – Your £100 has been deposited with RL! Now lets see your bottle go!
@Anonymous, I await confirmation that RL have it and will pay it to me. I also need to know what time they are open to.
@FDNRM
is this correct? you told In the know TM called in the administrators and thier PI cover was exceeded?
Presumably if there are allegations that contractual interest payments aren’t being made because of issues regarding the company’s cash position, but FDNRM is getting paid “profit” this could actually be fairly bad news, not good news? Can’t really see why this would make anyone feel better – and can see why, in a certain light, it could be considered a good deal worse.
I’m only commenting on the information as it has been presented on this thread and have no information as to the veracity to any of these claims.
Sid – I forgot to say but I think the investor you met has called Gareth Fatchett to update him on the meeting, maybe he can confirm that no settlement was forthcoming? Or maybe its confidential?
In the know you posted this:
In the know
March 16, 2013 at 12:00 am
Tailormade is being dissolved – the issue is that the PI is in the aggregate per annum not an each an every claim. So even though they had PI of £2 million the claims from Cyprus have maxed it out and there is no room for Harlequin Property claims – so getting out and starting up Tailormade mark II – very bad news for us all
and then asked your source
In the know
March 16, 2013 at 12:40 am
Very good source – Steves point is valid in some instances but not this. If the PI is insufficient you can pursue the company but not the individuals as its a limited liability company – the company has no assets so nothing to pursue! I heard plenty of smugness there over this
I dont know how FDNRM told you?
confused????
FDNRM / In the Know –
Investors would be very pleased to be re-assured. This makes great sense to us. We will facilitate and will put together a meeting later this week.
Email – gail.taylor-cole@regulatorylegal.co.uk and she will send our client account details for the £100.00
FDNRM – please supply Gail Taylor-Cole with your banking details. We will then make the transfer upon receipt.
How you conduct yourselves over this very serious issue is going to be a measure of your honesty and integrity.
We will report back .If this is a game of internet showmanship that it would be really sad as investors are really concerned.
I was joking – its just the rumour in the industry that the company is on the wobble with plenty of letters of intent for legal action against their PI – I cant see them lasting to the end of the week now the income has gone.
On another point Ames must have been lieing to you about not having the cash to settle as he had £500k last week to square up the freezing order?
@Paul Walton, re your posts above I can assure you I have told no one any such thing. I would not know such information at all.
@Anonymous, I am not being paid “profit” I’m being paid a return.
@RL, I have no intention what so ever of supplying bank details or my e-mail address. This is, I add no reflection on you. I will drive to your office in Stourbridge, show you the confirmation, and you can hand me the £100. I will of course not leave any information with you as I’m sure you will understand. You comment about “internet showmanship” is disengenuous and uncalled for. After all it was my suggestion to go to your office, I dont want to be out of pocket in doing so.
@In the know “I WAS JOKING” you muppet. You think this is something to joke about?
@Fatchett does not represent me
Thanks for that, I did not think you did.
@In The Know – strange joke….
You managed to panic a lot of people with your joke based on rumours, better keep things to yourself until you can back them up.
Have you sent the £100 or is that a joke too?
I joked about who said it not that it was said to me, there is a difference! muppets x 2!
Thats your problem Walton you twist what peole say!
HQIG – And if your as clever as you like to make out you will see its anonymous thats paying the cash!
@FDNRM – we have had our fall outs – but on this I am 100% on your side & thats a first!!
@in the know, your a f***ing low life Internet troll scum. peoples lives have been seriously affected by this problem so why don you do everyone a favor and just crawl back into your little hole where you belong.
Walton – if we stuck to facts and only facts the thread would be empty because HP dont supply facts do they? Is that ok with you blog policeman?
Anthony – I have told you you retard I was told TM were wobbly, that wasnt the joke, the joke was too that we blame FDNRM gets blamed for everything so I would do the same!
can you and your girlfriend walton work it out?
oops that was ment for annonymous
and less of the retard dick head
Anthony your right I apologise for the use of retard its disrespectful to people with learning disabilities I should have referred to you as a fucktard!
Alright ladies put your handbags away. This isn’t the place for a slanging match. Now step away from the keyboard and have a drink and come back in a better mood eh!
Cmon everyone lets stop arguing among ourselves we need to group together
yeh lets just ignore the vermin and it might go away.
@FDNRM, just a suggestion but in this day and age, if you have a document that you want to show RL can’t you scan and email it? Or even fax it? I really don’t see why you would want to drive hundreds of miles to do something that takes 2 minutes.
Sorry if there’s a reason you don’t want to email a copy. I’ve just picked up this thread.
Just a quick comment it does look like things are not good but why is nobody posting anything on harlequin Facebook page? Surely on there everyone can see it.
@sid, I am quite prepared to show RL the document but not to leave or fax/ e-mail it. Please remember this is a confidential document which I am only prepared to show to prove doubters wrong. I have no intention of leaving a document which could be used for any other reason.
FDNRM I’m not sure how you’re differentiating return from profit – either way, it seems strange that you’re getting a return (a profitable return) where others aren’t having their basic interest payments served. Don’t really understand how/why that would be the case – and not sure what it says about the trading position of the company if it is honouring these payments but not others.
@FDNRM, I respect your wishes not to give anyone a copy of your private paperwork – that’s obviously your choice. But the only other reason I can see it being used for is to help people that need and deserve helping isn’t it?
It’s all pretty academic if FDNRM is getting an income or not its all going to end soon.
@FDNRM, if you are seeing a return and have become reliant on it, you must be terrified that the money will stop coming in soon, cos when the cupboards are bare you aint gonna get fed. If you genuinely are seeing a return surely you can admit to being worried? You cannot be 100% confident that everything will go to plan?!
@ anon March 18, 2013 at 5:48 pm
I would advise you all NOT to post on the Harlequin Facebook page. FB is very leaky and some of you might unintentionally ‘out’ yourselves.
You can still post at:
ifa online
i-witness news dot com (shocking reading there).
Tripadvisor St Vincent and the Grenadines (they need a blardy good shake up about all those gushing fake Harlequin reviews they have allowed).
…and most important of all, here at BFP where we still have the freedom to air our views.
@ In the know…
Its pillocks like ‘in the know’ who make me think why bother & just look after myself.
He clearly is thick, because he put his faith in his new mate who seem Ames today & got nothing…. The ones who business card you seem to cherish.
He seems to have took a shine to me with all his complementary comments – Many thanks for that –much appreciated.
Seems strange how you can be so big and tough online but meek as a mouse in the meeting in Manchester?
You just fill up this site with stuff you have no idea is true or not… The TM and PI insurnace… just to name two.
Whrn picked up on it have a little tantrum and start calling me Walton… now that’s really scary.
With kind regards
Paul
It’s a shame we can’t all be on the same side and try to pull together. We are all supposed to be in the sames boat after all aren’t we?
Does anyone have any news on the Dublin court case?
@sid
Apparently so, but I will think twice about giving any more of my free time up for investor meeting in the future.
Why bother?
@Harlequininvestorgroupnw, sorry, I don’t understand what you mean. Are you saying that the meetings aren’t achieving much?
Ok mr Walton is that better seeing why your so precious – you seem to give yourself a little stuffy don’t you!
Yoi seem to be able to pick up on anyone and say what you like but don’t seem to like any criticism the other way.
I told you in good faith what I was told – time will tell!
What did you want me to do on Manchester? You wanted to be the focus of attention.
As for rough guy don’t make me laff you make Rylan look butch.
Either put up or shut up – keep taking the glory disappear!
Bye, bye!
@Sid
Quite the opposite, but when you get idiots like ‘ In the know’ being an idiot….. …why should I bother ?
I have my position secured regarding my investment either way this pans out.
At the meeting you get to meet other people in the same position & free legal advice for possibly the only couple of law firms in the country who know the HP inside out.
He post things for a ‘joke’ and what he does post if rubbish, let him get on with it.
Stop Press:
Harlequin funding solution offered by the Bank of Cyprus.
@Beggars Belief – a joke I presume?
Of course it’s a joke – sorry if people are not in the mood for black humour. I do appreciate that laughter is not on the menu for many investors.
@beggars belief, thanks for trying to cheer us all up. Hopefully I will be able to see the funny side of the whole sorry situation if and when I see my money again!
I see Katharine Manderfield (Harlequin Network Sales Manager) and Matt Ames (ex- Harlequin Sales Manager) have taken down their own personal Facebook pages. The show-off posts and the bragging about fancy cars, holidays in Mustique, polo ponies and scoffing food at The Ivy doesn’t look quite as good now does it?
EL2 – Katharine’s is still there, 4 hours ago she posted about a lovely baby hamper she got from work, I bet that has come from investor money…..
You’re welcome Sid. I hope one day people will be able to laugh again. Even if it’s only when a judge passes sentence.
That baby will be a teenager before she comes out of nick.
@Charles&Eddie, it’s easy to tell if it was bought with investor money, it will contain diamonds and sports cars.
Sorry no, that wasn’t right – she’s still warbling on about the gift pack baby hamper from the office.
And he’s still bragging about the villa on Mustique.
My bad!
I hear another investor settled a deal with Ames today, so sounds like one did and one didn’t! Maybe there is hope!
Maybe it was bought with the last of the kitty/investor funds all Asda smart price she must be a popular lass….
FDNRM – did you miss my earlier question?
I wondered how you completed the purchase of your units. Did you use your own borrowings for the remaining 70%, or was it provided by Harlequin Finance?
I presume you have completed, else why would they be paying you your monthly rental return.
https://www.facebook.com/cbcavanagh?ref=ts&fref=ts#!/katharine.manderfield?fref=ts
See for yourself….
Villa on Mustique? Was that bought from Harlequin? Please don’t tell me that these people don’t even eat their own dog food!
There’s always good old Vinny/Sunny (changes his name to suit)….http://www.facebook.com/vinny.stenning?fref=ts
If FDNRM wants to come to our office to show us a document then that is fine. We are happy to hand over £100.00 for travel expenses.
The whole point is that we want a fair and balanced picture for investors. Nothing more, nothing less.
We can see the advice is shocking and we fully expect Agents / IFA’s and SIPP providers to be asked to explain themselves. However, although they provide some redress options, they are not the business people contracted with.
It is that business we are keen to seek resolution with for our clients. Nothing more, nothing less.
http://www.harlequininvestorgroup.co.uk
@Anon R-U I did see your question earlier, if you don’t mind I would prefer not to answer that at present. No conspiracy theories it’s just a personal thing.
FDNRM – OK, fair enough.
Sid – the investor you met in Manchester who you think was seeing ames did he have a Liverpool accent?
I can’t find an answer on here but there are a lot of posts, has anyone on here had transfer title of any property?
Harlequin Investor group nw @gmail.com (without gaps) Are holding to meetings on the 25th March one in the afternoon in London and one in the evening in Essex, Please email to reserve seats.
Panorama Next Monday
The Great Savings Wipe Out
Not currently available on BBC iPlayer
Duration: 30 minutes
Panorama investigates a series of financial scandals which have put at risk the life savings of tens of thousands of people.
A twice-bankrupt, former double glazing salesman from Essex has collected an estimated quarter of a billion pounds from investors, which is now at risk. In one of Britain’s biggest ever pension scandals, he promised to build luxury rental homes in the Caribbean, some on the island of St Vincent, where the film Pirates of the Caribbean was filmed. Wimbledon tennis champion Pat Cash and golfing legend Gary Player helped promote the property scheme. However, reporter Paul Kenyon finds most of the planned properties have yet to be built and there are disputes over planning permission and land ownership.
A worrying number of savings scandals are coming to light as more than a million people chose to look after their own pension savings through Self-Invested Personal Pension schemes. In a second SIPP case a respected finance house failed to raise the alarm to investors before £100m went missing after clear warnings to the financial regulator from a whistle blower
Walton – my friend with the business card as you call him who got nothing as you put it appears to have got something….. Ask Gareth apparently he has been informed – an offer was made to settle! Maybe he was a better negotiator than you? Is it possible anyone could be?
On a serious note its not 100% done deal but it gives me some hope the likes of me and you may get out of this not totally skint, what you think?
It’s a pyramid, that’s all it ever was or will be. The game is over, the money is GONE. Get good legal advice and remember, your first loss is still your best loss.
@gingerbread
I guess your worse fears has been realized right?
Mark Fenty
I have no investment or involvement in Harlequin. I have no axe to grind.
I resisted the invitation based on a number of factors, one being that having met and listened to Dave Ames I was convinced he was a trickster and Harlequin would fail the moment NEW money stopped coming in.
@gingerbread
May I suggest a book written by the eminent Jewish philosopher Moses Miamonide called, “The Guide To The Perplexed. “
did fdnrm reply to Regulatory legals offer? or did i not see it?
Has been very quiet on here – are you all loosing focus and momentum?
@ Matt would that be Ames?? No we have not lost anything yet we know exactly where everything and everyone is! The trolls just do not have as much time on there hands to keep posting the rubish on here do they?
We are all super strong and joining together we will all be at the meetings in London and Essex on Monday 25th March email for more details
Harlequin investor group nw @gmail.com (without the gaps)
Really looking forward to meeting you all then Erica
Erica your right the key word is yet. Is the Matt Ames your asking about the one that has been lied about on here and is one of the few of the family that is not involved in the business.
A lot of investors parted with their money because they were blinded by greed and status and did not consider the risks involved ?
@Matt , so your the newest troll! or have you just changed your name from something else?
Just been observing and not contributing to all the panic and mayhem not to mention your foul language!
I think we all wondered when you would rock up….It doesn’t surprise me. Have you come here to defend your family or have you come here just to cause trouble?
I’m not an Ames – I wonder if TM will be trading today and if they are what will they be selling???
We were not all blinded by greed we were blinded by lies told by sales agents and IFAs and of course Harlequin properties.
But dont worry I think most of us have learned our lesson and now it is time to teach a lesson to all of the above!
Yawn Matt. I’m just a casual observer and its the investors fault that Ames used greed to rip them off. Etc etc. Now which other poster spells losing wrong.
Anonymously – I’m not saying its all your fault but I don’t know anybody on here that has said they did their own DD – anyway attack me now for daring to question you!
@Matt you just called us all greedy!!!! well it is simple we paid IFAs and agents to do there DD so we didnt have to that does not make us in anyway to blame the blame lies with the liars doesnt it, Dont you dare say anything more to people who will probably lose there homes,savings and pensions.What is there to question matt??
http://www.ifaonline.co.uk/ifaonline/comment/2255446/harlequin-distributor-has-permissions-changed-by-fsa
E – fair point but you should have done your own checks too!
I note from last nights post there are still people doing their own thing and making settlements – compromise don’t be obstinate
There is no compromise I have a contract with Harlequin to refund last June and I am still waiting…………. Panorama looks interesting…….:)
Matt Ames has definitely been working at Harlequin Property since at least December.
There’s always a deal to be had? Your playing high risk strategy! Panorama is of no interest to those that have negotiated an exit
@ in the know
That depends on what you think is a good deal – the last one I was offered was a full refund over 12 months, some people say that’s a good offer – I don’t.
So unless you ‘mate’ has done better that that its not a good offer in my book as HP will not be around long enough to pay him……and of course the offer will be ‘confidential’ so we will never know will we?
I have no doubt that in the long run I will do better, I have several options I am persuing.
Yatinkiteasy
Yet another robbery and gunshot wounds suffered by two elderly tourists in Bridgetown. Know anything about this? Care to pass any comment? ( apart from your usual resume about UK crime)
Its matt your answering? Hope you do get everything back and so you should – believe me Ames will have plenty of Plan B’s/ exit strategies.
One thing for sure Ames will never need to worry for his pension like we will.
And your right HP won’t be around to fulfil stage payments so its a worthless deal.
B Baywatch
You consider yourself to be an expert on all thing Caribbean. In the light of yet more horrendous attacks on tourists in Barbados and the continuing downward spiral of tourism on the island, can you tell me if you believe the Harlequin Hotels and Resorts in Barbados are being built in the wrong place at the wrong time?
Pawn Walton
Well, well, well! Here you are,you and Freebie Erica, rustling up investors to attend meetings with the ambulance chaser Fatchett. He is giving you so much good advice on how to reclaim your deposits that, after only 2-3 weeks,you are asking Eddie Lizzard 2 for his ideas on how to get a refund! Eddie Lizzaard 2 of all people! This is an admission on your part that Fatchett, he of the Stourbridge industrial estata portakabin, has led you on and is not able to help you. Is he any closer to getting your money back? I think not! How many fees have been handed over by those you encouraged to attend Fatchett’s sales drive in Manchester?
Freebie Erica, why are you advertising every day on BFP for people to attend more fantasy presentations by the Risk Warning Group, when Fatchett and his pals, by Walton’s admission, have clearly demonstrated they have nothing to offer?
Information is readily available on the web on Fatchett’s past performance in dealing with similar situations. Everyone should read this before attending any further “Harlequin Investor Meetings”and parting with any money. By the way, is it fair that all other investors, apart from you and the other pawn, have to pay Fatchett for his “advice”?
@RL on my way, be there about 12.
Harlisuccess – Even though Paul can get up my nose with his matter of fact approach that post is well wide of the mark.
If it wasn’t Thatchett it would be somebody else pursuing Ames, anyway its none of your business, how people wish to deal with this, which ever way you look at it HP have failed to deliver so people have every right to exit.
Right now a portakabin would be better than we have at present from Ames!
Your post has made you look an arse!
Paul – the investor who made a settlement in full on the day was not asked to sign an NDA he tells me? No solicitors present just himm and King Dick himself! Seems everyones getting treated differently to me!
Harlisuccess, you need to seek medical help for your Psychological illness
@ Hardly I am not a client of Gareths, I have allowed him to attend my meetings and give free advice!
If you would prefer another solicitor to come to my meetings let me have there details.
@In The Know…..
So a full refund made on Monday? or next week or the week after?
I find that intresting……… is he happy for you posting this here?
It is amazing what you can find out with a little digging isn’t it…..I know who Yorkiepoo, worried investor and confused.com is before you all start to think it’s three separate people it isn’t.
It is infact Mr Rob Shaw from Tailormade trying to offload his ill advised IFA investment or was it a freebie from Harlequin??
Charles & Eddie – are you sure ?
@Hardlysuccess – quote”In the light of yet more horrendous attacks on tourists in Barbados and the continuing downward spiral of tourism on the island, can you tell me if you believe the Harlequin Hotels and Resorts in Barbados are being built in the wrong place at the wrong time?”
errr – have you changed your meds recently? Quite how the attacks on tourists relates to the activities (or lack of them) of Harlequin on Barbados I’m not sure, but I guess this was the preamble to some further trolling.
Your use of the phrase “being built” is also a little contentious as it is generally agreed that there is no activity on the sites. With regard to those sites, The Merricks was always an absolutely disastrous proposition, there was never ever any possibility of building a resort of the size proposed at that location. Definitely the wrong place and wrong time – lack of water availability being just one obvious problem. The Crane and the old Sam Lord’s Castle hotels are further south, have much better accessibility, good beaches and the right scale. (but note – no one is rushing to purchase and refurb Sam Lord’s!)
The H hotel might actually have worked, it’s not a bad location for a 3/4 star and if it had been turned around quickly and efficiently it might even have been earning some money by now. Of course Mr Ames had to let his ego get in the way again and specified work and finishes which could only be justified if it was able to command Sandy Lane prices, and there’s a small problem there – it isn’t Sandy Lane and it isn’t even on the West Coast. It is yet another example of the lack of competence of this company and the total lack of any research into what the market demand and return might be.
I cant speak about others but I’m not the same as the other two and am not employed by TM, iI’m in this mess balls deep.
HQIG – I dont know the detail because he wouldn’t be drawn on it, so i would only be speculating. I know he called Gareth to discuss the offer but I’m sure Gareth cannot disclose the details, but maybe he would be prepared to confirm an offer of settlement was made to somebody yesterday?
@Harlequininvestorgroupnw
Throughout this blog you have demonstrated great poise and equanimity, in your articulation with attitudes of impatience and impetuosity. You have kept intact your professional integrity, and must be commended for your rare display of the appropriate social decorum. You are the voice of reason on this blog sir.
@Matt. I didn’t attack you. I was just pointing out your warped logic. If I forget to lock my front door and my house gets burgled that would be my fault in your eyes not the burglars
Mark Fenty – do you chat in conversation how you write in here?
@harlisuccess
£53m N&P settlement for Keydata claims
£54m CF Arch Cru funds Capita Payment Scheme
to name but two !
@mark fenty
Many thanks for that one of the few compliments I have recieved
kind regards
Paul
What are Tailormade selling today? They still limping along?
Paul – did that compliment get you in a Firenze??
Harlie…this is just a small town called Basildon in the UK… home to Harlequin and Co..I think this happened on the same Sunday of the attack in Barbados, which we all regret and condemn.
“Basildon RSS Feed Send your news, pictures & videos
Man charged with murder following assault outside a Grays nightclub
11:11am Sunday 17th March 2013 in Basildon
A MAN has been charged with the murder of a man who was killed outside a Grays nightclub.
Liam Holden died after being attacked outside the Euro Lounge where he had been spending a night out with friends.
He was taken to Queens Hospital, Romford with a serious head injury but died in the early hours of Sunday, March 10.
Owen Wood, 23, of Godman Road, Grays has been charged with murdering the 35-year-old.
He has been remanded in custody to appear at Southend Magistrates’ Court on Monday, March 18.”
and….because of the crime in Barbados, Harlequin will no longer be developing hotels or resorts there….(Your next claim?…. we are waiting}
Invest in Rice & Receive 20%
I hear there may be some investors here with money to invest in the near future once RL have got your cash back.
If your looking for a better investment next time see attached link.
Matt
http://www.globalgreencashcrop.com/most-important-grain/?campaign=wizemail&dm_i=14VW,1CRUR,9FJ5OK,4L9OP,1
Yankin it easy – Since when has HP been proposing a Resort in Basildon?
Mind you Anthony75 would put his name and deposit down for it looking at his posts!!
Anthony = Daft Lad
@Matt..how is the Forestry business these days?
If I worked for HP or as an agent selling the dodgy stuff I would be worrid, cos when HP goes south and I will you will have no job. Then all the people who have lost money will chase in legally or otherwise.
Once HP has gone you, especially ifas and pension people are in the firing line – it’s a fact, and u wont be able to hide behid companies or no PI insurance …. Comin after your asetts
Yankin it easy – moved on from forestry to rice. Business going well, plenty of holidays in mustique, Lamborghini, office girls to shag – it gets no better!
@Matt the pratt, people like you just make me laugh. just read your comment –
Matt
March 19, 2013 at 10:03 am
Its matt your answering? Hope you do get everything back and so you should – believe me Ames will have plenty of Plan B’s/ exit strategies.
One thing for sure Ames will never need to worry for his pension like we will.
And your right HP won’t be around to fulfil stage payments so its a worthless deal.
classic troll symptoms, and your right about Ames not worrying about his pension. he, you and the rest of your mob will be banged up for a long long time. hope you like a plastic mattress. hahahhahahahaa
Anthony75 – Theres two people using the name Matt! Me and another person
Anthony75 – Thats right, I hope you like your plastic matress in your state run nursing home now your pensions gone!
White collar crimes go to a nice comfy open prison, drugs, birds, booze, let out all day – well worth it for blowing your cash big boy!
Following on to Anon post 12.52.
I have been advised if, HP goes bust and an IFA has sold a ‘investment’ to a cash buyer.
Action can be taken against the IFA as an individual and their assets, if they do not have PI cover.
If they have PI cover go for that.
If the IFA worked for a company, then the company could have action taken against it, and or the directors as individuals.
Regarding SIPP investments, a claim for bad advice against the SIPP tranfer company, or the SIPP provider is favourable.
I think action againt IFA’s will increase when HP go into administration.
SIPP investors act now………before the PI cover is breached.
All the best Paul
Paul – HP haven’t gone into administration how can you be so sure they will?
fortunately for me it was not my pension and i can get over the loss as im only 37 years old. i feel very sorry for the people who could lose there pensions and life savings, no doubt you don’t. and let me tell you, in any prison people don’t like con men who rob the elderly, so good luck.
I think your going to be very disappointed if you think that anybody will be going to prison – there’s a plan!
This is my last post to you as you are clearly spam/troll/scum and not worth of another thought.
Anthony75 – pity that I enjoy winding you up
@Canuk, sorry for taking so long to come back to you. It turns out I have a job to do as well! He was Mancunian I believe, or something very similar. Not Liverpudlian. Why do you ask?
Clink Clink Clink http://youtu.be/rXgDcukvEC4
Matt I believe you are a pretty boy they will love you in there, mind the soap it can be slippy 😉
C&E – thanks for the commitment sweet tits xxx
I can afford liquid soap thanks after all you kind people were so generous!
Asking to see if its the same person – it was a NW accent like Warrington type accent – was he a big bloke blonde hair over 6ft
If it was he has had a settlement!
There are people who are desperately worried about the outcome of all this – we will have a massive loan payment to meet each month for the next 5 years should harlequin fold, which we will probably have to default on as we cannot afford to pay it – therefore credit score crushed – no prospect of a mortgage etc. etc. consequences unthinkable, and all you lot here doing is playing head-games with each other?? My god!!
C&E – *compliment
Matt – It’s wasn’t a compliment love it’s what I’ve heard doesn’t mean I agree with it…….
LB – too right! Out of interest have you spoken to Harlequin about a settlement and what did they propose?
Pity that C&E – I love a bit of ruff!
@ confused with nothing coming in by way of sales how long can they last?
@LB, I totally agree with you there are so many sick individuals it makes it impossible to stop yourself from thinking of setting up a lynch mob, but you have to they want a reaction well they will get one soon BBFP will soon out them and their IP Address. So dont rise to them they will go away soon enough to see if they can see themselves on TOWIE lol
@Canuck, that’s the one. So it seems Ames will settle if asked ‘nicely’.
I haven’t spoken to them – the figures won’t stack up whichever option we were to look at. As we took out £43k in personal loans, the repayments are for capital and interest. So far Harlequin have met all payments to date (bar one) a total of circa £28k. The balance to clear the loan stands at £27k. So we will be £12k adrift which ever way you look at it. I am just praying they can carry on meeting the payments and somehow find a way out of all this otherwise it will be devastating for us. Living a nightmare daily.
EVERYONE. Please can you not react to Matt. He’s boring the sh1t out of me and not helping anyone. I don’t care who he is or who he claims to be. He’s more of a joke than a joker. If he says anything to you can you please not reply at all. I want this forum to be productive. Thanks
LB – have you had any missed payments yet? When’s the next due? Have you called to check yours isn’t one affected by an error?
LB – fDMRM was supposed to be at RL at 12pm with a document proving he was paid a return and paid up in full! Does anybody know if he ever turned up?
@Canuck, if he doesn’t I don’t expect we’ll see him on here again!
I think he must of changed his name, what a coincidence!!!
We’ve had one payment missed – January – which was apparently a banking error that affected a lot of investors. Before that it had gone like clockwork for 41/2 years.Since then payments have been received, but haven’t been paid the extra for January so have had to cover that one ourselves. Just hope they keep coming…………….
LB – that’s interesting, so they missed a payment but have made another, but not paid the missed one
@Canuck & Sid, document delivered, scrutinised and passed as genuine. RL will post as such when they are ready. £100 received with thanks.
After RL have confirmed my genuine position I expect appologies from all those who turned up the volume, if you will be big enough to post them here.
Yes – made two payments since – just hope they carry on. With all this going on now I am feeling very scared about the future. We have a second investment and it’s a SIPP so not of a great worry month to month, but we have put our whole retirement plan in the hands of Harlequin believing it would provide us with a comfortable life during our “golden years”.
You all may want to read this link today
http://www.ifaonline.co.uk/ifaonline/news/2255712/agents-selling-harlequin-misled-investors-about-use-of-monies
It must be the quietest day ever on here for pro-harlequin bloggers!
Even Ames himself must now see its all turning into an embarrassment
@Canuck My post a 3.22. Any comment or are you ignoring it?
https://barbadosfreepress.wordpress.com/2013/03/14/harlequin-properties-stunner-no-agent-confirmed-harlequins-land-holdings-or-company-information-sipp-pension-investors-advised-to-act-immediately/#comment-1279161
Doubt it hes totally deluded about the whole thing I’m told! He will be putting his exit strategy into action and sorting out the people he wants to!
FDNRM – Once RL have confirmed evertything you have said is correct I will apologise no problem
RING FENCING!!!!!!
From: Katharine Wooller [mailto:KWooller@harlequinproperty.co.uk]
Sent: 11 April 2011 16:30
To: Debbie Stokes
Subject: RE: Harlequin
Hi Debbie
Answers as below:
We are not currently doing resales in Brazil; she is welcome to find her own buyer in which case we will charge 1% for this.
1, Can we bring a friend along to the meeting?
Yes – we encourage this – our business has grown by recommendation and referral.
2, Where is our money?
It is held by Harlequin Hotels and Resorts – the company in the Cayman Island that holds all of Harlequin’s assets.
3, Is the Brazil Resort SIPP approved?
No.
4, If not why not?
Brazilian law does not recognise UK trust law – there are only a small number of countries that it is possible to put in the UK SIPP.
5, What is the Resorts planning status?
Two Rivers has planning; Brazil we are currently working through the planning process.
6, What time scales are we looking at for the build process?
Two Rivers we expect to be 24 months; Brazil has always had a longest completion date of 2014.
7, Are you still promoting the Brazil Resort?
Yes, however because it is not SIPPable this is not our prime focus.
8, If not why not?
As above.
9, How do Harlequin intend to get the utilities to the Island?
All of Harlequin’s resorts are self sufficient in terms of water and sewerage. We have managed this on Buccament Bay, and have extensive environmental impact analysis studies on each site, particularly as all the planning depends on Harlequin in no way damaging the local ecology.
10, What problems do they see in doing this?
As above.
11, I noticed I could not get prices, if this is ongoing why?
Current prices for the units purchased are:
Brazil purchased for £50,000
current list price: £75,000
Two Rivers purchased for £105,000
current list price: £215,000
12, Is our money tied to the Brazil Resort?
There is no legal requirement in the Caribbean for ring fencing, however because all the sites are owned across the Harlequin group all the sites are worth more than the clients deposits that we hold which is the investors protection.
Regards,
Katharine Wooller
Network Sales Directoristen Guys According to Katherine Manderfield we all have nothing to worry about!!!
Financial crisis hits. Lots of FS businesses,IFA’s can see harder times coming.may have to work twice as hard to earn less than previously. Hurrah,along comes the harlequin proposition that they can sell via sips. Set up a seperate company for the alternative investment, make sure it’s ltd. get all your advisers to see their clients on the basis of a financial review using existing advisers. Then when you see them stress how rubbish Existing pension is performing and blow them away with the harlequin figures and how low risk,an opportunity not to be missed. And maybe target all those old serps contributions too. Forget about the full fact find process,attitude to risk,r4r. After all you are not advising you are just introducing to the sipp facilitator. Collect your lovely commission, expand the business maybe by getting more FS,IFA’s on board via your wholesale arm and take a cut of their commission too. Ignore any people who may raise concerns, ignore the DD process , ignore any negative press. Then make sure you close the companies down before so that in the event of redress you are no longer trading.Sound familiar?
LB so u had one missing payment only for January. You got February payment ok for your loan repayments? I had January’s missing and they have not paid February’s either. But again I hav had no issues for 3 yrs till now. Are u xpecting march to go in all ok? LB please reply.
“…..all the sites are owned across the Harlequin group all the sites are worth more than the clients deposits that we hold which is the investors protection.”
She has to have known that was a blatant lie. If HP’s assets were worth more then the investor deposits there would have to be a main investor, or start up capital from somewhere. Clearly there wasn’t. That statment could come back to haunt her.
Along with the comment that” Two Rivers has planning”
I would love to know who really owns the land at bb?Mr lars does he work for the govt of St Vincent.?I really like his approach lets see if we can take over this project some how,some way .it will not be easy but maybe the govt will realize now how bad this is going to be for st Vincent .I still think maybe with the right people we can turn this around at least at BB so MR lars you are a smart man you realize how bad this is for St Vincent so lets get the Govt to do something now and if everything is on the up and up I have investor who will really be interested in this project,,but by now we know David Ames has to go for this project to have a chance a nd a new start
Only skimming through so many comments, but that e-mail is shocking if that is the level of detail being given to agents. “How are utilities getting to the island? All our resorts are self-sufficient in terms of water or sewage” What a terrible reply. Not only has she ignored the largest and most important utility cost item, namely electricity, how is it enough to just say the resorts are self-sufficient. Present tense not accurate as resorts are not built – perhaps should have qualified by saying the resorts on our CGIs are self-sufficient as drawn on our CGIs. No apparent need to mention whether there is back-up water in terms of desal plants for example, or whether sewage is connected to a main sewage line or there is a sewage treatment plant, back up generators etc pretty fundamental questions about Caribbean developments that investors should know about. An IFA or agent should know these things anyway before they sold them, and not have to go back and ask. It is clear that the IFAs and agents, as well as Harlequin, could only think of the commissions, not about the buyer and clearly also not about the resorts, which is understandable in a way because they never had a chance of getting built based on the astonishingly poor level of financial planning, or any sort of planning. Not even having planning permission is a bit of a giveaway as to where actually building came on their list of priorities – building came after buying small aircraft, Ames paying himself commissions, agents filling their boots etc etc. True bandits these guys in every sense of the word.
I am reading some of these post I have not recieved my interest payment for 4months now and they are saying maybe soon.I see some people posting they only missed 1month than they recieved there payment the following month. I find this very strange?
I also have been trying to get some answer on a refund but they seem to be playing gamI am sure most of us are
I cannot wait until Friday….The court transcripts should make for very interesting reading!!
John D – I’m really really confused by your posts in one post you say we can turn things around and then in others you seem to think that things are really bad?? It’s either one or the other. In my personal opinion it’s all dead in the water and it’s just a matter of time it doesn’t matter how much money you plough into it now it will just be throwing good money after bad.
@Fatchett does not represent me
I see you turned up today with your documents, strange, regardless of our past disagreements I had a feeling you would, and I have to say fair play to you.
Was Gareth what you expected? Or do you still think he is a bad guy?
@anon – We have received March payment too from Harlequin. We get the payment the 1st of the month, approx a week before the loan payments are called for. So just January that is outstanding to date. There seems to be quite a variance where some investors have not been affected, some not been paid due payments for months – I don’t understand why!! Just hoping that April arrives. We have no long-term way of paying the loan ourselves!!
My payments stopped in Jan and I know I will never see another penny, but am confident I will come out of this ok.
@LB I am glad u hav had ur payments. I normally get mine last week of the month. Not had it for two months now. I will struggle without it. Nearly 700 quid a month in repayments for next five yrs. Maybe I will b lucky get mine this month. Do u know others that hav invested.
@anon – I hope you get your payments too – it’s so worrying every month not knowing. I’m on a count-down to 1st April already!! No we don’t know any other investors other than the employees at the agent we went through – I know they have invested too.
@Sid – you may get the payments re-started -have you called them? I did and I don’t know if it helped or was coincidence that the payments were made but worth a go!!
All,
FDNRM – he did come to our office. I saw a cheque payment for rental on this BB property. Looked genuine enough to me. FDNRM confirmed that he had not taken title to his property. It was an option, which he had not taken up.
We explained the land position at BB in a bit more detail.
£100 for expenses passed. ITK – when are you coughing up !
Meeting very sensible etc. I think he thought we were open about things.
He may even become FDRM ! Who knows.
Has anyone stopped to look at Ames’ mug or watched his video’s on youtube? How can any one person have been impressed by him to the extent that they would trust him with tens if not hundreds of thousands of pounds, let alone 6,000 of us?! It seems unbelievable doesn’t it? He’s about as dynamic as a toilet brush….and has the same hair as one!
Some of it seems to be working then? I still want to believe that they WILL continue to build – just very, very behind the original time scales
Land title documents are on http://www.harlequininvestorgroup.co.uk
– there are some parcel of undated and unregistered land in the name of Harlequin Property SVG Limited.
@FDNRM, I sincerely apologies for ever doubting you. It seems as though you are seeing a rental income after all. You kept that very quiet though, how come you’ve never mentioned it :o)
Seriously though, you must be worried that your cheques are going to stop soon? Or you really do know something we don’t. Seems odd as well that you have the cheque in your possession. I would bank it within a heartbeat.
@sid – it was a cheque payment slip. The cheque had been banked.
Was it guaranteed rental income, or income from the resort? Was there a rental pool statement to show how the income was calculated? I don’t think this proves a lot if guaranteed rental income as it clearly seems Ames pays those he chooses to and not others – this would just prove that FDNRM is better connected than others. If not guaranteed return income, then would be great to see how the returns are calculated and see some financial statements from the resorts. OF course, if not in profit, then not sure how they are cashflowing that rental income being paid out.
Maybe, after all this panicking, things are not as bad as people are saying? There is so much at stake for so many people, somehow it has just got be worked out. I believe that somehow it will be sorted, but things will be very bumpy for a while yet.
@LB I tried ringing a few times. They said it shld b sorted end of Feb but it wasnt. Then said it wld end march. Hope it is sorted soon. Its all looking doom and gloom though. Seeking advive though now.
@fdnrm, sorry again.
@LB, I like your positive thinking but can’t overlook the SFO involvement and the Panorama exposé ….amongst all the other crap. Ok, so fdrnm is being looked after but I’m not. There must be a reason.
@Sid how do u know u will not see anymore payments. @LB has had hers. I hav not for same as urs. Two months now. You never know. Try and ring them @sid. But is strange that some are getting payments and some are not.
@sid @LB I hav got a bad feeling that panorama next wk could put the final nail in the coffin for all of us.
@Sid, Whatever happens next week and whatever Panorama uncovers has got to be there in the first place to be exposed, I think we have all got to realise what will be will be the only people to blame in all this are Harlequin,agents and IFAs and at the end of the day if Panorama stops one more person becomming involved in this that has now got to be a good thing has it not,
I asked a question to the investors at the meeting in Manchester Would you recommend this product to anybody now? I think you can guess the answer
Everyone come and do the maths with me. Harlequin have taken 300 million lets say the builder had 13 million that still leaves 287 million?? What have Harlequin done will 287 million????? It’s not built the resorts we paid for.
I don’t think Panorama will expose anything – they will be reporting on the situation as it stands – lack of continuity with payments to investors, being difficult over breaches of contracts etc – there won’t be anything we don’t already know about. The SFO are following up complaints as they are required to do. It doesn’t mean the outcome will be all bad – but won’t be good for the reputation of Harlequin.
@sid, very gracious of you and accepted. It’s just unfortunate that some of the earlier rhetoric was so nasty. Not from you I hasten to add. The scariest part of all this was seeing Mr Fatchett today in his shorts before he went for a run!
@lb the fact that the Fsa and so are involved is of grave concern. As previously reported the sfo would not go public unless they had some real concerns. Not just a few disgruntled investors complaining. I think we may be surprised at the panorama programme. These are experienced investigative journalists who will have contacts and will know exactly how to look for those things that the average jo public could not find. Likewise the sfo.But not long to wait now. Guess we’ll have the Irish court findings first.
A PERIOD OF CALM
All,
We need the Irish court case to finish, the banking error payments to be brought up to date, those who want to leave to be repaid.
The next move in this has to come from Harlequin. They know whether they have any money or whether any external funds are coming,
We are proposing a period where Harlequin can set out in detail how they expect to deal with the above issues.
We are going to suggest deferring the investor meetings until after Easter. Until that time, everything will be up in the air. This means that any meeting will not provide the balance investors so desperately need.
In the last few weeks, we have seen people at each others throats. This is a serious situation. Therefore, lets not lose sight of the aim, which is to get the best out of the situation.
For us, we will diligently provide advice to those who want it. We will put meetings on in the week commencing the 8th April 2013. We will lay on Manchester, Birmingham & London. This is our suggestion and we hope that people see sense in it.
@Charles&Eddie
As of 31 March 2010 (the only accounts), total investor deposits £184 million
-£86 million Agent’s commissions, Ames family dividends, HPSSE operating costs ,leaving £98
-£5 million director’s loan to Ames, further £11 million loaned to HP SVG, and spent by Ames on personal investments (property). £1 million bonus to Matt – now leaving us with £81 million
-£81 million land purchase and construction, leaving £0
That was as of 2010. Who knows how deep the hole is now
(Source: the now shut down Harlecon.com)
@regulatory legal solicitors filled in questionnaire and scanned all documentation over today. Hope thats ok. Would like to attend nxt meeting. Would b a relief to chat to someone. Not great situation for any1. Will panorama make a big difference to anything.
@Regulatory Legal Solicitors
Sirs, with the very greatest of respect, even if Harlequin still have monies available, even if there are external funds about to come in, even if HP win against O’Halloran and other parties – even if all of those events come to pass, where is the proof that they have a concept that is sufficiently attractive to get occupancy levels and rack rates that will not only make the business sustainable but also return sufficient profit for the investors to be paid without those payments requiring ‘topping up’ from other sources?
I am very aware that at the moment all of you are focussed on finding out about how you might get either some or all of your money back, but like any business if the product does not sell successfully then you don’t have a business, and all of the investment into the resorts will be worth very little or nothing at all. Where for example is there any proof that it will be possible to fill a1200 unit resort on St Vincent to the levels that will make it profitable?
This is a very serious question that no one seems to be addressing.
FDNRM – looks like I owe you an apology and you were telling the truth, do I apologise for calling you a liar.
Seems no consistency here, some getting paid something, some getting paid nothing, some getting paid a return.
Has anyone received title/ deeds for a property?
And to think I thought Fatchett had some balls I guess I was wrong!
@ai makes sense to me. The Irish court case will no doubt be illuminating,either in favour or against harlequin, the results of this and the transcript will give all a better idea. No harm in waiting for this,if you have lodged complaint etc. then when the meetings take place all will have a better idea .otherwise will entail another set of meetings to go over the new news.
More like he’s cut a deal with Harlequin to give them some slack…….I wonder what Erica will do now will she employ another solicitor as she hasn’t signed with Fartchett…….Seems that Fartchett is closer to Harlequin than we first thought.
@AI
A period of calm allows us to do what we need to do.
Be under no illusion this is not a period of inactivity.
@Regulatory Legal,If we are waiting for the Irish court case to finish the outcome of that will only be decided in Ocober/November and so I dont think many investors are willing to wait anywhere near that long, I can understand your motives for your recent post but I have to look after a majority of investors whilst you look after a minority of investors but as I have a awful lot of people already booked into the two meetings on Monday 25th March at this moment in time both of these meetings will still go ahead and we will ask another legal firm to step into the breach and assist us in our meetings
I’m glad to see your carrying on Erica, I can’t wait until Panorama is out on Monday to put a face to the name as I couldn’t attend your meeting in Manchester. I will email you now to book in for the London meeting your email address is harlequininvestorgroupnw@gmail.com ??
Can I ask again because I cannot get an answer – has anybody or does anybody know if any deeds/ titles have been issued on any units?
LB – do you know if your unit has been constructed yet? I assume its at BB?
@RL –
Have Carter Ruck been in touch with you by any chance?
Erica, we are thinking w/c 8th April 2013 to allow the Finance Payment payments etc become clearer.
We will be guided by you on this after you have listened to investors.
Carter Ruck – no . They seem to have disappeared. We are dealing with Harlequin’s inhouse legal team.
We have no problem doing the London venue. We were simply suggesting a few weeks to allow the regular payment position to become clearer.
Nothing more, nothing less.
@RL
seems very strange that the all out “aggressive stance” has been diluted to a stand off period
Very disappointed with RL’s suggestion. What are you waiting for? Resorts to complete and for HP to start generating an income to be able to honour contractual refunds?
I really don’t think advising your clients to wait is a good idea.
Well done Erica. From the last handful of posts you’re proving yourself to have investors’ interests at heart and that you’re not just an RL fee generator.
Hmm. I had great faith in RL to do the right thing. I’m not saying that faith is totally eroded now, but I do not understand why RL would advise people to calm down and defer meetings when HP are going belly up.
@74 – we cannot win. We want to give investors the best possible advice and options. We are criticised when we are overly aggressive.
This board has seen a huge amount of nastiness between ordinary people.
We met with FDNRM today. Normal chap with a normal story.
We continue to assist an every increasing number of investors. We have over 850 people on our http://www.harlequininvestorgroup.co.uk site.
We were suggesting a period of calm to allow a proper explanation by Harlequin. It is an odd situation when suggesting calm is a matter for concern !
@RL –
for sure it is when you have a company with sale revenues (100% ( not deposits)) of 1.5 billion USD and costs to complete of 1.9 billion USD.
i would suggest acting as quickly as possible
I agree with RL everybody on here has written off Harlequin so what do you think will be achieved by rushing things through rather than gathering the full facts? Imagine if HP are on the brink of funding and the whole thing is ruined by your impatience?
RL are the experts, they give the expert advice and you should take it!
@Canuck well one thing we would achive is stopping anyone disposing of assets that are investors or assets purchased with investor funds
…… “on the brink of funding”- from who or what financial institution? all the numbers are negative. No funder will even meet Harlequin!
I am really confussed about the recent statement by RL. All along they have been sayinf act quickly but now they are saying stay calm and wait,
74 – it’s not what you know it’s what you don’t that may be important in this instance. You don’t know the facts, you can’t because HP never have issued any!
@RL – there is no benefit in waiting – appreciate your job is to give advice, but this is wrong advice in my view. Panorama will have either the effect of stopping sales, or having no effect, it will not have a posiitve effect. They win the court case, they are shown to have no control over their construction, and the US$13m, which would not even put int he basic infrastructure at Marquis, will be appealed anyway and the money not forthcoming for months. Everyone is arguing about whether Harlequin can pay back deposits or pay mortgage payments. What is the point of a mortgage on something that is not being built, or cannot be built? The issue here is where are the hundreds of millions of pounds required to build what they have sold? The inactivity after 8 years shows they cannot deliver, there is nothing more to be proven there, nothing more to wait for. If it were me, I would be suing agents and IFAs and placing cautions on property in the Caribbean, as several people have done already. Waiting will not change any of the above, I would be trying to get something out whilst there is still a faint chance – why give IFAs, agents and Harlequin more time to liquidate, asset strip, and manoeuvre? Harlequin is in as involvent a position as any company cab be in, and can only fail now. Even if they could build, I agre with BBaywatch, Caribbean experts will confirm that the resorts are ill conceived int eh locations selected – they most likely will never be able to make profit as planned, and if they were, they would not be profitable unti several years after completed. There is no way to cashflow that kind of losses. I think waiting now is pointless for investors, but they must all make up their own minds.
RL aka Fatchett
Don’t let your kindness be taken for weakness.
@Canuck –
Oh I believe I do know the facts.
CAnuck – the facts are they have not been able to even begin several sites for several years despite selling huge numbers of properties, nor even get planning permission, and have come nowhere near finacing. Regional banks have kept a guarded distance from them. This is not going to change – RL are not experts on Caribbean resorts, although appreciate they may be experts in recovery of funds in this kind of investment. I can just tell investors that the facts in the Caribbean point to a company that will never deliver what it has sold, so waiting will not see units built, but may see more assets disappear. That is why it is curious advice.
74 – and I know you don’t know everything thats for sure
Anon73 – if the whole thing is as shot as you say then timing is irrelevant
@canuck –
I know enough. Ask me a question?
@Regulatory Legal, So you can confim that FDNRM has been receiving a income from their unit? Does this not make this a PONZI? I do hope that this information is being passed onto the SFO?
Canuck – timing is important as when creditors build up and cautions are registered on assets, then the nearer you are to the top, the better chance you have of getting paid in a situation where assets are sold off by a liquidator. That’s how it works in the Caribbean anyway. Also, you can bet the IFAs and agents are putting assets into wife’s name, dog;s name, children’s names in case the law comes calling. Ames will also be putting his plans in place to get out of this. It cannot hurt to take action now, but it can hurt to wait. Some of us have been saying this for many many years, but now really would be an odd thing to wait and hope Harlequin can turn things around.
@Canuck, you appology is received with the good grace with which it was given. Many thanks.
@Erica, The SFO are fully aware of my income. If you recall I was one of the first people interviewed. With due respect I think you are becomming a little bit hysterical regarding this. RL saw the evidence, does not mean they can produce the evidence.
@FDNRM,When was you interviewed?
As long as the SFO have knowledge of it………
74 – how many units that have been completed at Buccanent Bay have had title /deed passed to the investor?
Canuck – Non have been passed over of the 300 units that have been completed I’m sure this was answered before.
I can see some of your points from what I can tell Ames is making plans and also sorting out his most important/ dangerous clients. In that case there will be less and less left – but in all likelihood there’s insufficient to go around already.
All a bit academic.simple fact .they need more money to complete the resorts than they have taken in deposits, less the commission, less all the admin costs e.g staff salaries, admin, legal, advertising, interest payments etc etc etc. unless there is an investor,bank, 3rd party willing to put up a billion or so to fund the cost of the remaining builds, assuming they ever get the planning permission, complete the eia studies etc etc !. All parties harlequin agents and ifa’s must have known it would cost more to build than the 1/3 of the deposit monies once commission,costs taken out of the equation????
C&E – I think Gareth Thatchett will be able to confirm that this isn’t the case and titles have been passed to certain individuals at BB
FDNRM – if you we’re offered title why didn’t you accept it and how many others were offered title and took it?
Yes Charles and eddie it did seem confusing let me clear it up.I have been trying to get refunded for a while now when I started to do some research on Harliquin I do not believe at the present time anything can be turned around with Harliquin now unless some how the govt can some how step in.I do have investors who are very interested in the project at BB in ST Vincent but it will not be easy if it can be done many bumps in the road to overcome but I know that if the right people run this project it can turn around.I am in NY I would go down myself if I can some how get this deal done someway some how but it might just be wishing
So many things have been said in this forum and I do understand that you are all concerned in one way or another about your investments. I truly believe as an alternative to UK actions, all of you who have invested in the sold units at Buccament bay should focus on how to secure full ownership of your properties as private deeds, or secure ownership of the property as one investment to be owned in a local company. This can be structured in a number of different ways legally,. Your best friend would be the government and the private business sector as they are in favor of a successful operation at Buccament bay,but do not be naïve about how things work in St Vincent and the Grenadines
Whatever it takes, you as owners of the sold properties at BB should try to identify all the investors at BB who has paid a significant sum to Harlequin property and has been registered as an owner of a property at BB. Appoint a strong and active board of directors who together with locally appointed advisors can guide you into a potential deal how to take control of BB and your investment. It will most likely be a tricky and difficult road in order to succeed but the sooner you acts the better it will be. Unfortunately such an action would cost more money than already invested, but it is the only way out of your present misery.
Any solution to secure the future operation of BB would be welcomed by the entire population of St Vincent and the Grenadines as it is a very important factor for tourism. As the situation is now, the resort will most likely die out in the near future and close down with tremendous damage, first to the tourism of our country and second a total disaster for you who have invested money in the resort.
You need to take control of your investment before it is too late, the legal actions that have started in UK will not assist all of you in the near future as it involves Harlequin property’s entire scheme of developments. But if you start to think out of the box, you will understand that Harlequin has totally lost control of the situation, are short of cash, and the only asset with any value whatsoever is BB, the rest of their assets have very little value as nothing has been built and the hotel in Barbados is a construction site with no significant income to be seen in the near future.
To BB investors, do not believe that you will have any return from your investment within the near future, negotiate a deal with government that you will support future tourism and take control of the operation of the resort once you have the support from them . To operate BB as it is done now will only bring further losses, the business plans and organization must be restructured at the resort to save the financial situation you are all in. If you can succeed and take control of ownership and operation you can look at the future with a positive view, and in addition to the possibility to enjoy yearly stay in your resort free of charge in the years to come, you might get part or all your investment back in the future.
Don’t sit back and wait any longer. As we say in St Vincent and the Grenadines “YOU HAVE TO BE IN IT TO WIN IT”
Mr Lars
@Canuck-
116 cabanas and 50 apartments (total 166 units) are fit for occupation at Buccament Bay. (Not 300). As far as I am aware, no title has been transferred to date.
Very interesting if true (I don’t doubt you 74, but I think that we have to append that to every declaration where HP is concerned) I wonder how many investors own those 166 units? It could be a fairly small number which would make any takeover much easier to implement and make any phoenix operation much more likely. And as IFA’s are reported as also being investors adds another murky layer to the dealings. BB hived off to a select few with the rest left to go hang? hmmm
74 – seems odd no titles passed because I know people have been title FDNRM so somebody must have accepted – if this is the case aren’t assets diminishing?
This thread seems rather interesting watch the little video
http://www.pimlico-flats.co.uk/forum/search.php?keywords=harlequin
There is a lot of mention of IFAs and their role in all of this.
If people were advised to invest into one of the HP projects then the IFA firms should be named on here.
Clearly, with the caveat that the information is correct not libellous- I should add.
I think the public that have not invested in this, and who want to take out a SIPP for normal retirement planning, need to know which IFA firms are tangled up in this.
@Spud Your not really going far enough with this idea the IFAs can change companies lets name and shame them with the IFA who sold you this product, I believe that for pension advice they should recieve a set fee so that the product they recommend is right for you and not just right for their pockets.
Tailor Made Debbie Patricia Stokes now works for Maple Leaf financial solutions LTD IFA no DPS01139
@ Erica,
I cannot fault what you are saying about the individuals, but the firms have to have some compliance oversight and an officer of the firm ( it might not be the IFA individually ) has to take on responsibility for this.
Fee based advice is now set in stone by the FSA this year. I am sure a lot of perfectly respectable IFAs and SIPP providers are throwing their hands up in despair as they watch things unfold.
By the way, I notice that the individual you mentioned is a member of the Chartered Insurance Institute. Have you considered contacting the CII?
http://www.cii.co.uk/about/professional-standards/complaints-against-members/
Erica, with respect RL are the professionals here and possibly been in this situation many times before? They will be privy to information you do not know – and suspect they are acting for the benefit of their paying clients?
You have become obsessed and your views are tainted by this.
@ erica and spud. I think the problem may be that the ifa’s and fs advisers saw their clients on the basis of a review with their regulated Fsa hat on. Then they switched to the unregulated hat in selling harlequin. Maybe the clients were not even aware that this was an unregulated product not covered by the fscs. The sales may then have been processed via the unregulated overseas/alternative investment arm of the firm as an unadvised sale. There may not even be fact finds,attitude to risk, suitability letters etc. if this had been done as a true advised pension transfer then certainly the compliance officer would have seen this. Likewise for advisers within an AR network e.g open work,intrinsic etc if they had processed as pension transfer with all the documentation required they would have had to send all their paperwork e.g fact find,suitability etc to the network for checking compliance and suitability before they would be able to enact the transfer. Hence, I would be surprised if this had been done as advising clients to invest all their pension in an unregulated scheme such as this would have triggered alarm bells if in massive volume. I guess when the Fsa have carried out their reviews into the ifa’s and fs firms who sold this we will have a much clearer idea. Perhaps, some of the investors on here who have invested via sips can advise whether they did have a full fact find completed,attitude to risk,comparables,suitability letters etc???
I do find RL’s current stance very odd and contradictory. RL themselves advised only last week to act now as in their opinion HP would start to disintegrate within 2 months, so 8 weeks. Now they’re saying we should sit back and wait for 2 weeks. Why? What’s changed?
@ Anon 55,
In my own naive little world, I had thought that this would all be properly documented as an advised pension transfer with investment advice.
What you are suggesting adds an extremely sinister angle to the actions of IFAs. This would completely undermine the FSA core principle of TCF ( Treating Customers Fairly ) which, I would guess you would know, would land the IFAs in very hot water indeed.
So, did the compliance officers at these networks know what was going on? If they did not, then they need to take action against those members involved. I would imagine that the other network members that were not involved will want answers from the networks.
Did anyone buy through Property Club International?
GMWBTD – Take RL’s advice, they atre the experts and know what they are doing! Erica has her own interests in the front of her mind and how she would like to deal with the situation, but she is not the expert, just the co-ordinator (please dont take that as criticism Erica!
Don’t annoy Thatchett too much because when Ames comes at you for defamation/ liable etc he may not be willing to assist for free anymore!
@Canuck, thanks for the reassurance. I wasn’t trying to put RL in a bad light, but was genuinely surprised by the apparent change in approach. I do have faith in them and have been very impressed by how they have conducted themselves.
I thin k Gaareth is a decent competent solicitor – whetre have you invested BB? Do you know if your unit is complete? Have you contacted HP?
@Erica nobody can fault the hard work you have put it over the years, but you, especially need to have a period of calm & work out what actually is it you want to achieve? Ames in prison, IFA’s in prison, HP goes bust , more TV– what is it you want to achieve? ???
Have you taken steps to get your money back? And if you get it what then? Please calm down you are getting more erratic by the day.
I’m well down the legal road. I contacted HP long ago but could tell very early on that there is no point pursuing anything with them as it will just waste time and get me nowhere.
The other thing that i have noticed is nobody is interested in closing their part of the bargain out and closing the deal and taking ownership of a property – this is due to a few making the rest hysterical
Strangely, over the past few days the posts on here seem to have become much less aggressive even though the obvious HP supporters have gone quiet. Why do you think that is? Are we moving back into ‘things could still be ok’ territory?
GMWBTD – But where have you purchased?
BB, many moons ago. It feels like a lifetime ago since I was stupid enough to sign the paperwork
GMWBTD – And has it been constructed?
It’s very quiet on here today. My spider senses tell me that some people have had their silence bought.
Every company has stand still cost i.e. rent, wages rates etc ,each week this cost comes out of the pot ,hopefully to be replaced plus with any income.Is it reasonable to assume income is short of stand still costs in HPs case,is it also reasonable to assume that as no building appears to be happening ,.some agents appear not to be selling HP productsat this time ,any income or funding will have to come via 3rd party,is this likely .dont need details but an indication would help.Of course in HPs case costs include payments to investors for contract obligations.Is time to wait and see an option?,I dont know I ask
No. It’s now 5 years late and “won’t be built for another 2” = Will never be built.
@homefront, does BB have any paying guests? All the pictures I’ve seen are of any empty resort.
I was going suggest that if it was physically there you could have got title, then its yours and at least nobody can take it? At least you would have something?
@GMWBTD Maybe some have had settlement and dont need to come on here, maybe they have given up trying to reason? I’ve been reading these threads from the start and the more i read, the more desperate you start to sound. Are you on a crusade to bring down Harlequin with or without getting your investment back??????
@Crazy Horse, is your question aimed at me or the collective? I’ve only been posting today so don’t know how I could have given you the impression I am looking to take HP down. I hope they don’t go under, I hope everything works out and we get some evidence soon that our investments are safe and we will see a healthy return one day. But I’ve seen nothing yet that suggests it will, unless I’ve missed something?
Well your writing style and post are pretty much like Erica’s. So I have to wonder why you of all people changed your name and why now you are hiding?? You have criticized people doing this?? I
@Crazy Horse, I can assure you I am not Erica. I don’t really know who Erica is, but assume she is a very articulate and thoughtful lady!
Really, I am not Erica and am not on any crusade. I do have money invested in HP and do want to see some kind of positive outcome, as I’m sure you do.
@Crazy Horse, can I ask you what your general opinion is on the current status of HP?
@GMWBTD In my opinion, HP should be very worried. I dont believe they will be here in 12 months and all the people who have invested should be contacting solicitors and putting their claims in ASAP.
Crazy Horse – your opinions are valid but they are no more than that,the trouble is us investors know very little, you have no idea how long HP will exist – RL are liasing with HP lawyers and we have to put our trust in them being professional
@Crazy Horse & In the Know. Both very valid opinions.
Are Monday’s investor meetings still happening?
I know that GWBTD Is not Erica as I have spent the morning with Erica planning Monday’s meeting. I hope that this helps things Crazy Horse……
@Crazy How/why would Harlequin try and sue for defamation? I think you will find that I have never defamed anyone, I am different than Harlequin and no longer want to do business with them is that okay??
Is any representatives from HP attending?
Erica – its not us you need to convince its HP and I’m sure they will have a different view of things possibly
Have I missed something. Who has been defamed and how?
Nobody has been defamed – I am saying that Erica needs to be careful as HP seem to use Carter Ruck out of pure spite if anybody dares question them
I think even CR would have tough time suing anyone for telling the truth wouldn’t they?
If they sued everyone that had called HP con-men they’d have to build some new courts to handle the mass.
Sid – thats the problem, nobody knows what the truth is but is quick to be dishing out opinions, CR may get our IP address and decide we have damaged the company talking like this – but the issue is its expensive defending with these spurious cliams
Canuck – Erica has already had letter off CR because of her website.
Sid – Very true ha ha! Maybe the reason CR haven’t done anything is because they know it is the truth. I’m suprised that Harlequin have any money left to sue anyone!
Then here’s hoping that BFP keep our IP addresses private!
Sid – thats the whole point, its if HP think there is a focal point then they are handy in starting legal action
C&E – I hope your right, but I think theres a always a sting in the tail from HP.
Cash is tight thats for sure but they aren’t shy in spending whats left, when I say cash is tight I mean in the business not in the Ames family – they are living the life of luxury we can only dream of
My understanding is you can only track an ip to an ISP, not an individual. In order to locate an individual from an ip you would need a court order, and I don’t think anyone’s said anything that could remotely justify that.
Well well..Andy Townsend video presentation no longer on harlequin website. Wonder what that’s all about..
Truth is, HP sold thousands of homes. During the good times of solid cashflow, they were unable to start all bar one of their developments, unable to get planning and unable to get financing. This will not get easier with slowing down of sales. Each sale represents a further liability. These are facts, you really don’t need any more truth upon which to make any decisions. If a company is not building 95% of what they are selling, and peddle the product as a great investment with strong returns, when their only quarter built development is losing money hand over fist, then are these people on the up and up, or are they lying about the product to make you part with your money? In the latter case, conning you. What is possibly good about that product? Yes it takes time to make resorts profitable, but they have to be built first…The truth that you need is staring you in the face.
Sid – Well Thatchett did it to Dan Dalligan at HP when he slagged him off to the world. Don’t you remember, he took £6.5k of Harlequins (otherwise yours and mine) and gave it to the local God Botherers, didn’t reduce our legal bill with him with that cash!
Yes he is?…http://www.harlequinproperty.co.uk/
@Canuck, he tracked him down solely from his ip address?
Anonymous 55 – Your wrong on that plus he his still doing the football coaching over easter
Sid – dont know but he tracked him
100 – you give your opinions like you know they are fact, they may well be true, but seeing as Harlequin have never issued any audited accouns in the Carribean then we don’t know the facts
@Sid, Re IP address. Newman and Harlecon used an IP address based in California and a server in Hong Kong, I believe. Anybody can track an IP address if they really want to.
FDNRM – Seeing as your back and 100% credible, have you been offered title on your property as well as getting a return?
@FNRM, yes, if they really want to…and gain permission from the court. I think there has to be sufficient justification and that’s not just someone suggesting HP are failing to deliver against their contractual obligations.
Sid – Its irrelevant anyway because Erica is making no secret of who she is – all HP will state is that individual are stating things as fact that are opinion causing damage to the company
Canuck – auditted accounts won’t show developments to have started. They have not. This is the main truth I think investors need to just bear in mind. If they could not start when cashflow was excellent, then they will not now. I have raised finance on many projects in the region, and the criteria is tough, and the liabilities and ability to pay those off without incuring more liabilities will preclude any financial institution from looking at it seriously. I assume the fact statement I made that you are questioning is that BB loses money and you await the auditted accounts to show this. That is a fair comment if, but I was personally told by Harlequin senior management they were losing US$1m per month, again no back-up audits. I do know resort operation in the Caribbean very well however, and I would think that number would have been about right at the time. Occupancies have been low, rates have been low and operating costs there are very high from what I saw, and that is not including whatever fees are paid to visiting celebs and so on. If the accounts have not been filed in 7 years, whatever accounts come out now will be heavily qualified, so really you may just have to look at what the factual physical evidence is about the state of the business and that reverts back to my comment at the top of this posting. We shall see I guess, and hope recovery of funds works out for the honest investors who have been posting and are in distress due to the wilful misleading by IFAs etc.
Sid – Thatchett didn’t get court permission it was all done and dusted in 48hrs with breakneck speed – infact the opposite to his tactics in pursuing HP for our cash!!
100 – yes all supposition and hearsay, but likely true. If what I hear is true in that HP are signing title to the chosen few, then the asset of BB is deminishing for the rest of us isn’t it?
@ Canuck, It would be a very interesting court case
Erica – probably would and I hope it doesn’t happen but they will put you through stress and expense out of pure spite. Weren’t you the person that said they had put a lady under so much stress she was suicidal?
Erica – Theres a little surprise on its way to you!
I’m sure if anyone from this forum was dragged through court they would be well supported. I for one would definitely want to be a material witness.
At the end of the day we are investors who possibly for whatever reason do not want to do business with Harlequin and there are lots of us and from what I can see and a lot of them are scared of Harlequin
(I personally thought that it was going to be a fun investment where hubby could play golf and I could soak up the sun as well as make us £28,000 a year from each investment) and instead we have this,It is time now to stand up and be counted!
I have to ask have any of you ever been threatened by any other firm that you have invested with?
Have you ever been threatened by the bank when you wanted to withdraw cash because it was not performing as you expected?
No I thought not
Sid – i would help but the issue is that legal aid is no longer availible for civil cases so you bankrupt yourself proving you were correct if some spiteful individual takes you to task! Theres no lawyers more aggressive than Carter Ruck
@ Matt There is also a suprise or two for you on Mondays Panorama!!
Erica – We are all with you I think, its just what will those low lives do next as they never take things lightly thats all I was saying.
And you have come forward and put yourself forward as the focal point.
Whats the comment about a threat from taking your cash out of the bank, I’m sure HP havent threatened you
Ha Ha Ha, I can’t wait for the show, is it on the comedy channel?
You may even have it by monday – but I can tell you what it wont be – title deeds or cash!
Watch Panorama
Matt – What’s with the threat??? Is Daddy not man enough to ring her himself??? That’s because he’s nothing but a thief. You lot are just scared of being found out tick tock little boy tick tock…..
I will rush home in my Lambo to my £3 million house, sipping fine wine, paid for in part by your SIPP!
Its not a threat, I have something for her, actually its more for both her and her husband to enjoy together!
Looks like Harlequin are no longer boasting about Trader Vics(after doing so for the past 6 years or so)…its not on their website, and it no longer shows on “coming locations” on Trader Vic`s website either. Wonder why?
Also the Spa at BB uses ESPA products, but it is not a ESPA spa, as portrayed on their website.
http://www.buccamentbay.com/BarsRestaurants/
I bought through MAP International Properties in Troon. Whilst I have nothing to show for my investment their website suggests they have moved on, and into other areas using what looks like the same or similar concept for most products. All Harlequin products except BB have been removed from the site. I wonder if the poor agents had to chase Harlequin for their lucrative commissions!
Marquis Estate isn’t on Gary Players website either.
http://www.buccamentbay.com/amenities/spa/
Not a ESPA spa…..just to clarify…
Canuck – I thing agents believed it because alot of them have invested themselves in the scheme
Paul Walton and Erica Broughton appear to no longer be in favour with Fatchett. Walton asked for advice from Eddie Lizzard 2 and Erica decides to invite other solicitors to address HER meetings. The anti-Harlequin brigade are split apart by Fatchetts call for a period of calm, moving HIS call for meetings to April 8th – 13th. Why has Fatchett adopted this approach? He has backtracked from his “Qick claim now” He knows more than he lets on and does not wish to acknowledge a weakening of his postion. Whether or not he wishes to ontinue to represent investors is open to question.
Having upset many investors by hwith his “bull in a china shop” tacticsis he about to pull out because he sees little or no chance of obtaining refunds? We shall see!
sorry, AT video is still there.apologies.was accessing via ipad and didn’t show on that but does on laptop.
Even has Pat Cash is telling lies…showing Marquis St Lucia, Las Canas and Two Rivers in DR as “current sites” in his Academy Portfolio.
Could he be sued for misleading potential Investors?…also, his two court Academy without clubhouse at BB has been heavily criticised by a Tennis enthusiast who commented on TA recently.
http://patcashtennisacademy.com/academy-portfolio/
@Harliscuccess, you are wrong.
Oh look, the fictional Matt is back…pretending to be living the high life on everyone’s money. When in truth he is sat in his 1 bed council flat.
Yank on it – have you found anything positive?
Anonymous – If it comforts you to think that go ahead! Council flat is where your heading if you remortgaged to fund your dream! I prefer mustique to council estates – Erica will confirm this – Maybe C&E could join me on my next trip I love a ruff old bird now and again!
Matt – I think you will find I am the same age as you roughly. Plus with that square head of yours I don’t think it could happen between us. But thanks for the offer….
@Matt, it’s you’re not your. You make some big claims that can’t be true, as if they were you’d be as stupid as you sound (and spell). If I had conned people out of money I wouldn’t brag about it publicly, though I really do hope you'(re) for real. And as for council estates, I have far less chance than you (who you are pretending to be) than ending up in one. I have many sound investments that keep me happy and continue to make good money. HP is more of any annoyance to me than a game changer. The difference between my money and yours is that mine won’t be repossessed by the courts!
@C&E, is Matt for real?
@Matt, Hope I wont be around for a couple of days will your suprise wait until I finish my house move?
Anonymous – I hope your right but I doubt we will see any of the Ames people in jail, Harlequins UK business may be asset-less but good dollars have gone astray and there’s plenty of nice places where money talks and they will be made welcome – whilst you may think Ames is daft he’s amassed a good amount of cash and cleverer people have sorted things.
Anonymous – I know Matt is dim but its a pet hate of mine when arseholes like you pick up on spelling I am conscious of my spelling because I have dyslexia so don’t be a smart prick
C&E – ok fair enough, looking at you I thought you were older and I’m sure you can’t afford to be too fussy!
@canuck…No.Sorry.
@Canuck, I wouldn’t normally pick up on anyone’s spelling (ever) and can see how offensive that was. I’m very sorry for doing so, but hope you can see why I did that one time.
@Canuck, as a side issue on spelling, when I post from an I-pad I get automatic spell check, but when posting from a PC I don’t. Anyone know why?
@FDNRM, maybe you PC is broken. You should by a new one from the money your are receiving from HP (joke).
Anon – apology accepted no problem.
FDNRM – I asked earlier but I don’t know if you saw – was title offered to you on property
Matt- This is getting boring now yawn! I can be a lot more fussier than you. No matter how much money, fast cars and houses you’ve got doesn’t make your dick any bigger or your face better looking sweets just remember that little piece of advice.
@Matt – please can you answer me this. Does you dad know that you come on here affirming all the negative press he and HP get? Doesn’t that completely undo all the good work his/your lawyers do? I’m sure your comments will really impress the chaps at the SFO.
Erica – sure it won’t perish, it’s not all yours it’s to share with hubby! And don’t have him lifting too much in the move!
Sid – I’m winding up the people who are winding me up!
Sid – Matt isn’t Matt Ames it’s somebody winding Erica – take no notice
Thanks Canuck. I’m still trying to work out who’s on whose side!
To be honest I don’t think there’s more than one or two HP supporters
So so quite today.? ONLY couple of people talking rubishSo q
That’s because momentum has stopped!
why is that? Cos of the meeting delayed?
Anonymous – The meeting hasn’t been delayed as far as I know Erica is still going ahead on Monday 🙂
I don’t understand? Will @RL Gareth Fatchett and Paul Walton be there? I thought he advised to do meetings in April?
Mr Lars I like your idea ,can it work?Mr lars lets see what we can do. I do believe your idea is great if something can be done lets not wait because it is going to destroy St vincent and any furture investment.I believe people are now afraid never mind if this fails.I would love to talk to you MR lars how do I contact you?
John – it has to be too late surely? Harlequin do not own quite a lot of the finished cabanas as title has been passed to their owners.
What can you do about those lucky ones who had something physical to claim?
I’m sure the cash they paid for these have been squandered!
“………title has been passed to their owners.”
As far as I am aware, nobody has publicly admitted to having received title, and it’s unlikely anyone has.
You did get one thing right though, the money has been squandered. The fact that Carter Ruck have gone back to silencing the critics of the ‘Church” of Scientology, and are ignoring negative Harlequin posts and websites speaks volumes. That kind of heavy handed and morally reprehensible legal pressure doesn’t come cheap.
http://i-witness-news.com/2013/03/20/bbc-confronts-ames-on-uk-flight-source/
Mr Blue – I am being told title has been transferred, maybe RL can confirm/ deny? Erica/ Paul do you know?
Pimlico flats have a lot to say but I cannot post the link?
When I started reading this site, i really hoped for my parents that there would be some answers but its like reading a soap opera. No real content just whining Are there meetings?? When are they? Who will be there? What address? Can someone get a grip – what a joke!
Crazy Horse – you have just done what you say you dislike – a post of nothing! It’s not compulsory to come on this blog?
Canuck – I’m just frustrated at lack of info and wondering why my questions aren’t being answered! I will ask again –
Are there meetings? Because Erica says monday but RL say April?
Who will be there? and What address??????
Crazy Horse please calm down, Erica does have a normal job apart from doing all this in her free time she is trying her best but cannot be here 24/7. I’m sure she will be along later today with the answers for you.
Can’t you answer them Charles@Eddie? You said yesterday that you and Erica spent the morning planning the meeting. I’m sure you would have some answers. Thanks
@ Crazy Horse
Erica is very busy today. If you would care to look upthread you will find the details of the meetings on 25th March that she has posted already. The Panorama programme is also scheduled to go out on that Monday evening. I am sorry to hear that your parents are investors and can understand your concern but you came across as quite rude in your earlier posts. A little politeness goes a long way.
You might also find this link useful:
http://www.harlequininvestorgroup.co.uk
@Eddie Lizzard2. I don’t mean to be rude, but I’m frustrated. I’ve been reading this thread and the previous, and noticed how many times the same person changes their name and posts as someone else. I’m doing this as my parents have invested but are useless when it comes to technology so im reading the threads and info for them. My parents live in the midlands but are prepared to go to London for the meetings but want to know who will be there? A friend of ours was impressed by Manchester’s meeting, and we want to know if the same people running it will be there? I asked last night at 10.05pm and this morning. Erica posted 6.05am and 8.30am this morning, yet nothing about the meetings.
The reason i ask is because RL is advising to go to meetings in April but there is a meeting on Monday?? You have to understand why all this is confusing!
@Crazy Horse, I think RL suggested postponing the meeting, but did not get much support so the meeting on Monday stands.
@Sid When and where and who will be there?
I don’t honestly know. The harlequininvestorgroup website says to email gemma.stackhouse@regulatorylegal.co.uk if you are interested in attending. Sorry I can’t be more help.
@Sid Thanks, Ive already emailed and waiting for reply.
Pingback: Harlequin Property News | cpcholding
Did everyone get the latest HP announcement about BB handing over title deeds to investors?
@john Delhirro, Did you hear from Mr Lars?
I seem to remember Harlequin announcing that quite sometime ago, and it turned out to be more BS. I view this as nothing more than stalling tactics from HP.
If (and that’s a massive ‘if) HP are handing over titles, it’ll only be for cash buyers as we know one thing for sure, no lending institution will touch this. This then makes me think its just an attempt to generate some cash flow, as we know with out more buyers, there isnt any.
Sid – where is the HP announcement and when was it issued?
Mr Blue I had heard about this but havent seen the statement. If titles are handed over then what happens if an administrator is appointed for BB?
@Sid This was in their Newsletter dated Sept 2012…more than 6 months ago…(for what it is worth)
“In the early days of selling property in the Caribbean, some people said that this
was all too good to be true and that it wouldn’t happen. I feel that we have proved
them wrong as we are now in the process of handing over legal title to the
properties at Buccament Bay Resort, which is a significant step and completes the
cycle that we promised all those years ago.
We look forward to a great future for all our investors and I thank you for your
continued support.
Kind regards
Dave Ames
CHAIRMAN, HARLEQUIN HOTELS & RESORTS”
Hi Canuck, it’s pretty much as yatinkiteasy put it. It was emailed earlier today. Apparently people are taking title deeds and investors that are offered but not wanting to complete at this time are being allowed to hold-off for now – and HP won’t penalise them even though they could (very kind). Those properties will be made available to other investors who’s properties aren’t yet complete or to those who have invested in other resorts.
Sid – I havent had the email, so it cant have gone to everyone?
Canuck, it was written like it would go out to everyone as it was addressed to ‘Dear investors and agents’.
Sid – Well it clearly hasn’t because I ahvent received it – when was it sent?
Sid no I have not heard from MR Lars yet ,I am waiting.I also have heard nothing of anyone recieveing a title yet.I agree with most people on this tread we are all worried and frustrated I call england every day , that it has gotten to a point where Vinny hides from me.I was dealing with Kim who was in the legal and Finical part of Hp but after talking to her 10times she has no real answer and now says she really is not in the finical part of Hp so this is what has been going on.I am trying something else as we speak so lets see, it is a long shot but like I said before if the Govt does not do something now say goodbye to any futrue investment in St Vincent .I still think St Vincent bb is a great idea but now it is time to do something about this mess.Mr lars you seem way ahead in your thinking I do believe in your structure that you see for the Future of St Vincent..I have investor right now who love this project and would be more than willing to work with your govt right now MR Aims at this point must realize he has to go .I am waiting to hear from you MR lars My investor are right now as we speak working with other parts of the caribeanen in waste mangerment and power plants that will be funded by my group ,so lets all but our heads together and see what kind of plan we can come up with.I am still hoping and where there is hope you never know
@Canuck, I received it at 12.50 today.
@jD, please keep me posted. Like you I love the concept of what BB could/should be and would hate to see it disappear rather than be salvaged and completed. Hopefully Mr Lars will reply.
“……..and HP won’t penalise them even though they could (very kind)”
That’s because those early contracts promised end finance, and there isn’t any. Any attempt to enforce penalties would just incur the wrath of more lawyers, right when they just want some quick cash flow.
Just remember HP are sales, that’s all. Now that they can’t sell any new ‘off plan’ projects to anyone because the media have rumbled their game, they’re trying to sell the same cabanas that they’ve already sold to anyone who will give them the cash – with out penalising anyone (how kind indeed!)
Any mug who gives them more money at this stage is not just making a high risk investment, they’re throwing good money after bad.
@Canuck, That’s my concern too. When this all goes bang, I doubt having title for a little square of land will help. Just remember, the exalted PM of SV call’s himself “Comrade.” Be afraid, Be very afraid.
I will believe it when I see it I.e the title deeds. They shall be encased in gold they will be that precious.
C&E – they do exist I hear because some of the deals that people have negotiated has resulted in them being given ownership
INVESTOR MEETINGS TO BE HELD IN THE WEEK COMMENCING 8th APRIL 2013
In order to allow a period for Harlequin to set out their position, we have decided to move our investor meetings to the week commencing 8th April 2013.
We intend to have meetings as follows :-
· 9th April 2013 – 12noon – Manchester
· 11th April 2013 – 12 noon – Central London
· 12th April 2013 – 12 noon – Birmingham
If you would like to attend, please email harlequin@regulatorylegal.co.uk or call 01384 426400.
OPTIONS SHEET
We are drafting up an Options Sheet detailing the legal issues and offering options. This document will be available from the 28th March 2012.
If you require a copy please go to http://www.harlequininvestorgroup.co.uk .
Thinking about this, I don’t know what you think, but if HP sells the properties to whoever has the cash to buy them at what ever price (I’m sure HP will be taking what they can) then ownership will be passed to the investor, if Harlequin then go bust I take it all they will have that belongs to them is the communal areas/ restaurants which will then be sold to another operator by the liquidator.
Then an other will then operate the resort?
So anybody who has good dollar will be buying what they can off HP, obtaining the deeds at the expense of those who need finance?
Am I right?
How does this leave the 95% of investors,IF its true that 5% of property is complete,once title is passed on this 5% ? Wait for construction to be completed on the other 95% ? If I stress if BB was built with only deposits could some sort of deal be worked out to have the title held in trust for all investors to at least spread a bit of cash back to everyone? Can anyone help on this?
Sid – I just got the emai regarding transferring title
When I said cash back ,that assumes BB making a profit
As long as the ‘Comrade” (who is deeply embroiled in this) doesn’t get any further Marxist ideas and nationalise the project for the good of the nation.
The downfall if HP may have some serious political ramifications, and should deeply concern any investors
H – Thats what I am concerned about, once title has been passed and Harlequin own nothing to liquidate then the 95% must be screwed surely?
This sounds like the vultures will be circling at others expense – which isn’t unusual in these type of things
@Canuck Thats how it seems ,It may well end with investor fighting investor . I wonder if someone who had not paid a deposit would be able to purchase .a new investor say who stumped up the full asking price,could an agent even do this ?
I do not know Commonwealth law and as an American find a lot confusing
here. I am not a lawyer but I believe that if Buccament Bay were on
US territory a court would IMMEDIATELY place BB Resort into
receivership and appoint a bankruptcy referee. Secondarily if no
accouning has been supplied for several years that means no
room taxes have been paid. Seems to me that the government of
St Vincent has all the necessary means within the law to “take over”
the operation and then have its courts sort out equitable compensation
to all investors.
Just thinking ………………
H – I dont think an agent could facilitate this but Harlequin could. For all we know they could be selling the unit to more than one person! We wouldn’t know would we?
Perplexed – but what we are asking is if HP have sold a property and passed title then the courts are powerless to touch that property as its owner has not done anything wrong, if your talking about the restaurants, shops, communal areas then yes, but if you have paid for the property and have title then nobody can take that off you?
Why did Ames start this venture on St Vincent when the other Islands already have the required infrastructure, airports and tourist traffic. He would have been better off starting in the Dom Rep to get the thing off the ground. Common sense really! The chances are it would have been a success, only if he’d saved enough of the investors money to build it. The latest propaganda from HQ about transfer on title deeds at BB is total BS, just another scam to try and raise more cash from investors. I think Ames may either end up doing a “Glenn Miller” in one of his antiquated planes or he may use his citizenship of St Vincent and become a permanent resident there. Anyone know if the UK has an extradition treaty with St Vincent?
From what I’ve read he doesn’t sound any popular is SVG!
@Canuck
How can you have title if it has not been registered and the appropriate
stamps and transfer fees been paid. It would seem to me this would
have to be done in St Vincent and not Basildon.
I personally wouldn’t do a thing without consulting a lawyer. It has all become too complicated now.
All,
19 acres of land is registered. The rest is unregistered. Our SVG lawyers (Williams & Williams) have advised us that while the land is unregistered the transfer is not validated.
The gold standard measure is the registration of the property.
So in order to achieve this, you would need to undertake a transfer of part (a subdivision), pay your tax and fees etc.
You would also need to pay the 70% completion monies. This is more difficult if a mortgage is put in place as the charge would need to be registered against the title.
We have seen no sub divisions / registrations other the January 2009 transfer of 19 acres to Harlequin Property SVG Limited.
@RL, So am I right in thinking that from day one nobody could have ever taken legal title of their property? So there was never anything for us to legally buy, so HP never really had anything to legally sell?
@RLS
Thanks. Are a Lien Search and Title Insurance required?
What if all the “public areas” are within the 19 acres?
@Crazy Horse, did you hear anything about Monday’s meeting?
@perplexed I
If it was poss,to have overlay showing the 19 acres in relation to the development that would be interesting dont you think
All, I have just received this from Erica, she has tried to post it but it is awaiting moderation so I said I would post it on her behalf.
INVESTOR MEETINGS TO BE HELD IN THE WEEK COMMENCING 8th APRIL 2013
In order to allow a period for Harlequin to set out their position, we have decided to move our investor meetings to the week commencing 8th April 2013.
We intend to have meetings as follows :-
·9th April 2013 – 12noon – Manchester
·11th April 2013 – 12 noon – Central London
·12th April 2013 – 12 noon – Birmingham
If you would like to attend, please email harlequininvestorgroupnw@gmail.com or call 01384 426400.
OPTIONS SHEET
We are drafting up an Options Sheet detailing the legal issues and offering options. This document will be available from the 28th March 2012.
If you require a copy please go to http://www.harlequininvestorgroup.co.uk .
All, I have just received this from Erica, She has tried to post it herself but it is awaiting moderation so I am posting it on her behalf.
INVESTOR MEETINGS TO BE HELD IN THE WEEK COMMENCING 8th APRIL 2013
In order to allow a period for Harlequin to set out their position, we have decided to move our investor meetings to the week commencing 8th April 2013.
We intend to have meetings as follows :-
·9th April 2013 – 12noon – Manchester
·11th April 2013 – 12 noon – Central London
·12th April 2013 – 12 noon – Birmingham
If you would like to attend, please email harlequininvestorgroupnw@gmail.com or call 01384 426400.
OPTIONS SHEET
We are drafting up an Options Sheet detailing the legal issues and offering options. This document will be available from the 28th March 2012.
If you require a copy please go to http://www.harlequininvestorgroup.co.uk .
@Sid no I haven’t heard anything yet. Still waiting.
Crazy Horse, I know Erica has tried to post an update on but it is awaiting moderation 🙂
I have tried to post it too but for some reason my post’s aren’t coming on
INVESTOR MEETINGS TO BE HELD IN THE WEEK COMMENCING 8th APRIL 2013
In order to allow a period for Harlequin to set out their position, we have decided to move our investor meetings to the week commencing 8th April 2013.
We intend to have meetings as follows :-
·9th April 2013 – 12noon – Manchester
·11th April 2013 – 12 noon – Central London
·12th April 2013 – 12 noon – Birmingham
@h
In reality when owning property in a foreign country (in this case foreign to
the UK) it is that country that one has title registered with. Otherwise
pieces of paper mean nothing.
@perplexed Thanks that info. will see me till w/c 8th
H – If you would like to come to the meetings please email me at harlequininvestorgroupnw@gmail.com
Thanks
Erica
Sid – RL confirmed that HP owned 19 acres of BB. Therefore, if your unit is within that 19 acres, it would have been possible for them to have sold it to you, split the title, and registered your sale with SVG Land Registry (or whatever the equivalent is).
However, as Mr Blue has quite rightly pointed out, the suspicion for anybody who is now offered title on their unit is that this is just a way for HP to desperately raise cash (i.e. the investor has to pay the remaining 70% to complete). For goodness sake, if anyone is considering this, then please make sure you use a reputable local lawyer to handle the transfer and payment of local taxes so that your purchase is legit.
And Mr. Blue makes another very good point in that HP are probably only approaching cash investors with this offer to complete since how the hell anyone could raise finance on their unit currently, god only knows. And HP need cash fast.
Caveat Emptor is all I can say. I’d rather lose a 30% investment than 100%.
Looks like we will have to watch the cartoon channel on Monday – no Panorama on Monday night now!
o.m.g.
@erica. Have been following this saga for a few years. Saw your thread on pimlico. Big up to you for seeing this through to the end.Know too well how hard it is to stand up and be counted when you are against people with more finances and have been threatened with libel , court action etc. I liasied with harlecon (did not know who was running the website at the time) and in IMHO from the emails we exchanged it did not seem that they had an agenda BUT were honestly concerned regarding the operations and genuine in trying to get as much info out there to the public.wishing you and all the other investors the best of luck x
If anyone wants a copy of the registered land title please email harlequin@regulatorylegal.co.uk.
Who are CPC Worldwide? Advertising their services on the SVG TA forum.
Who are CPC Worldwide? Apparently dealing with this with two groups in London and NE.
MR lars is there any contact or email number for you ,I would really like to talk to you concerning ST vincent
Bit of a kick in the balls Panorama being cancelled – its the first of a few surprises!
Wait until erica and her lame husband get their surprise!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006t14n/broadcasts/2013/03
Ah, sorry Old Bailey Matt/Anon
It is on the BBC News Channel at 04:30am (!) on Thursday:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01rmkvd
Set those record buttons, or watch out for iplayer.
Yes.still going out.maybe the bbc1 are waiting for more info re Ireland court case and want to have time to include this..or Are aware of more action and are waiting to air full details?or Hp are legit?? And have the billion or so needed to build the resorts.
@anon 9:26
Jeez sir! Don’t you have any common decency?
Hardly primetime now!
Apparently it was such uninteresting dross it wasn’t worthy of primetime showing!
Perplexed – since when do I answer to you?
@Anon looks interesting to me.
The Great Savings Wipe Out
Not currently available on BBC iPlayer
DURATION: 30 MINUTES
Panorama investigates a series of financial scandals which have put at risk the life savings of tens of thousands of people.
A twice-bankrupt, former double glazing salesman from Essex has collected an estimated quarter of a billion pounds from investors, which is now at risk. In one of Britain’s biggest ever pension scandals, he promised to build luxury rental homes in the Caribbean, some on the island of St Vincent, where the film Pirates of the Caribbean was filmed. Wimbledon tennis champion Pat Cash and golfing legend Gary Player helped promote the property scheme. However, reporter Paul Kenyon finds most of the planned properties have yet to be built and there are disputes over planning permission and land ownership.
A worrying number of savings scandals are coming to light as more than a million people chose to look after their own pension savings through Self-Invested Personal Pension schemes. In a second SIPP case a respected finance house failed to raise the alarm to investors before £100m went missing after clear warnings to the financial regulator from a whistle blower. SHOW LESS
Come on people, don’t feed the trolls.
Well, yes, Anon @ 9:42pm, maybe.
I can only imagine maximum 20,000 people would be avidly interested.
But the fall out from the the FSA having allowed this to continue despite 100s of professional IFAs reporting the scheme since the early days is yet to follow.
Plus the fact that libel laws have been totally abused by Harlequin and Carter Ruck.
It may take longer than anticipated, but it will all come out in the wash.
Unless of course Harlequin actually build resorts, transfer titles, and start to give investors their promised returns (5+ years later than contracted in many cases) before the BBC actually air the story during prime time viewing.
Tick tock.
Hopefully there is now enough info out there now to ensure that future investors decide to carry out their own DD before investing. And of course, the FSA alerts and SFO investigation will force ‘IFA’s (in the loosest sense of the term) to be very careful how they recommend the product from now on.
It’s not going out on BBC news theybjustvhavent changed the schedule yet!
@erica and Charles and Eddie. Thanks for the dates, now I understand. Will see you there.
And on a quick note. I have checked the website and my sky and the programme will be shown at 8.30pm on Monday. Don’t listen to the HP trolls!
Reasons unknown – or the other thing that might have happened is you swallowed Ericas bullshit?
Crazy Horse – I think your wrong!
20:30 Ripp Off Britain – maybe appropriate but not Panorama
Crazy Horse – check the BBC website. The scheduling has changed. Hopefully it will change again once the BBC lawyers have earned their crust.
All losing momentum and the tide is turning – and Erica thinks she’s invincible
Reasons unknown – It’s in the bin, not to see light of day! What a shame not too much rooting right Thatchett loses his bottle and now BBC – what’s going on Erica!
Erica – surprise No.1 – number 2 on its way!
Any official news on why panorama was cancelled?
Erica – you said I would get a nice surprise on Monday – your not letting me down now are you?
Erica – From your first post on day one I felt you were a pretty decent woman. In fact you really showed a sense of humor (US sp). Don’t
let these idiots that use several names (but all sound suspiciously alike)
upset you. You’ve got one Yank, observing from across the pond,
rooting in your corner. You go girl !!!
Yep, she sure does. Go Erica!
(don’t feed the trolls! [my new motto])
Gobshitting yank!
Why do you like poking your nose in other people’s business – no wonder your the most hated race.
@Anon…I`m white assehole!
Yatin … don’t feed the trolls!
Yankin it off who said you was any particular colour?
Worry not. Things are afoot.
6am visit to the office anyone ?
Uncle Dave not got a clue what your talking about
John Delhirro, you can send a request for information to info@atasteofbequia.com and I will get your e mail information and get back to you in the weekend.
Mr Lars
@Yatinkiteasy
Who really cares whether you’re white or black? You seems to use your Race as if it entitles you additional benefits and privileges. I am white lol, who gives a f..k in this day and age?
There will be a good reason why the BBC have decided not to televise Panorama on Monday night. The fact that they are still showing it next week suggests that HP have not legally intervened as if they had it wouldn’t go out at all. You may find they think the story is actually bigger than they first thought so will develop the programme before airing on BBC1.
@Uncle Dave, I’d love to know what you mean?…
Or have realised there’s not much of a story that would be of interest to the general public? They may have acquired information from Harlequin that has made them think again about putting out what would be a damming blow to Harlequin and potentially damaging – and would only be serving as a “platform” for a few disgruntled investors?
Sid – panorama wont be shown next week on any channel including bbc news.
I just think they haven’t changed the schedule yet.
I have seen the letter from BBC and it confirms it will not be shown and is postponed
@LB, I don’t think the BBC have found anything about HP that worries them. If they had new information from anywhere that they thought could unjustly damage HP they wouldn’t air it – EVER on any channel at any time. The time of day they televise it and and on what channel would give them no legal protection if they are stating inaccurate facts about HP. What ever goes out has to be true and proven. Maybe you’re right, maybe there isn’t enough general public interest. Or maybe the government are embarrassed by the way they appear in all this as they allowed HP to part of the SIPP scheme – and they COULD insist it doesn’t go out on mainstream tv. If this is the case it would further put HP under the spotlight with the SFO etc.
Just my opinion of course.
Hi Canuck. Ok, thanks. It would have been a good watch, but would have been very embarrassing at the same time for friends and family to see what we’ve gotten ourselves involved in!
@LB i would prefer to think what you are thinking rather than @Sid
@Canuck, out of interest, who was the letter addressed to?
Panorama cancelled. Why? Maybe the BBC’s legal department advised against it’s showing. Prime Minister Gonsalves, after being the subject of disgraceful attention from BBC investigators,wrote both to the BBC and The UK Government to complain. Maybe Dave Ames also complained. Had the accusation made against Dr Gonsalves (receiving a suitcase of cash) been aired he could have sued them for millions! DR gonsalves deserves the repect afforded to Cameron,and any other high ranking politician with an impeccable record.
As was the case with the MOS running a series of articles on Harlequin (a series of how many?) was terminated for poor quality journalism, maybe the same was true of the Panorama content. The actions of the BBC investigators were more like those of early morning TV presenters chasing benefit cheats and rogue traders . Panorama should be above this type of reporting.
As for the suggestions on this thread of a “takeover” at Buccament Bay,dream on.
The thread continues to go round and round in circles with stupid suggestions and pointless comments.
Anon, Yatin thinks that by utilizing his race it gives him extra Browne points.
Sid – the letter was between the 2 legal teams
BBC website now showing panorama on bbc2 next Friday.
Not on the BBC website or radio times listing at all for next Friday – what time you seeing it screened at?
Usually the link works. Sorry if it does not.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006t14n/broadcasts/upcoming
I am interested in this thread only as a casual observer and resident in Barbados near to Merricks. Also I nearly went for Merricks about four years ago, hoping to move in about now! Glad I didn’t.
@Erica, you are close to the Panorama team. Can you give an update on if it has been moved/cancelled/postponed what the reason is.
Is listed. Look at thurs listings going into Friday. 00.50-1.20.
Not sure what the obsession with Panorama is about. It makes little difference, Ames and co have done nothing on several sites that were supposed to be completed by now. You dont need panorama to tell you that. Harlequin just cannot build what they sell, it is just as clear as day and borne out by the evidence. What is Panorama going to do to change that?
Panorama aired a programme on Jimmy Savile called “Jimmy Savile, what the BBC knew.” Having had one of their own departments air their dirty laundry for the world to see, do you really think they’re scared of a double glazing salesman, and the Prime Minister of a little 3rd world island? (one who is facing sexual assult and bribery allegations).
@Anonymous55, my guide says ‘Ancient Egypt: Life and Death in the Valley of the Kings’ is on then. I know Ames rates himself, bu don’t think this is about him! Looks like it’s been canned.
All changed again re panorama. Think it’s safe to say that there must be some shenanigans going on behind the scenes as to when or indeed if to air??
@Anon73, the interest in Panorama for me is this. They doorstepped the PM of SVT, doorstepped DA on a plane and if the program was to be anything like the MOS articles would prove nothing new, just lazy journalism. Could it be that the BBC editorial team relalised they have nothing new and could leave themselves open to court action?
Won’t be aired until legals sorted. Fair play to the double glazed salesman from Essex for derailing the BBC!
It looks that way. Apparently the has been written correspondence between the BBC’s and HP’s legal teams, so it looks like there may have been a genuine legal block after all, so we may never see it.
Has anyone got the number for rogue traders?
Hello FDNRM. How are you today?
@Sid, thank you for asking. Been out to put 2 new tyres on my car so the £100 came in handy. I think HP are fighting back regarding the publicity and if some people close on their BB investment then thats a positive step. Paul Walton seems to be very quiet at the moment. Does anyone know why?
Sid – rogue traders is still BBC.
You need to contact itv, c4 or sky?
I had noticed that. Wondering if maybe he’s worked something out with HP.
FDNRM – are you completing on your property?
@Canuck, only joking about rogue traders. Though it would be a funny episode….and I’d get to meet Melinda Messenger. The more I think about it!
Sid – cant see Paul getting a deal, he’s burnt his bridges with Ames I think
MR lars thank you I am emailing you now
Having the BBC admit that the BBC management knew about Savile’s conduct (or misconduct) was more of risk legally.
Outing a double glazing salesman for taking peoples pension savings to live a lavish lifestyle is hardly compares.
Only the comment regarding not having a significant amount of new material has any validity. Sticking to the facts will not expost the BBC to any legal risk.
It could be that the BBC are waiting a little longer so they can offer a conclusion rather than just an update/
The info in the BBC site has changed. Nothing new, I remain a casual observer and wait until something hits the fan.
Just to remind everybody about the fact that this was investor’s money Ames just used to unleash his high priced lawyers on the BBC. That is what he does.
Fact remains also that BB is losing money daily, that Ames spent up to 1 million US$ per months to keep it running and that it will never make money or be completed. Fact is also that the Irish builder stole money but that Ames was well aware of it but because he is a very bad Controller of Finances or overall operations he never stopped the flow of cash to the builder.
Sorry, but this is a dead horse and it is just a question of time.
For those that commented on taking over BB and run it with professional, local managers, well, that cannot happen as the ownership situation is such a mess nobody will dare to touch it.
So lucky to have the BBC SFO FSA as our guardians to protect us from any alleged dodgy schemes .congrats to HP on a very easy victory.pretty much a walkover
John Smith – why should we care if Ames sees fit to use our funds to protect our investment – Gareth Fatchett took six and a half grand off us for somebody saying something mean and nasty – so fill your boots it’s a free for all!
Web sites back up sales presentations resume new investors welcome all before the next investors meeting .normal service resumed,new agents,maybe some with familiar faces.nothing will change.The meek will inherit the earth? not when the strong are so well represented
I see Andy Townsend has cancelled his visit to buccament bay soccer academy! Has he now deserted Ames?
Is Townsend still in the harlequin property website?
http://i-witness-news.com/2013/03/22/citing-possible-jail-time-bbc-reporters-staying-away-from-svg/
So the upholders of truth and honesty use deception to confront the PM of a country. Any case they had to take the moral high ground on this has gone out of the window now. Perhaps a SVG local reporter could come to the UK and doorstep the reporters?
It looks like HP and their lawyers have been working overtime with the SVG PM to find an angle to stop it going out – and they found one! They’re very good, you can’t deny that.
Hope the Mail get hold of this ,they hate the beeb
Canuck,
The elevator obviously did not get all the way to the top and you are missing a few floors…
How can Ames be right in using Investor’s money to deny transparency?
He is using lawyers (who now have abandoned him…) to continue this scam as long as possible.
You can have all Harlequin Property staff in the world writing brave phrases on this blog, fact is that it is just the beginning of the end.
The Ponzi is coming down…
I hope that everybody read today’s Echo?? Interesting full page article about Harlequin. Who needs Panorama??
@John Smith, can you put a link up because I cannot find it.
John it’s called irony you witless fuck
John you have a screw loose if you think a rag like the Echo has the same impact as a prime time tv show on BBC 1!
You could save the Tax payer a lot of money and the SFO a lot of effort – they could have asked you – I love a know it all
FDNRM – why do you never answer the question I have asked you 4 times?
Canuck, Canuck, Language, language…
That is probably why nobody got it in the first place!
Fatchett, I have a scanned copy, page 14, not online yet though…
Do not underestimate the power of the local press. They have been covering this for ages. It will go viral
@Canuck, because I don’t want to.
Too complicated for you to answer or because its more of your usual hot air?
The echo article will be the usual fish and chip wrapping fro Jon Austin!
@Canuck, I haven’t got a clue what you are on about.
I asked if you had been offered title to your property and were you accepting?
@Canuck, “to complicated for you to answer” comment?
Is your position too complicated for you to answer on here?
Although all interested parties speculate in what Panorama will broadcast it has nothing to do with the actual core problem for the investors who have paid excessive funds for properties sold by Harlequin. The scheme is over very soon and nothing can be done to bring back the 275 or more millions that have been collected. The assets are next to nothing compared to what investors have paid including the excessive funds which have been paid to greedy sales representatives who have been given 30% commission on sales. The developer who have started crazy and impossible projects with no possibility of any return of Investment has invited sales representatives to participate in unrealistic sales,. the sales agencies are as guilty as the developer according to my view of the situation.
You don’t need to be Einstein to realize that a property sold for 300 000 pounds can afford to pay a sales agent 90 000 pounds as commission, this means that the property would have a real value of 210 000 pound. At the same time the developer offers to pay the buyers mortgage until the property (that is never built) is completed, and promises to pay 10% return of the full investment ( 30 000 a year ) once the property is delivered into the rental pool. After all those years of promises, You have to be blind and death not to understand that this is a Ponzi scheme built on hopes and unrealistic goals from the developer who at some point and time probably thought that it might work.
WAKE UP AND LOOK AT THE REAL FACTS, IT WILL NEVER WORK
There is one resort up and running BB, and it looks fairly good, and has an important role to play in the tourism in St Vincent and the Grenadines. Just because it is up and running does not mean that it has any positive impact on your investment, I think it is the other way around, it empties the last cash that Harlequin properties enjoys as I am 100% sur that the operation will not have positive cash flow in the near future.
So the only asset which has a value based on a finished or Half-finished project is actually draining the Harlequins cash assets and the only way for them to keep their scheme going to the bitter end is to keep the resort open. Once the scheme is exposed by SFO and the UK media, it will be too late for Harlequian to attract any new investors to buy properties. We are getting close to the end. All of you who are after Harlequin and Mr Ames and his family and their agents must understand that no fault has been done by the Government of St Vincent and the Grenadines or by the local business community who supports the resort. All of us who live in this wonderful part of the world would love to see a successful operation and invite all of you who have invested all over the Caribbean to support and enjoy the existing resort. Someone in this forum stated that anyone who wanted to take over the resort should dream on. I think thisis exactly what all of you should do, dream on but act as the investors you are. St Vincent welcomes you..
Investors with an investment in BB resort, keep fighting for your investment and keep your good spirit high, it can be resolved in one way or another but only if you stick together and act locally in St Vincent and the Grenadines and not in UK. I am not sure the resort operation will ever be a financial success in the future, but that is another question mark that cannot be answered in todays turbulent forum. .
I think Mr Lars has hit the nail on the head ,its only when you view this as two operations it can be seen as what it is.A sales operation that makes a profit ,generates sales,and as a sales operation does nothing wrong ,has the odd bust up but allways defended to the last,A building operation run by people who are poor at what they do ,miles behind for all sorts of reasons but again nothing wrong.Think about it,ask a question on building progress ,nothing,a slight sales query ,all hell breaks loose,very clever and beyond anything SFO etc can do,Its all the builders fault.sales are great
AgeNts were paid 7-10% of the pp. so if pp £300k,Investor would need £90k deposit of which £30k of that would paid as commission. The 30%Figure previously quoted is when you do a direct comparable on what ifa,s would get on A normal pension transfer as then commission only paid on the amount transferred e.g the fund value and in this case was paid on the purchasePrice. Just for clarification.
At least no one I know borrowed to invest ,time to call it quits ,UK wise it seems you get the justice you can afford ,good luck everybody
So lots of talk, but what can we do to get our money back. I would love some simple advice without all this ranting!
What choice do we have? Is that all we want?
Anonymous – is your unit complete and at Buccament Bay?
@95 a very simple options sheet is going to be published next week.
Harlequin@regulatorylegal.co.uk if you want one.
95, the simple advice is that all of you who invested in this scheme has an enormous value as a future vacation club owned by yourselves and not by others. You can pull this off together, the dream can live on but you have to look at the real facts. There is only one of the resorts up and running, but on the other hand one is enough to start with once you write off your present expectations. I am not an investor, just an observer with 23 years experience from the tourism industry in the Caribbean but with European origin. I see clearly a positive outcome for all of you once you focus on the core problem. You can turn your investment into something positive as a new Vacation club owned and controlled by all of you and with at least one resort that is open.
With all respect to all lawyers and others who are after Ames and his entourage of sales agents, it will only be a bigger mess than it already is. I am sure that Dave Ames would assist you in any way possible to avoid further damages for him and you once he understand the reality of the future. But he is obviously blinded as well of all that is going on right now. Not to forget that he cant live up to his previous promises and will never be able to do so. So my advise is to forget the past, move on into the future with all of you united for a positive outcome, and this can not be achieved with an aggressive approach. Get back what you can is the best strategy, however you treat this it is going to cost you a little bit more money and if you are not willing to spend any more money, write it off and give your ownership to some of the other investors who sees a future in a new and positive setup controlled by all of you.
The business needs placing into administration. Let professional managers run it.
Lighthouse – is that statement based on fact or on the frenzy whipped up on here – I have a property now with a title so how are you going to place that property into administration?
Mr Lars – How are you going to pull off this plan when Ames is signing over property for cash as we speak, giving title, and taking the cash?
Hi Anon – which solicitor in SVG did you use for the legals, and would you recommend them? How much did you pay for alien tax and legals?
I think that would be useful info for the forum, so hope you don’t mind sharing.
Anon,There are many ways to run a vacation club, you are the lucky one who already owns a property with I asume a deed and therefore an important factor of a success, it is not always neccessary to own a property to be part of a resort.
Anyone who as Anons says are dealing with sign over of properties be aware, we have a deed system here and a property cannot just be signed over, it is quite a process with applications to be approved by Government. Please do not close such a transcation however desperat you are to get the property it in your name and do not pay any monet to anyone else than a legitimate local lawyert until your transcation has been regeistered as a deed.. There is no shortcut and you must follow the law. If Ames is signing over property for cash it means that he is acting fraudulently and this should be reported to SFO.
Click to access Newsletter2.pdf
700 units sold in 2011. No wonder they are all smiling !
I bet 700 people would love to show their gratitude now.
The tax is 5% of purchase price, I havent got the final bill but I anticipate this to be £2k, Kinghts & Co Solicitors
I dont know if what I have done is the better I think rather than waste money on RL or AN Other I decided the best tactic was to get an asset with title/ deed – this was offered to Paul Walton but he didn’t have the funds to complete (I am only going off what has been written before) so he asked for a refund – I can see this could be difficult if funds are tight?
Is there anyone else here who has completed or is planning to?
Mr Lars – selling property for cash and report to SFO – thats what his business should be all about!! If he produced property and sold them we wouldn’t all be here would we!
Anon and everyone else who are in the same position, There are three fees to be paid if you are not a citizen. The seller ( harlequin ) and the buyer pays 5% each in sales tax. In addition you as the buyer must be approved for alien land holding license to own land in St Vincent and the Grenadines, there is a small cost for the application and roughly 6.5% cost on the purchase price. And finally the registration of the deed which normally is 1% of price but can be negotiated. So if you buy a property for let say 300 000 you as the buyer must pay roughly another 37-38000 in taxes. This doe not include the lawyers fees. If you use the right lawyer and he or she does their work you can expect the time period to be 3-4 months, but can take up to 5-6 months until registration is completed.
Mr Lars, you don’t know what concessions Gonsalves gave them though – could have given them vendor’s tax concession (fairly normal for islands to do that) Alien’s license is very rarely waived, so if people have not gone through that process, not sure how they can have title unless went via IBC, but maybe they have gone through that ALL process. I am reliably informed Gonsalves is up to his neck in Harlequin, so quite conceivable he would facilitate whatever he can, although as we all know even a PM cannot make the civil service move any faster so agree that until an owner sees their deed registered with land registry and stamped then they don’t have their title.
Thanks for that seems to be the only sensible post here, seems to be a whole mishmash of people who think they know what they talk about, people who just like to moan and do nothing, and some that have an agenda, and finaly the ones who clearly are living in cookoo land if they think it will work
@95 a very simple options sheet is going to be published next week.
Harlequin@regulatorylegal.co.uk if you want one.
@Anon73
Wow hang on a moment, I was told that Ames had done a deal and we would not be paying this? who else was aware of a £30k plus tax?
this is a game changer
@Anon…You say you have a property now with title…bestowed to you by King Ames?
Read carefully what Mr Lars is telling you…the “title” you have received or will receive is USELESS and ILLEGAL unless it goes through the St Vincent land registration system and all fees are paid.(In addition to the funds King Ames gets for completion of your property.)
I would say the worst thing an investor could do now is to hand over more money to King Ames.
Anon – I don’t know what concessions Harlequin have been given by SVG – in a normal world, you should have sight of those concessions already. If SVG govt has given Harlequin the concession of waiving vendor’s tax, Alien’s license, stamp duty and registration fees then indeed the investor pays nothing. It is extremely rare to have all closing costs waived, but perhaps SVG govt did this as they badly needed econonomic stimulus. I cannot say as I have not seen the concessions. Getting title in any island however is a process, and not one done overnight or easily. If Harlequin own 19 acres, then they can pass title, but they would have to subdivide all the plots/lots and get block and parcel numbers on each apartment and register those with the registry, having gone through the various closing procedures. A local lawyer is an absolute must for any investor wanting to get title passed to them – totally unavoidable.
Check your contract.there are numerous things promised by Hmsse,agents and advisers e.g end finance, tax concessions BUT you may not see this in your cOntract.what yoU may see however is a caveat that we will not be helD liable/responsible for any misinformation that You are given by our agents.
@Erica/Paul Walton, can you perhaps give reasons why the Panorama program has been cancelled/postponed/re scheduled. As you were close to the Panorama program can you give some clarification?
Has anybody received an interest payment to cover their loan lately?
@Canuck I hav had no payments for jan or feb and I dnt xpect to see one nxt week. Wat bout u
I received one for Feb and March – not Jan though. Hoping April comes in or we are in big trouble…….
@LB @Chaduck how much r ur monthly payments?
Ours is £544 a month – we don’t have that sort of disposable income each month to cover the loan payments. I have requested extra hours at work to try and earn a little more money but we will still be really struggling to make the payments without having to beg off family every month to meet the shortfall – dreadful way to live.
@LB tell me about it. Ours is nearly £700. I dnt fancy paying that for another five yrs. I cld probably manage another month or two but struggling. Mayb I will b lucky an get a payment this month. Fingers crossed. Just always got no money now every month. Constant worry. U looking to cancel contract?
Apart from purchase taxes (which it seems some may have been waived, some not, we don’t know), has anyone had clarification on the management charges they will me liable to pay as an owner?
I imagine the following:
Cleaning including laundry
Food and beverages consumed by guests
Share of resort staff costs
Landscaping
Coaching (tennis, acting & singing) these may not be included in AI holiday costs so may not be an owner liability
Landscaping & ground maintenance
Insurances
Unit maintenance
Booking fees (holiday agent or Harlequin?)
Pool cleaning / maintenance
Utilities charges
Are Harlequin offering a standard fee for all these (and everything I’ve forgotten)? Is this subject to occupancy levels, and is there any guarantee on occupancy offered by Harlequin? Does a unit owner have control on room rate, or is this standard and under control by Harlequin? One would imagine that the cheaper rooms would be taken first, so not sure how it could work.
To the SVG posters, would there be income tax payable by owners on any profit they make?
I would find owning a unit bloody scary with all the unknowns. But perhaps those completing purchases are being made aware of all the unknowns.
LB and anon – have you thought about maybe using Harlequin resales option? They do include this in their sales literature. Or they did.
@anon – looked at cancelling but would still have a big shortfall on balance owing on loan, so not an option – there’s no way out for us.
@anon reasons unknown – I believe we were told there would be a 10% fee deducted from room night costs to cover all maintenance- i.e. if the rate was £200, then £20 deducted before the % of split for rental income comes in to play. Does that sound about right (that is for Dominican – we have 2 investments at Las Canas).
Who would honestly buy into this now!! Nobody with any sense. Cld try cancel contract and get some money back. Wnt get all bk but may pay some of loans off. Knew it all had to b too good to b true. Said that b4 I got talked into it.
@anon reasons unknown – yeh, looked at resale, but you only get back initially any profit on your 30% deposit less fees,( which we were quoted would be circa £26k) and at the end of the day we would see approx £10k at the point of sale, then the rest on completion of the unit. Obviously, the payments Harlequin make (or should make) on our behalf for the loan would stop, leaving us to carry on paying the loan!! Again, no way out as we owe £27k on the loan so would still owe £17k after they gave us the £10k. and that could take months before we got it from them. Anyway, who would buy it??
@LB wat did they offer u to cancel contract. Did they say how much you would get back. And how long it would take before u got it back. How mu was left on loans for you y pay if they did.
I haven’t approached them about cancelling the contract – it’s easy maths to work out tho and we would end up with about £12 – £15k outstanding on the loan to pay off and we haven’t got any way of doing that. Feeling totally trapped!! I know how you are feeling every month, wondering if they will pay, it’s horrible. It’s the first thing to enter my head as I wake in the morning and troubles me all day.
Was there supposed to be some news from the Irish Court yesterday? Anyone heard anything?
@LB the loan companies would take into account wat interest u hav paid on loans up to date. So u cld owe less than wat u think. We hav to loans. But if I cleared one at least it wld b a start. Better than having it all to pay. But yea think about it 24 hrs a day seven days a week.
This blog doesn’t help much either!
I know what you mean!! Still compelled to look though, in case there’s some miraculous news that could solve all our problems!!
Was told by Harlequin that there would be no more interest payments in the foreseeable future and if they did start missing payments won’t be made!!!!!!
I don’t know what you are expecting – if there’s no clear information from HP and RL are awaiting replies – who do you think will be giving out facts?
Anyone that gives Ames money to complete is crazy, I don’t even believe this is happening – period
To the cash investors.
This is going to sound harsh, it is. You are in the most at risk group group, you wont find answers here, only other people going on, and on and on, but taking no action. Do not delay, take action with a legal firm who know this scam moaning wont solve it.
LB take legal advice or you will just keep going round and round driving yourself crazy
From what people are saying on here you will need a magician never mind a lawyer – is it a coincidence Townsend has cancelled his coaching at the resort?
@ anonymous – I have taken legal advice – there’s NOTHING we can do other than ask for a refund as they are in breach of contract – not an option because we will still owe thousands to the bank for the loans, or sell – not an option for the same reasons, and investments are in the Dominican where you can’t even register any title on the land/plot as is possible with other Caribbean regions..
So I guess we will just have to keep going round and round….
And we are not moaning – (sorry if it seems we are) – just looking for any other options that might get us out of this very difficult situation!!
E and Co. seem to have disappeared – is there any reason for this?
Can someone scan and send the echo piece from yesterday. the. Monies spent as reported are scary for investors.And would assume are correct as from the Birmingham court case.
@GingerbreadGirl Mar 16th at 12:38pm. The more and more I think
about your “conspiracy theory” the more and more it seems to fit one
scenario………………
@LB
E & Co. I would imagine there is a very good reason, but what who knows ?Getting answers working on a plan? anyones guess….. meetings now on 8th April…. working on them?
@perplexed – whats that then?
@Canuck who at harlequin told u no more payments will b made on loan repayments. I knew missing ones wouldn’t be paid but thought they might restart regular payments
@LB…just one of many possibilities. Always follow the money.
I can’t say other than it was a very senior individual
LB, have you just taken advice from only one legal firm? Don’t give up, try another.
People have been getting refunds and have subsequently been gagged for years. RL have only been on the scene recently, so if you don’t trust them, doesn’t mean you can’t find someone else who may be able to help.
Having said that, I think it would be sensible for anyone to seek advice from RL as they are fully up on the Harlequin affair.
Also, LB, have you registered your complaint against your IFA if you used one? You must do that, as far as I understand, as then you can take it up with the FSA if your IFA fails to resolve it or is latterly proved to have acted negligently.
worth a look
http://www.investmentsense.co.uk/harlequin-property-update-sfo-investigates-sipp-providers-admit-to-holding-harlequin-property/
With the utmost respect to all the people who post on here, the vast majority ( self included) are not professionals in this area as a result it can be somewhat, unintentionally misleading.
We all know there are some very serious problems with Harlequin, but as lay people we don’t know how best to deal with it, some have tried and failed, some have been getting the run a round for years, so the only real logical solution it to seek legal advice? Am I correct or missing something?
BFP should try to stop the spam coming in…recent comments are full today with comments on old posts, just trying to distract Harlequin comments I believe.
Hi yatinkiteasy…
Ya tink it easy? 🙂
We’re doing what we can. we’re under attack with thousands of spam per week. some slip through. very small amount. All started when BFP turned into a big harlequin discussiion forum and central source of info.
george
@BPF..on the ball..some of the spam comments are actually quite funny, but of course are being put out for a reason.
We have not posted recently for several reasons, it seems to bring out the HP supporters and trolls, this is not productive nor pleasant.
We will keep our posts to a minimum, when we do try and make the posts informative and helpful, rather than getting into pointless rhetoric.
This link is one of the things we have been working on with Regulatory legal & Pannone LLP:
https://app.icontact.com/icp/sub/survey/start?token=50d0fbdde61863943bfc0cbf4c2a10fa&sid=303290&cid=152652
More will follow in the near future.
At last someone is posting something useful!
@HIGnw. Can you give more information why the panorama program has been cancelled/postponed/rescheduled?
@Fatchett does not represent me.
The honest answer is I don’t know, have had no recent contact with them
I shall try and find out a little more.
@HIGnw, I thought Erica was very close to them. But thanks for trying to clarify.
@Fatchett does not represent me
From what I understand HP would have been given a transcript of the program prior to going live, so we can only assume there has been an amount of editing going on, but that’s guesswork and I don’t think we will find out too much detail.
regards
Paul
I have noticed things have been quite on here and think its a good idea to refuse answer the trolls it serves no purpose other than to give them their cheap thrills – no answer = no stiffy for them!!
Erica, i want to apologize for hassling you the other day – I now understand your logic.
Looks like TailorMade have taken a leaf out of Harlequins book when it come to B *** S**T
http://www.ifaonline.co.uk/ifaonline/news/2256940/harlequin-property-ifa-launches-internal-review
I was told they sold over two thousand units and it made up about 80-90% of their income, Next step they will go bust!
Its time to put that claim thing in for my parents very soon.
@Crazyhorse
SIPP Investors / Pension Transfers would be foolhardy to wait as Professional Indemnity Insurance stops immediately upon an insolvency procedure
Would I need a solicitor to do this?
@crazyhorse
You don’t need a solicitor to do this. However, you do need to be very careful as to how you seek to trigger the PII.
@Crazy Horse.
You can trigger the claim yourself, however, you will be fighting the insurance company.
I personally used a solicitor because I did not want the get the ‘run around’ it wont be as simple as putting the claim in and collecting your cash!
All depends on your level of knowledge and how much time you have
Don’t HP have to become insolvent to trigger a claim against the SIPP trustees PI insurance? If HP continue to trade then is there a claim to be made?
@Canuck/Crazy hourse/LB/75 .Please all contact me on the gmail if you are genuine investors.
Please Trolls have respect for genuine concerned investors
Harlequininvestorgroupnw@gmail.com
Don’t worry, the trolls are busy transferring title of all their assets into their wive’s, children’s and dog’s names in a feeble attempt to hide their involvement in this scam.
@Mr Blue
That maybe true, however ,insolvency law has got this covered, especially if its done just prior to proceedings.
Who is insolvent?
A few people have posted links to the blogs on the Investment Sense about Harlequin Property, I noticed a new one today http://www.investmentsense.co.uk/investments-7-lessons-all-investors-can-learn-from-the-problems-with-harlequin-property/
Bit late for us Harlequion investors but nevertheless an interesting read
A quote from one of the sales agents
“Harlequin ensures that the property market is already established with an existing infrastructure and sound legal system in areas experiencing high capital growth that is expected to continue indefinitely.”
I find it hard to believe that anyone could read that and still continue with the purchase – unless they believe in perpetual motion.
When BB goes bust you will be left with a unit, on a building site, with no bars or restaurants…….. worth … dunno? anyone like to take a guess who lives on St Vincents? £50K???
A unit with no kitchen, in a non functioning resort, is worth nothing. It’s value is entirely reliant on resort’s performance. The resort has to remain operating, but if losing money, which it is, then a total rethink is needed.
Hang on!!! but people are completing as we speak 😉
Everyone talking about issues surrounding the way that investments were sold, but also missing the fundamental point that there was never ever any evidence that either Harlequin, or any of its agents etc, had any experience of operating profitable resorts or hotels. All of the reputable management firms fell away at a very early stage and with no significant money coming in from guests this was never going to succeed.
I think if Harlequin went bust the administrators would sell the resort minus the privately owned units to an operator? Why would they let it crumble to nothing? That would not be acceptable to the creditors – although you merchants of doom want to see Harlequin dissapear. Buccament Bay will be there to stay!
Buccament Bay may still be around but after one semi-heavy storm or
tidal surge the beach will revert back to black muck. Nature always
wins.
er – how would an ‘administrator’ be able to sell anything if the various units are owned by a number of different people? – who are not part of Harlequin Property – which is what is happening if HP are to be believed about transferring title.
As for “merchants of doom” – a number of people have been warning about this exact eventuality since 2006, but hardly anyone listened. The outcome is what happens when a train wreck investment hits the buffers.
BB – I take it that your agreeing with me, even though you don’t know, the units that have had transferred title cannot be touched if done properly, the administrators would seek a buyer for the resort ie bars, restaurants, shops, etc, and operate the resort.
Its a fact that title is being transferred as we speak so assets are deminishing – as long bas being done properly. I also know there are some “improved deals” being negotiated too!
BB I know there are alot of people doubting the whole scheme but the truth is we have no idea what the real situation is because HP have not released any accounts in the carribean – so its all roumor and hysteria.
It’s not rumor or hysteria for those of us who live here and see unstarted or stalled sites, hear from resort employees at their only two operating hotels and also who know the industry well. The sites have no activity, some never did. Fact. The hotels lose money, whilst not proven by filed accounts, hp employees confirmed it anyway, and any hotelier can also tell you based on its cost centre, bb loses fortunes. But understand some would be unwilling to believe it until they see it in black and white, as the lack of building work is in black and white.
No, I’m not agreeing – for Heavens sake take off your blinkers – how will anyone be able to negotiate any kind of substantive deal for the public areas when they have to negotiate with single/multiple accommodation unit owners. No company in their right mind would even consider that.
We do know that BB has been under occupied for its entire operating period and we also know that travel/holiday operators are not exactly falling over themselves to promote BB. Virgin, for example, no longer have BB or even St Vincent on their opening pages of the website. You can find a page if you search Virgin/BB, but there is no online booking – telephone sales only. Not exactly a best seller then.
BB might have a future, depending on what is true about its size (is it 166 or 300 units?) but not a chance if anyone tries to go for the original 1200 unit plan. There is an obvious way to bring it all under single control – but I don’t think that anyone wants to even consider that.
Berfore anyone puts anymore money into this scheme please I beg you to please seek legal advice.
I’m not saying anybody is wrong, and quite possibly are right, but nobody knows the financial position of BB or HP so it has to be supposition?
It is not supposition to say it is dire – they have some 6000 plus unstarted homes that they have sold! If all was well, they’d be building and paying the mortgage payments etc.
These were unregulated investments, sold by unregulated individuals and firms and in some cases downright lying amateurs who have ‘trousered’ a great deal of money in commissions. The scheme was deliberately and cynically aimed at unsophisticated investors who in the main did not understand just how risky it was and there is no regulatory body to fall back on if/when the investment goes badly wrong. It is only since the RDR came into effect earlier this year and Harlequin missed a couple of months payments that concerns were raised amongst investors themselves. That and the fact that Carter-Ruck couldn’t keep the lid on it any longer.
Any of you contemplating putting cash into buying a ‘freehold’ unit on a resort that hasn’t returned a profit and is almost empty in high season should seek proper legal advice from a solicitor. Remember it is not a holiday home or a villa – all it is a hotel room and its resale value is vastly inflated and immaterial. What are you going to do if the management company does fail? How are you going to rent your unit out? No kitchen, no facilities, no electricity or AC, phones or internet. No staff to clean or chefs to cook if no one’s been paid. There is enough information out in the public domain now to help you make an informed decision. Don’t believe what these property spivs tell you. YOU are solely responsible for DD so get legal advice or you deserve to lose your money, after all no one is forcing you to sign that contract.
There is a myriad of Harlequin companies, nineteen that I can see in the UK alone. The assets of Buccama Bay do NOT belong to Harlequin Management Services (South East) Limited – they are registered to another company in SVG that has not filed annual accounts for several years (which they are required to do by law).
Please also remember the FSO and Essex Police are investigating Harlequin. There are extremely serious allegations. Rip Off Britain has already run a programme. BBC Panorama is endeavouring to run a programme. The Echo, The Guardian, The Mail on Sunday, I Witness News, Singing Pig, and The Whistle Blowing Accountant plus countless others have raised their concerns.
I beg you not to throw good money after bad. WAIT until after the next investor meetings in April and take proper legal advice.
…not to mention the fact that Barbados Free Press had the guts to stand up to these bullies and let people speak out.
What happened to the supposed new expose in the Basildon Echo Friday night? no link, no nothing. Another instance of made up rubbish.
You mean “Dave’s Caribbean dream is not all it seems”? You might be surprised to learn that James Barker of the Baker Clarke Partnership claims that “very significant sums” are due from investors who are unable to pay completion balances.
So it looks like it’s all your fault as investors for not being able to arrange the finance that HP said that they would do for you. The twisted logic HP uses gets even more unbelievable!
FYI…
(and FatChance aka 36)
I can assure you that the Echo did run the piece on Friday 22 March and it was very informative however they have not put it on their website as yet. Basically, it claims that nearly half of investors’ deposits is spent on selling more property, questions where the cash has gone [ie the one-million pound party, other junkets and funding most of its land purchase in the Caribbean] and a summing up of the UK accounts [which don’t add up].
Also Harlequin told the Echo that 48million pounds sterling was outstanding from the investors. A spokesman from Harlequin said: “That money, when received, will be used to continue developing the resorts. Unfortunately, the financial crisis in 2008 has meant that some people are not in a position to complete.”
[IS IT THE FAULT OF THE INVESTORS NOW?]
—-
I cannot post the pdf here and it’s up to BFP if they want to publish it. It certainly wasn’t made-up rubbish.
@EL2. Don’t start this puerile name calling again. It’s childish. So why is it not on the website? Not like the Echo to be a bit coy about these things.
36 – WHY DON’T YOU ASK THE ECHO? – do a bit of the work yourself for a change!
@BBaywatch. Stop shouting, it’s pathetic. I’ve just been onto the Echo online site, it’s not there. What do you suggest, phone them up and ask for a copy? Perhaps drive down to Basildon and buy one? You have the answers, come on answer.
Fdnrm. Yes just call them and you can order a past copy. It does make some very interesting reading as to spend costs as laid bare in the recent Birmingham hearing. And much more. It’s a whole a4 page.
FDNRM….until you see the Echo report, you might like to see this one..
http://www.knowledgefountain.co.uk/the-harlequin-caribbean-property-saga-all-that-glitters-is-not-gold/
There you go again 36 – issuing your orders, stamping your little feet. YES phone them up and ask for a copy. Do something for yourself! I was shouting as it seems to be the only way to get your attention. Laaard have mercy, when you fell out of the stupid tree you damn sure hit every branch on the way down!
@Anon55, thank you for a sensible response rather than the previous silly replies.
@BBaywatch. First use my correct ID. Stop being so childish, Second stop your even sillier personal attacks, it adds nothing to the debate. At least I could climb a tree, are you still walking on all fours. See it’s easy so if you have nothing to add, don’t answer my postings.
All rather sad. So 300 or so units ready For clients to complete on but no end finanice despite hmsse and all the agents promising this. Nigh on impossIble to raise a mortgage on the Caribbean property due to the nature and structure of. so if you havn’t got cash oR the means of raising the balance You potentially default?But don’t worry I can remember the harlequin letter advising that they would not chase client assets in the uk in the event of default.
FDNRM – when are you getting your deed/ title? How are you raising the 70% completion funding or are you funding it yourself?
Did you always know about the completion tax of 5%?
36, you get treated the way that you treat others. You make snarky remarks about the Echo feature implying some kind of fault, or errors on their part. Jon Austin is an award winning journalist, what would you say (as a Harlequin mouthpiece) that Harlequin is?
@Bdickyank bore off!
@Canuck, I’m sorry but I don’t intent to publish my financial details on here. However yes I did know about the 5% completion tax.
I have sent the article to BBFP and I am sure they will publish it as soon as they get chance
@Erica. Thank you for a simple answer to a simple question.
http://www.andrew-drummond.com/
Jon Austin in The Echo also reveals that Harlequin has no agreement with the owner of the 13.8 acres of land required to build the resort as planned, despite selling units on that land. I can imagine that this might make transfer of title deeds a little problematic.
Et all. Check ad Website above and you can see the full article. No need to wait for copy of echo. I would image they they don’t publish online as they want to keep the info out there and don’t want to run the risk of (commentators).don’t forget they are in the same town and the chances are that many of the investors were local, via local ifa’s and fs companies initially before this was scaled up??On a massive national/worldwide basis
Haven’t commented for a while due to boredom from the trolls. but keep up the good work Erica, you are some woman. see you at the meetings ; )
FDNRM – I wasn’t asking you to publish your financial details I was asking if you were expecting Hzp to arrange a mortgage or not?
@Canuck. It does not apply to me.
FDRM – so you have title now?
Over 250 guests at Buccament Bay this week!
@Canuck
April Fools day is next Monday…..not today
All the fault of the investors now cos they can not get finance! Come on short legs you can do better than that!ll th
I sat down tonight to watch the eagerly awaited Panorama programme about Harlequin only to find that it had been cancelled.I wonder why?j chalmers
Sent from my iPad
@Janice Chalmers, it’s funny how no one can tell us why it’s cancelled/postponed. The reporters aren’t usually so coy, doorstepping a PM and plane passengers.
Perplexed – you would know wouldn’t you, you Yankee know it all?
FDNRM – forget panorama, just ask perplexed he knows it all and what he doesn’t know he makes up
@Canuck. What I don’t understand is that Erica who knew all about panorama and its editor, does not tell us on here why it’s been pulled. There has to be a reason but no one is saying.
All I know is it was stopped by the legals, I was told there were some concerns about some of the things stated and whether some of the statements could be verified
Anybody got a newsletter tonight?
Not me.
For those investors in Merricks Barbados or H Hotel Barbados…a reminder…there is no construction work going on at all.They are deserted sites. Just so you are not totally blinded by all the “why no Panorama Show” talk,stories of great guest occupancy at BB, and personal insults being flung around by Harlequin trolls (and its easy to identify them)
The reality is…H projects are DEAD.
@Yatinkiteasy, why the “blinded by all the no Panorama show” quote? Do you not think it is important to find out why it has been pulled. You just keep driving round Barbados telling us what is not happening. Now let me remember, you are an investor aren’t you? I am so it is important to me.
@FDNRM no, I`m not an investor, would not be so stupid.
Panorama is not going to change what is happening on the ground…nothing.
I am on resort at BB for the Ronnie Irani cricket school with my son and can confirm there is at least 250 guests here maybe 400?
Also may I say how wonderful it is, and yes staff seem happy!
That should help start building $1bn worth of property they are committed to build…
The Newsletter
http://www.andrew-drummond.com/2013/03/harlequin-lavished-millions-on.html
@FDNRM. I will tell you all about Panorama when the Panorama team tell me until then I will not speculate, I do not think it is right to speculate and I will only say facts I know to be true,
I do not want all the trolls posting on here as I think this is unfair on all invstors and so will only post to assist people and state facts and tell you of our meetings for all genuinley concerned investors which will take place on the following dates
9th April 2013 – 12noon – Manchester
11th April 2013 – 12 noon – Central London
12th April 2013 – 12 noon – Birmingham
Thanks Erica
Anonymous – didn’t know it was for holiday makers like me to fund construction, thought that was down to you?
The point I’m making is that the resort is not under occupied!
at the moment – at Easter – with activities specifically aimed at family groups – one of the busiest times of the year for the hotel business. However, quite clearly during other weeks this is not the case.
What kind of holiday maker scans the threads of BFP while on holiday, just so that they can respond to perceived negative comments?
HP PR department is on the ball but – Nice trolling, no cigar!
and it was about 4.30 in the morning when you posted that!
BB if you think that this site isn’t obvious when u put BB in a search engine your the moron you come across to be.
This site concerned me as how safe my holiday payment was prior to going on holiday.
Keep scaring everyone and nobody will attend – then BB you will be happy to say I told you so.
Looking at you post BB you seem a spiteful know it all who doesn’t allow anyone to make a point!
Anyway I’m out I made my point!
BB if your right, it’s a pity you didn’t know it all back as far as 2006!
4.30 local time of course – about 8.30 am in Basildon.
BB – no they are behind us so it was about 10pm – isn’t maths your strong point? Are you a IFA!!!
@Canuck – correct re his first post, not the subsequent ones.
BB am I not allowed to have jet lag/ disrupted sleep patterns without justifying it to you?
I would have thought you would have been glad the resort was busy?
@ In the sun – don’t expect these people on here to achnowledge “good news” – they reject any suggestion that things ARE good there, and that Harlequin WILL continue building. I think they’v all been brainwashed into believing there will only be one ending – failure!! Anyway, I’m glad to hear the resort is busy and staff seem happy!!
@In the Sun, dont bother trying to reason with BBaywatch, he’s just an agitator who is an anti HP troll.
@Erica, thanks for clarifying your lack of info re Panorama.
To everyone else who tried to discredit the link between O’Halloran and Newman, Newman contacted the SFO in 2010,2011,2012 and was the ICE group accountant. Not looking good for that pair then.
@In the sun – “BB if you think that this site isn’t obvious when u put BB in a search engine your the moron you come across to be”
Factual correction – if you enter Buccament Bay into Google, the BFP site does not show until page 17.
HP have a long history of manipulating reviews and travel posts. Don’t forget that approximately 200 reviews were removed by Trip Advisor and that Telegraph journalist Fred Mawer specifically made the point in his review of BB that TA reviews were not to be trusted. Nevertheless I expect a series of glowing reviews to be posted very shortly.
Can we post something helpful not just in fighting, it helps no one. Anyone had a refund or their interest payments? and if so how did you get them?
BB – in no fan of HP, and we agree on alot but your worse than any troll!
Anybody who disagrees with you seems to get a volley of abuse!
If you don’t like the news don’t shoot the messenger.
Update from Short Legs AKA Ames.
If you didn’t know the truth about the lack of cash flow, not refunding people, missing payments and all the other things we know to be true, then read the update dated 25th March 2013 you could be forgiven in thinking things are good in Harlequin.
As much as it pains me to say it the old PR machine is good and putting a spin on things.
But, remember ‘you can not polish a Turd’
Re: Update from Short Legs AKA Ames.
That newsletter from Ames doesn’t inspire confidence does it? And it’s shockingly written.
ICE groups fault, Jeremy Newman, Accountants, the media, and a determined individuals!!!
No mention of any problems….maybe we are all crazy! ; )
Consider the following extracts from two recent posts.
Erica Broughton , Mar 25th 2.40 pm
“Before anyone puts any more money into this scheme, I beg you please seek legal advice”
Eddie lizzard 2 Mar 25th, 3.15pm.
“I beg you not to throw good money after bad. Wait until after the next investor’s meeting in April and seek proper advice”
These extracts are too similar not to have been written by the same person. i.e. EB=EL2
EB- You chose the most appropriate name for your alias. You are truly selfish, a lizard, a reptile, a snake in the grass.you are two faced, backstabbing investors and a troublemaker.investors should think again beforedealing with you or attending any investors meeting in your prescence.
You were spectacularly unsuccessful in arranging yor own investor group meeting and Panorama was cancelled,both scheduled for Mar 25th, the day the above posts were written. Talk about ” Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned”The post from Eddie Lizzard2 was the most puerile, venemous attack on Harlequin yet, written with total disregard for the 99% of investors who continue to have 100% faith in their investment.
B Baywatch Nice to see fabulous Buccament Bay, the multi award winning resort, full to capacity, many being returning guests.
Jon Austen, “the award winning jounalist”, cannot get his facts right. The Prime Minister of St Vincent did NOT attend the launch event at The Grove
You are one sick individual
I have informed the SFO of the reference to them in the newsletter as I believe that in saying that Mr Newman went to them with his concerns in 2010,2011,2012 is a way of Harlequin informing all concerned investors that the SFO will inform Harlequin of information that they have recieved which is obviously utter rubish. If anyone has concerns with regards to Harlequin they should speak to the SFO and not be bullied it does not matter if you have signed a NDA your information will be treated with respect and privacy!
Also it does say a lot that Mr Newman had huge concerns way back, I think he will be covered under the laws of “Whistle Blowers” wont he?
If investors do not wish to continue with their investment once their contract expires then they should not have to wait for other investors to complete before they are issued with a refund.
If Harlequin wanted to put peoples minds at rest why did they not issue exit fees and stratagies so that everyone would know what they were and they could then make a informed desicion instead of having to “barter for their refunds” People need clarity!
I wonder what IFAs were doing when they recommended this product should they not have know these figures?
BB its not what you say its the aggressive, rude tones you state it in!
Hardlysuccess – You really need to get a life, why would EB post as herself and then as someone else you really are deluded!
Maybe your seeing it as so many people are of the same opinion as EB and the gravy train is coming to it’s end and don’t want to face facts!
I think the men in white coats need to come and look at you!
@BBaywatch, re Google, your wrong, at the bottom of MY Google it has a sub heading “Buccament Bay Scam” Open that and BFP is on the 1st page.
@Anonymous 10.53 you are missing the point. He went to the SFO to deflect attention from ICE group who he was the accountant for. Can you not see the connection? Now if he went to the SFO and told them ICE were ripping off Harlequin then he would have done a good job
If Erica isn’t posting in different names she needs to – watch this space
Hardlysuccess
You couldn’t be more wrong. I have never spoken to Erica B nor met her. However, I have been warning about Harlequin since 2008 when I first became aware of the scam.
Those are some fairly serious allegations that you’re levelling there FDNRM – I hope that you have substantive evidence to back them up, and that you haven’t simply swallowed the PR line that you’ve been issued or they could be considered potentially libellous.
FDNRM – I cant see whats the problem with what he has stated – but be careful FDNRM, don’t be mean to Thatchett or you will have to give him £6.5K to the shag a choir boy fund
@Anonymous11.16 I’m quoting from the latest HP letter. If you were an investor then I’m sure you would have received one. Did you?
FDNRM – Can you believe that EL2 is a casual bystander with no axe to grind? It just doesn’t make sense to be so opinionated otherwise!
FDNRM just because it comes from a newsletter doesn’t make it true – and as you have interpreted it yourself and have not directly quoted or attributed it (not that that would make much difference) it is you who is making the allegation.
Anonymous – Who cares apart from you, its hardly the real issue here.
@Anonymous 11.30, the newsletter is a summary of the court case in Dublin. Perhaps that isnt true?
@Canuck: Quite frankly I’m pissed off with people coming on here posting their “expert” opinions who are not investors but just agitators. Its got nothing to do with them. We know HP has problems but you cannot even ask for a link to a newspaper to be put on here without vitrotic personnal attacks.
It does matter though, when it is being issued authoritatively as fact to make a point, when it is only an allegation and may be wholly untrue, which would substantively effect the issues involved.
@Anonymous 11.51 yeahrightwhatever. Sue me.
Anonymous – I know of little factual on here only opinions, and you are just wasting blog space – why are you so worried about it?
@In The Sun…should have waited until July/ Aug…BB is being offered at 40% discount on most travel websites!
FDNRM I won’t sue you – but someone might, There’s a lot of suing that seems to go on where this company is involved. Congratulations on your reasoned and mature response though – truly you speak eloquently for the sophistication of those who hold your line.
Canuck I’m worried about it because if it’s not true, and the motives of the individual involved were different and even decent. it puts a very different spin on things – particularly given the position that he held and the insights that he would have had (I should say that I don’t know what his reasons were either – I know nothing about him – but the fact that he worked for a firm that another company then had a problem with is fairly circumstantial and proves nothing).
There are facts all over this website though, and they are well documented.
I don’t actually have an agenda here – I’m just uncomfortable with the manner in which any accusation that may be considered in any respect libellous can be casually slung in one direction, but is ruthlessly and perniciously silenced when it comes from the other direction. Doesn’t seem very balanced.
Yankineasy – it wont be as cheap as Thatchetts fully expensed trip paid for by us
Or as cheap as the two Piper planes sitting in a hanger for over a year.
Yankiteasy – Thats expensive not cheap, but how else do you expect Ames to make his getaway if he didn’t have them? By foot?
One full of cash, one with the Family in it!
@Yatinkeasy, lots of Caribbean resorts are offering big discounts. There’s a recession on you know.
@Anonymous, yes your right. His insight into the ICE ripoff (alleged!) as accountant for that company must have been very revealing. Wonder how he justified O’Halloran buying a company jet on HP money. I hope this is written elequently enough for you. Now if you are not an investor please go away and let the people with the real problems sort it out.
yankinitoff – looks like everybody has bought a plane – have you got one too?
@Canuck..no, I don`t have a need to flee..
OMG just read the recent update on events by Harlequin Dave Ames. Its all ok! he’s delighted to say everything is going ”very well indeed” with the court case. In recent weeks we have seen a number of investors readying themselves for completion???
This is one very sick man who needs locking up in a mental institute because prison is not good enough.
I have been suffering his b.s for 6 years since i invested. i just cant wait until this is all over and done with. i feel very sorry for the elderly people who this will effect the most it cant go on much longer??
Been Had – What facts do you have, that we can verify are correct – or is it opinion again?
Yankin – Well if you did need to flee it wouldn’t be expensive at all, especially considering others paid for it and not you!
@Been had. He’s just quoting the potential outcome of the court case and additional new funds coming into the company. What’s the problem with that? You may have other issues to contend with but don’t belittle any good news that comes along. Perhaps if he didn’t have to spend 5 weeks in Dublin he could have spent his time sorting out other issues.
Staff at Blu are not getting paid, with people saying they have not been paid for 6 months. Any interested party should contact the St Lucia labour department if they want confirmation, but would have to wait a week or so as there is as strike in St Lucia that is affecting ability to deal with issues. This is truly horrific, local people grafting hard and being ignored and not paid. This is a fact by the way. As to people not having facts and just opinions, did Ames not promise to build units, and has he not simply failed to start most of them? There is no financing in place, so what other facts are relevant here? Cannot really blame a contractor for running off with the money, who would be irresponsible enough to allow that to happen? We are also only talking small money when over a billion is needed to catch up to what Ames has already sold. All investors are victims here, and local people too – only winners are the Ames family with their wealth taken from your deposits, IFAs with their commissions taken from your deposits, Carter Ruck, with their fees taken from your deposits, the celebs with their fees taken from your deposits, senior Harlequin staff with their inflated salary and silence paid for from your deposits, the sellers of the average land that has been sold with purchase made from your deposits, sellers of Blu and Allamanda (the former was delighted at the price) paid from with your deposits on unstarted but sold units elsewhere. The local staff at BB thankfully are for the most part gaining as they have had training and employment. The smart person reacts when evidence is placed in front of them and they draw their own conclusions, and does not wait for the fat lady to have already sung.
anon73 – nice load of waffle, nothing new there, what was missing is answers! So what do you propose?
Plus everyones circumstances are different theres 300 units that belong to investors that are built, what do those investors do?
Plenty of hot air but no solutions?
Im not getting into any disputes with anyone on here im just getting my experience with Harlequin out there. anyone with positive things to say are a very small minority or work for harlequin .
Been Had – so whats your experience been?
@Anon73 “cannot blame a contractor running off with the money” Very odd statement. So with your logic no one can blame HP for running off with any money? It’s all our fault.
@In the Know, I think you are on the wrong blog if you are looking to
‘shag a choir boy’
FDNRM – Thats like Ames taking our cash and it being our fault?
Current Crucial Issue – Missing Finance Payments
Our survey tells us that there are many investors who have put themselves in debt to buy an investment with Harlequin. It also tells us that an almost total reliance was based on there being a “Guaranteed Finance” option to allow completion to occur.
We have not seen a single instance of finance being offer for completion. Nor have we seen any completed unit where the land title has been transferred. There may be instances, but in the 900 or so site members we have, none have been brought to our attention.
Missing Finance Payments
Harlequin have blamed this on banking errors, but have provided no evidence of this. Surely a letter from Barclays stating it was a banking issue would be easy to obtain ?
Investor Option
We have been working hard on an option for investors with Finance Agreements. If you are missing payments, this will interest you.
1. The bulk of finance agreements are with Harlequin Property (SVG) Limited.
2. The bulk of these agreements have a English jurisdiction clause.
If your debt cumulatively £750.00 or over and you hold a Finance Agreement with Harlequin Property (SVG) Limited then please contact us on 01384 426400 (either Martyn Anderson or Gemma Barnett).
We will then generate the appropriate demand documents and serve them. The SVG company will then have 21 days to pay the demand or dispute it. As the contracts have an English law clause we have received advice that we can use the UK court system.
We have also instructed SVG lawyers to serve in SVG if necessary.
The simple solution is that Harlequin pay the Finance Agreements / Cancellation Agreements up to date.
Conclusion
We understand that the Irish builders / UK accountant court cases are major issues for Harlequin. However, the major issue for many investors is the lack of payment under their finance agreements. Many people have taken on debt and are required to pay their onward payments to their mortgage lenders etc.
This is the issue which needs to be dealt with now to prevent further erosion of investor confidence.
Regulatory Legal Solicitors.
@Canuck – answer depends on what the question is. Harlequin have, in my view, taken your money and cannot deliver, there is no question that they cannot deliver, the developments as they have sold them will not happen. You need to get your money out if you can, or write this off to experience. Legal advice will help – some people have placed cautions on properties in St Lucia, and this has been done through solicitors other than Mr Fatchett’;s compny (they are not the only show in town, although seem to be doing well enough) some people are going after the IFAs and agents as well as SIPP providers. Seems to make sense, but get legal advice. As to 300 completing in St Vincent, use a local lawyer, only they can ensure you get clear title to your property. Some people are advocating not closing. My view is if you can get title and have paid 100%, I would try as at least you ahve something for your money. If you have to pay 70% to complete and get title, I would not do that as the property would ahve most likely devalued by 30%, and possibly will devalue more, so if I were in for 30%, I would take my hit and walk away, but everyone’s financial position is different. I would also not want to pay the extra closing costs, just would think the sums don’t add up for me. Say you have paid 200k for a unit, and have deposited 70k. If the unit is already worth less than 130k, and given how dire things appear, then would take my hit of 70k now and move on.
@FDNRM – It is my opinion that you cannot blame a contractor running off with money for the failures to date – no planning permission, no audits, no starts made at most of the projects, random projects being pursued etc. This was not caused by O’Halloran’s alleged crimes. I did not mean you cannot blame someone for running off with money full stop, apologies if that was how it came across, that of course would not be right, although one has to assume a contract is in place and he will be held to account for doing so.
Has anyone any idea when/if Mr Ames plans on repaying the five million he owes?
Anonymous – if Ames has no business and is running a ponzi scheme,like you all state, where do you think he will get the £5 million from?
@Anonymous, I’d like to know that too. Aren’t there limits as to how much you can borrow? £5m seems over the top, or was it a bonus for a job well done?!
What bonus did he give hiself this year
@Canuck, people like us.
@Anonymous, what can you give the man who has everything?
@Anon73, no audits? I have QS sign offs on my property. Wonder if that property had the drains attached or not?
anon73 – what are the properties in St Lucia that have had cautions placed on them?
Cannuck – cautions have been placed on the Marquis Estate land. I guess so that when it gets sold, those who have placed liens get paid before new owner can get title to that land.
FDNRM – audits carried out in SVG. You seem on top of your investment perhaps more than some, and if you ahve paid your money and are getting title, then you will have something at the end of the day, drains or no drains!
FDNRM – Is that what your doing? I dont know whether to accept title or not! It could be worthless or worth less than HP are stating?
@Canuck, I have a plan, but cannot discuss on here I’m afraid.
FDNRM – And have you run that plan past David Ames because it seems unless he says so in that organisation then nothing happens!
@Cannuck.
you would be crazy, why do you want to do that? its cash cos no finance is happening….. even more crazy…. and your asking advise from a crazy blog……are you real?
@Cannuck – just a point on your comment about my initial posting there being waffle and nothing new, I don’t think anyone should overlook how bad it is for local St Lucians to be working hard to make ends meet and not getting paid. I was not aware investors already knew that, I find it awful that those so far down the line get screwed in this way. I know investors have been screwed too, but some of these guys live hand to mouth and I know they are being fobbed off the same as you are, with ridiculous excuses and reasons they are not getting paid. And then Ames sends out newsletters like he did yesterday – his behaviour is not going unnoticed in Caribbean corridors of influence, he has more and more detractors over here.
anon73 – well you need to tell us what is happening in St Lucia because I’m sure the majority of us dont know – are you an investor? How have you seen the news letter?
Anonymous – surely getting a property would be better than becoming a creditor?
@anon73, rest assured that all serious investors on this forum have every sympathy with the local workers. It is very sad to hear how they are being treated and although we would love the situation to be different, there is nothing we as ‘silent’ investors can do to help improve matters. I hope things improve for them soon and they do get paid as I can appreciate how difficult life must be for them and how frustrated they must feel.
Sid – We dont know people aren’t getting paid do we? H Studio is on unpaid leave for a month and BB staff have been paid, thats all we know?
@Canuck, its your money, but when this thing blows, and it will, what will your investment be worth? its little more than a overpriced prefab in a ‘resort’ no one knows if the title is clean or not.
Maybe you will be the first!
I really do find it hard to believe anyone is prepared to put cash into this at this stage….. can you explain why you are willing to part with £150 -200k
@Canook
That’s what we THINK we know.
@Canuck, I appreciate you are not aware of what is happening on the ground here, and happy to pass on information where I can. I am not an investor, but a concerned citizen with investments regionally which are not helped by negative publicity. I have highlighted my concerns about Harlequin since 2006. I have only seen newsletter quotes as stated above by posters rather than seeing the newsletter itself. Having seen a few however, namely the ones that are still online, they tend to be a lot more waffling than even me!
anon73 – you would think that with all of this blowing up that investors might take themselves off to the site of their investment for a closer inspection of exactly what they are buying into. If I was being asked to cough up the balance and greatly increase my exposure I wouldn’t take anyone else’s word for it – not after reading the reports from the likes of Jon Austin and others. Of course if they had done that in the first place they might not have their cash at risk – and would have had a holiday out of it.
I see that you are also a member of the 2006 whistle blowers club – perhaps we should have a badge!
@BBaywatch, are you sure your not Jon Austen?
FDNRM- happy to confirm that I am not Jon Austin.
BBaywatch, Are you Jane Austen?
I read your Sense and Sensibility once. It was right good.
@harlequininvestorsgroupnw @regulatory legal solicitors on the finance agreement and serving notice why has it got to be over 750 before u submit demands for payment. My payments are 650 a month so does that mean I cannot submit a claim to demand payment. And if I could how much would it cost for regulatory legal solicitors to do this on my behalf. Could someone please respond if possible. Thanks. Had no payments for three months from HP
@bbaywatch, am i right in believing that people are completing on BB with there own funds knowing that there is an investigation by the SFO, essex police and who ever else comes along?? this is crazy!!
@anon, good question, i asked the solicitors earlier and await there reply
Been Had – do you always assume that people are guilty prior to being arrested, charged with an offence or even been to court?
@Anon. @6.26 & Been had.
If you are owed more than £750 in total you can take the next step, regarding the costs please contact 01384 426400 (either Martyn Anderson or Gemma Barnett).
Regards,
Paul
FDNRM – seeing as you were one of the few getting paid, are your payments still up to date? Mine aren’t, am about £800 behind!!
@Canuck yes.
Im not wasting my time on here anymore as good advice falls on deaf and deluded ears. good luck to all that are completing on BB, you’re gonna need it.
one last thing, this is from yesterdays statement from ames.
i am delighted to report we have been granted an extension to concessions by the ministry of finance,Barbados,for merricks show village,( what the f**k does that mean???) and last week we received positive feedback on substantive planning. ( i was told we had full planning permission in 2011 granted. its plane to see this is more bulls**it spewing out of that big fat gob of his.
Been Had – nobody asked to be given advice by you – we rely on Regulatory Legal for that. So don’t be upset if it isn’t received well.
Investors need legal advice or your stuffed
Its that simple!
Sounds like hot air, been had. Extensions to concessions for a show village is not something to be delighted about in the context of where Harlequin’s projects are currently.
Canuck you say you are completing How? Short legs finance?
Whats short legs finance?
It’s best to ignore Canuck, he is a harlequin troll and only on here to cause trouble.
I’m a troll? And how’s that? I’m an investor!
Canuck.
I am also an investor.A very happy one at that.so pleased to see Buccamentbay doing so well.can’t wait for the airport to open.
If Phase 1 BBR is sold then much of that money will go to people wanting their deposits back. I understand new proceedings have been issued today by RL in both UK and SVG. Anyone heard this as well ?
No investor who is on this site would want to complete unless stupid or a troll.
People will not be completing unti SFO goes away. You’d be mad to.
Anyone who is thinking of completing need their heads feeling by the men in white coats. Hopefully they will take you away and put you in a padded cell until your sanity is back…..
New newsletter just received
Five grand if you complete to help with costs!
Just where are they getting this money from?
Hmmm seems like Mr Ames is getting desperate for cash who will fall for the honey trap??
The meetings to be held in April are now as follows.
9th Manchester 12 oclock Available
11th London 12 oclock Full 4 oclock Available
12th Birmingham 12 oclock Available
Thanks Erica
Harlequininvestorgroupnw@gmail.com
@Crazy horse, how can an investor be a troll? I suggest you look up the definition of the word troll before you use it.
@EB Paying people a 5K incentive to close sounds like a ponzi scheme within a ponzi scheme. Wow, they are some clever folks at H, you have to admit.
@EB ..what I mean is that just one 200 K closing, provides H with enough funds to pay the next 40 Investors who close , 5K each…its brilliant. That is if anyone will actually get a legal title from SVG government for land parcels at BB.
The closing costs we were never told about!
@Bradley, yes I believe a 21 day stat demand has been filed in the UK and SVG – for missing payments, maybe that’s why they need to money and quick.
That should wake them up a bit, if they don’t pay = go bust
I do have to give someone credit in the HP bunker about the recent panic measures to relieve people of more cash and put a spin on recent events, I do not however think the little man has enough grey cells to come up with that himself.
• We were not told of the 8.5% closing costs?
• Who would hand over cash at this stage?
• And then 8.5% on top of that?
• Especially as a 21 day stat demand has been filed?
An example purchase price 300k
Deposit 90k
CASH TO CLOSE inc 8.5%
£257k!!!
You would be totally stupid.
Time is running out for you lot in the bunker, possibly had your last pay day this month, or have you?
JUST THINK ABOUT THIS…
Let’s just assume there is a limited amount of cash in HP at the moment, but they need completions and quick, to inspire confidence.
Some HP staff who may have been ‘gifted’ a deposit, then Ames cobbles together enough ‘developer finance’ to ‘complete’ on this unit and then just repeats the process showing that completions are actually taking place?
Then tells the world how great things are??
You notice he mentions nothing about the 100% finance that was promised!
Plus what percentage of investors, who could only get the deposit from SIPPS or loans will have 8.5% closing costs?????
Dont do it!!
I have a letter of the 20th may 2011 which clearly states there will be Stamp duty and Alein Land Holders Licence fee to be paid, total 11%
@FDNRM Well its easy, just pretend to be an investor!
This letter that Ames has sent about finance is just upsetting to my parents, they didn’t even know of the closing costs and even if they had finance they couldn’t complete, What are they to do now?
@FDNRM
So you actually own a unit on BB all paid for? because you are getting rental?
@Crazy Horse, I’m sorry to hear about your parent’s situation. Not thatit helps but we are all in the same boat. I’m going to have yet another read through my contract, but I’m sure there isn’t even the slightest mention of completion costs.
It seems strange that investors from other resorts are being allowed to switch to BB. As my properties in BB aren’t looking like completing for years, I asked 6 months ago if I could complete on a finished property and was told that this could never happen as I would be taking someone else’s property. It looks like this is no longer a concern. But if say 100 other investors do switch to BB, doesn’t this mean a further 100 properties need to be built, or are they going to allow the original people to walk away from their contracts?
Is this the thing mentioned?….. 21 day stat demand?
‘A Statutory Demand is a formal process under the Insolvency Act 1986 for the payment or other satisfaction of a debt that is owed by a debtor to a creditor. The Statutory Demand provide the debtor with a limited amount of time (18 days) to either pay or satisfy the debt or have it set aside by the court’.
So if HP don’t pay they are forced into bankruptcy? Then what happens?
@Sid Thanks Sid. My parents can’t raise the closing costs even if they wanted to, and can’t get finance because it was promissed by Ames, reading here they wont get a refund easily, so what options do they have? they are besides themselves with worry
@Crazy Horse, have they had their contract looked at by a lawyer? And are you attending the investor meetings?
Please note
The London meeting on the 11th April
The 12 noon, 3pm meetings are now full. We have therefore added a 6pm meeting.
Hope to see you at one of the meetings
I think this has backfired on Ames and is just a panicked reaction to try and squeeze some more cash out of people, what will happen to the likes of Crazy Horses parents deposit? Will HP just keep it?
This whole thing is a joke and the SFO need to get in now
@Short Legs (love the name!), the SFO are looking at it and I’m sure won’t drag their feet. I’m looking forward to seeing some kind of update and hope it won’t be too long before we hear something….and when we do we will have real facts to work with rather than the opinions and hear say we have had to date. If the investigation does cast a negative shadow on HP, that would surely be curtains for them as no new investors will touch them with somebody else’s barge-pole. But, if Ames is to be believed and the business is performing well, there may be a happy ending after all. We will have to wait and see. It is reassuring to know that HP are finally being looked at by the authorities that will get to the bottom of things and won’t walk away.
@Short Legs, where did you hear about the 21 day stat demand and do you have any information on what it is and what it means?
@Sid
Yes it’s a good name!
I was told from an investor she had not been paid the interest on the loan for a few months owed about £2100, in a real mess.
Crazy Horse said this about a demand, looks like they have to do something or go bust????
1. Is this the thing mentioned?….. 21 day stat demand?
‘A Statutory Demand is a formal process under the Insolvency Act 1986 for the payment or other satisfaction of a debt that is owed by a debtor to a creditor. The Statutory Demand provide the debtor with a limited amount of time (18 days) to either pay or satisfy the debt or have it set aside by the court’.
So if HP don’t pay they are forced into bankruptcy? Then what happens?
@Sid, the SFO wre asked to look at HP in 2010, 2011 , 2012 so dont expect anything to happen very quickly.
@Short Legs, thanks. I appreciate you coming back to me.
@FDNRM, I hope you’re well? Is that an absolute fact? How long have they been listed as a case on the SFO website?
I have been involved in stat demands before. Essentially, you issue a demand payment for an amount owed. That company can try to defend or disprove that claim, although more often than not it is an amount due in black and white and indefensible. If the defendant cannot make the payment in that 21 day period, then they are forced to liquidate assets to satisfy that debt. It can take time if the company being claimed against defends it and can drag it on. I have not made this claim in the UK, but have elsewhere, including the Caribbean. I am not a lawyer, but have been through the process. It is certainly one of the things I would consider if I had an amount due to me under contract and was not getting paid.
@ FDNRM. By whom?
FYI…
It is only recently that the Financial Services Authority (FSA) and Serious Fraud Office (SFO) have issued statements and become formerly involved in Harlequin. I believe Essex Police are also investigating. We shall see.
SFO – http://www.sfo.gov.uk/our-work/our-cases/case-progress/harlequin-property.aspx
FSA – http://www.fsa.gov.uk/smallfirms/your_firm_type/financial/pdf/alert-harlequin.pdf
@ Crazy Horse. Please get in touch with the group and/or their solicitors if you haven’t already. You need proper legal advice otherwise you’ll be going round and round in circles on here worrying yourself sick. You could also name and shame the IFA scum who sold this totally unsuitable scheme to your elderly parents. Have you thought of going to your local press? At least prevent the IFA from taking more money off other unsuspecting people.
@Sid, I believe it came out in the Dublin case. I was interviewed in January and was one of the first people interviewed. How long it has been on the website I dont know.
Eddie Lizzard2
Your comment is awaiting moderation.
March 27, 2013 at 1:55 pm
@ FDNRM. By whom?
FYI…
It is only recently that the Financial Services Authority (FSA) and Serious Fraud Office (SFO) have issued statements and become formerly involved in Harlequin. I believe Essex Police are also investigating. We shall see.
SFO – http://www.sfo [dot] gov [dot] uk/our-work/our-cases/case-progress/harlequin-property.aspx
FSA – http://www.fsa [dot] gov [dot] uk/smallfirms/your_firm_type/financial/pdf/alert-harlequin.pdf
@ Crazy Horse. Please get in touch with the group and/or their solicitors if you haven’t already. You need proper legal advice otherwise you’ll be going round and round in circles on here worrying yourself sick. You could also name and shame the IFA scum who sold this totally unsuitable scheme to your elderly parents. Have you thought of going to your local press? At least prevent the IFA from taking more money off other unsuspecting people.
@ FDNRM. By whom?
FYI…
It is only recently that the Financial Services Authority (FSA) and Serious Fraud Office (SFO) have issued statements and become formerly involved in Harlequin. I believe Essex Police are also investigating. We shall see.
You will have to Google ‘sfo harlequin property’ and ‘harlequin property fsa warning’ to read the statements because I can’t post the links here.
@ Crazy Horse. Please get in touch with the group and/or their solicitors if you haven’t already. You need proper legal advice otherwise you’ll be going round and round in circles on here getting misleading information and worrying yourself sick.
You could also name and shame the IFA scum who sold this totally unsuitable scheme to your elderly parents. Have you thought of going to your local press? At least prevent that IFA from taking more money off other unsuspecting people.
FDNRM – You was interviewed by the SFO in January this year?
I’m just trying to get the full picture here of everything.
Fatchett does not represent me.
March 26, 2013 at 9:19 am
edit -To everyone else who tried to discredit the link between O’Halloran and Newman, Newman contacted the SFO in 2010,2011,2012 and was the ICE group accountant. Not looking good for that pair then.
Fatchett does not represent me.
March 27, 2013 at 1:27 pm
@Sid, the SFO wre asked to look at HP in 2010, 2011 , 2012 so dont expect anything to happen very quickly.
Fatchett does not represent me.
March 27, 2013 at 1:57 pm
@Sid, I believe it came out in the Dublin case.
You are conflating the relationship between O’Halloran and Newman with the inaction – or perceived lack of action by the SFO. You knew very well that it was part of Harlequin’s report on the Dublin case as it was in the newsletter. ‘Management’ of information has been a hallmark of HP’s methods – little changes.
@BFP, is it possible to direct everyone to a new thread? This one is getting too long and my ipad doesn’t like it. I’m sure others are having the same problem. Thanks.
“Panorama Day” has gone Not even the damp.squib I said it would be. Nothing came of the attempted “freezing of assets”.Nothing came of EB’s meetings arranged for London and Basildon. All we need now is the predicted successful outcome of the Irish court case and for the SFO to complete their investigations, of course finding no cause for concern.
Completions are in process in beautiful Buccament Bay and the resort is full. Everyone enjoying themselves out there.
Proceedings are underway in St Vincent to bring the annual accounts up to date. Expert advice is being employed to improve the accounting systems in Basildon. HP have even expanded their Basildon facilities.
Funding is very close now, mark my words!
Yayinkiteasy is about to get a new set of tyres for his push-bike in Barbados and B Baywatch has reportedly written a best-seller on Neo-colonialism. O, Happy Days!
I’m not sure how others feel, but one of the deciding factors for me investing in BB is that HP were going to arrange for the final 70% finance. This wasn’t ambiguous, it was a very clear fact. Now it seems that they can’t actually do this, whether they originally believed they could or not, surely this is an absolute breach of contract.They committed the finance, I agreed and signed but they fail to deliver. Isn’t this alone enough for me to pull out? HP cannot just assume investors will find the money somewhere. Crazy Horses folks are testimony to that fact. Either I’m being totally stupid (and I often am) or it is black and white – isn’t it? Or do HP have some clever way to dance around this issue?
@Harlisuccess, as you seem to be in the know, please can you respond to my above post? If HP can arrange the mortgage to cover my balance I am happy to stand corrected. But if not, how am I expected to complete? Am I supposed to arrange an independent mortgage – which we all know won’t happen. There must hundreds if not thousands of investors in the same position.
@BBaywatch, everyone tried to discredit the link between O’Halloran and Newman. It is now FACT that came out in the Dublin case that Newman was O’Halloran’s accountant ate ICE. Why do you insist on thinking this is some kind of “management of information”? Oh I know, its because your “award winning journalist” Austin didn’t print it first. Do you have a problem with all HP truth being in the public demain? Why do you think I am connecting the Dublin case with a perceived lack of action by the SFO? Both facts came out of the same court hearing, and that is the only connection.
@FDNRM, so are these published facts? Is the case now complete and documented? I would appreciate an update. Thanks.
Sid, in one of my earliest posts stating concern about Harlequin, back in 2006, I was asking about financing. In the Caribbean, to get financing, you have to have block and parcel number and a completed unit (needs to be complete to get the b and p number) so the lender has security. That is the way the banks work over here. As most of the units have not been started, regional financing won’t happen until they have been completed, which is really not likely to happen. At BB, once those 170 units or so that are complete have numbers that can be registered and title passed, then a bank can lend against it (if they choose to, although if the real value is lower than what the investor paid, won’t get 70% of purchase price financed – unless returns are strong, values will be low) My point at the time was that Ames and co were selling a package that was not possible to sell based on the financing alone (never mind the challenging locations, the crazy returns, the cheap selling price based on build costs and infrastrcture required etc) What so many knew would happen is now happening. They don’t even have planning permission on most of the developments – you have a very good case for fraudulent misrepresentation if you were buying based on the finance package that they cannot deliver, never mind it being a breach of contract. Stat demand, you name it, can follow – as all say though, legal advice is needed.
Erica Broughton, Are you really a Humpty Dumpty with short legs?
@Harleysuccess.
We decided after consulting with our legal team to give Mr Ames plenty time to answer the questions put forward by his investors, after being criticised last time for not giving him sufficient time – this is called being reasonable.
We also decided that holding a meeting in Basildon whilst Mr Ames is busy with the court case this should wait until after Easter, then start them again.
so, far we have not received any reply’s….. from Mr Ames
Please see below:
1. We need the Irish court case to finish, the banking error payments to be brought up to date, those who want to leave to be repaid.
The next move in this has to come from Harlequin. They know whether they have any money or whether any external funds are coming,
We are proposing a period where Harlequin can set out in detail how they expect to deal with the above issues.
We are going to suggest deferring the investor meetings until after Easter. Until that time, everything will be up in the air. This means that any meeting will not provide the balance investors so desperately need.
In the last few weeks, we have seen people at each others throats. This is a serious situation. Therefore, lets not lose sight of the aim, which is to get the best out of the situation.
For us, we will diligently provide advice to those who want it. We will put meetings on in the week commencing the 8th April 2013. We will lay on Manchester, Birmingham & London. This is our suggestion and we hope that people see sense in it.
@Harlequininvestorgroupnw, I think your approach is very responsible and professional. Anyone that has any objection is obviously trying to stir the situation. I hope you keep up the good work.
@Sid, not sure of the situation regarding Dublin, I believe it is due to finish this week. The facts are from a HP newsletter which came from the Dublin case. They are not a transcript, but there is no reason for HP to make up this information as the transcript will be available at some point. After all if there was no O’Halloran/Newman connection why was someone from Wilkins/Kennedy on the same Dublin flight when DM was doorstepped by Panorama. On a seperate note I understand that the Panorama program will most likely never see the light of day. They have been naughty boys!
Anonymous
March 27, 2013 at 2:40 pm
Erica Broughton, Are you really a Humpty Dumpty with short legs?
Anonymous what has this got anything to do with Harlequin?? Bit childish isn’t it grow up!
@Harleysuccess.
We decided after consulting with our legal team to give Mr Ames plenty time to answer the questions put forward by his investors, after being criticised last time for not giving him sufficient time – this is called being reasonable.
We also decided that holding a meeting in Basildon whilst Mr Ames is busy with the court case could wait until after Easter, then start them again.
So, far we have not received any reply’s…..From Mr Ames.
Please see below: a previous post about meetings.
We need the Irish court case to finish, the banking error payments to be brought up to date, those who want to leave to be repaid.
The next move in this has to come from Harlequin. They know whether they have any money or whether any external funds are coming,
We are proposing a period where Harlequin can set out in detail how they expect to deal with the above issues.
We are going to suggest deferring the investor meetings until after Easter. Until that time, everything will be up in the air. This means that any meeting will not provide the balance investors so desperately need.
In the last few weeks, we have seen people at each others throats. This is a serious situation. Therefore, lets not lose sight of the aim, which is to get the best out of the situation.
For us, we will diligently provide advice to those who want it. We will put meetings on in the week commencing the 8th April 2013. We will lay on Manchester, Birmingham & London. This is our suggestion and we hope that people see sense in it.
@Anon73, thank you for your reply. I expect HP will have to explain to the SFO why they made such firm commitments around finance when they couldn’t have been certain that finance would be available. You can almost ignore all the other area’s of dispute as this one is so blatant.
Yatinkiteasy
The villas and apartments undergoing completion and transfer of title are built on the 19+ acres owned by Harlequin.This 19+ acres was recently confirmed by RL as belonging to Harlequin. Beautiful freehold properties in the Caribbean, soon to be serviced by an International Airport. Not only bringing in holidaymakers from all over the world, but used also by the wonderful people of St Vincent and the Greadines. No longer will anyone have to suffer rudeness passing through Barbados, as many have reported.
@sid thanks for that, I not always easy to remain calm!
cheers
Paul
@FDNRM, thanks.
Fatchett does not represent me.
March 27, 2013 at 2:36 pm
@BBaywatch, everyone tried to discredit the link between O’Halloran and Newman. It is now FACT that came out in the Dublin case that Newman was O’Halloran’s accountant ate ICE. Why do you insist on thinking this is some kind of “management of information”? Oh I know, its because your “award winning journalist” Austin didn’t print it first. Do you have a problem with all HP truth being in the public demain? Why do you think I am connecting the Dublin case with a perceived lack of action by the SFO? Both facts came out of the same court hearing, and that is the only connection.
In your reply to “Sid” you appear to be implying that the SFO action should not be taken seriously as it has been ongoing for some time and that therefore there cannot be a much of a case to answer. Neither you nor I know what stage the SFO investigation has reached so your remarks appear a little misleading. If you were not implying that then I stand corrected.
I certainly don’t have a problem with HP truth being in the public demain (sic), in fact I wish that more facts and truth were available. You continually run down Jon Austin (sic) but his published pieces have never been challenged by Harlequin, so I think that we can rely on his reporting of the facts.
Paul, all I can see is that you are sticking to the facts as you see them and showing respect to HP by allowing them time to reply to your questions – questions that you are absolutely entitled to ask as an investor in a project that hasn’t (yet) delivered it’s contracted commitments to you. I hope HP show you the same courtesy and will be worried if they don’t.
@Paul Walton, can I say that your comment above, re “therefore lets not lose site of the aim which is to get the best out of the situation” should be well received. It is a pity that some posters/agitators did not take that view from day one and try and manage a situation rather than just destroy other people’s investments. The SFO specifically asked me not to publicise their preliminary investigation as peoples, jobs, livelyhoods, pensions etc could be at risk when there may not be a case to answer. That all came to an end once our wonderful press became involved. Who involved the MOS should be ashamed.
@BBaywatch, on the contary, I believe the SFO have only recently become involved. As I have said, I was one of the first people interviewd in January, a fact I did not admit to until others had publicised the SFO involvement. This contact in January was on the basis of an initial investigation t to establish if there are grounds for a full investigation. In my humble oppinion I dont think a full investigation into HP will take place. But what do I know.
@FDNRM, I take your point, but there really is no smoke without fire. Looking at it from a positive angle, it’s apparent that HP did need some kind of a kick the @rse as there’s no denying things haven’t exactly gone to plan over the years. Maybe the recent publicity has encouraged them to get things moving and tighten up their processes. Dave Ames letter yesterday suggests that may be the case.
@Sid, agree with the above.
@FDNRM
In an ideal world the press, SFO , blogs, FSA,solicitors etc. would not be involved if HP done what they promised, and when people wanted out, were treated with respect and their contract honoured.
For me it really is that simple.
All the best Paul
Paul, spot on. I believe it’s what’s known as ‘doing ethical business’.
It would be very disappointing if Harlequin did not answer the questions put forward by their investors prior to our meeting in Manchester 9th March, especially as I believe the court case has been postponed for the Easter holiday we may have answers for our next batch of meetings planned for April.
I doubt that the questions will be answered ever he clearly hasn’t got the brain power to achive this. Mind you he should ask Hardlysuccess to help him I’m sure they can come up with some more b*** s*** to spew out of their mouths as per normal for Harlequin.
Guys, you won’t want to believe this, but what Ames has planned and sold has absolutely no chance of working – it makes no busniess sense at all, there is no chance of profits every being made out of the construction or operation of these planned resorts, due to location and so on, unless someone wanted to bankroll this crazy plan for 20 years, which of course makes no sense as there would be no return on doing so. If investors like the long term plan generally, you need to get together to make Harlequin change their current plans to ones that can work, you need to take a very long term view on it and you need to have someone in charge who knows what they are doing. There are consultants out there that an investor group can hire to look at the plans and suggest changes or just let you know what the likelihood of the plans working are. If you have lost faith, you need to get out asap. If you keep the faith, you need to change direction – it is all over the place and none of the resort planning or building makes any business sense. My view is it is far too late for all investors to expect anything close to what was sold, and most likely the whole thing is dead in the water and feeding it cash now is just prolonging a life that is not worth prolonging. But, BB exists, there is a way to salvage something and you would be well advised as a group, once you have overome the current legal disputes and those who want to get out have got out, to set up an investor board to work with Harlequin. Of course, that is only possible if Harlequin have indeed put cash aside and have financing lined up, which is doubtful, in whch case the end has already been and gone, what you are dealing with now are details and desperate recovery of what you can get. In which case also, you need to set your group up and start opening talks with the SVG government about BB.
To get any financing for a property in St Vincent and the Grenadiens is more or less impossible for foreigners. On some rare occassions 50% financing has been given to foreigners on propertis based on the value decided by the banks valuation and not the selling price. Most of the time valuation performed by the banks are far less than the selling price. It will be impossible for Harlequin to assist with any financing if they do not put up additional security in cash to cover such a financial venture.
If financing is provided by foreign banks which is not going to happen, they have to apply to the Government for a so called tax exemption of witholding taxes on the revenue of interest. They also need to register an external compnay to provide financial services and to register deeds.
If all of you focus on one thing which is to take charge of the assets owned by Harlequin in one way or another, either by direct negotiations with Ames or appoint an administartor if there are legal grounds for such an appointment. When this is done, you will have enough time to structure any future ownership and refunds, as of now with each and everyone acting on their own it will never be resolved. I have said it before and say it again, you have a great opportunity to have decent financial future with your investment as a collective group, but not with the present structure of proposed ownership.
@FDNRM
In an ideal world the press, SFO , blogs, FSA,solicitors etc. would not be involved if HP done what they promised, and when people wanted out, were treated with respect and their contract honoured.
For me it really is that simple.
All the best Paul
Quite so, a viable business plan in the first place would have helped as well! In case anyone has forgotten this was printed in The Express in January 2010 and if it had been followed up on, and if Graham Norwood’s piece in The Guardian had not been gagged, then many investors now facing severe hardship might have avoided falling into the Harlequin trap.
http://www.express.co.uk/news/property/154474/Recession-2010-When-hotspots-turn-cold
I’ll highlight just one sentence from Andrea Watson’s piece,
“There was no established market for many such overseas properties and, when the downturn came, no demand.”
This is contrasted by Harlequin’s promotional material saying that –
“Harlequin commission an in-depth feasibility study for each development prior to starting the build to provide a realistic view of the potential rental returns to secure funding and gain substantial gearing. They use experts with local knowledge to assess the tax burden and cost of conveyance. Harlequin ensures that the property market is already established with an existing infrastructure and sound legal system in areas experiencing high capital growth that is expected to continue indefinitely.”
The situation now is substantially the same (or worse) as it was in 2010 and for several years before. As much as early investors who have received title might want it, keeping quiet and pretending that there is no structural problem with the business and that everything would be OK if only the BBC and the MOS just shut up is head in the sand nonsense.
This seems like desperate measures from Harlequin to rush through completions. anyone in there right mind should at least wait until all the investigations have taken place before proceeding.
I for one would not dream of completing on my property (merricks) if it was ready now with a cheery on top.
who wants to be involved with these fraudsters that have blatantly lied through there teeth to deceive all investors.
@Sid Yes Ive been in contact with RL and they are looking at the contract and I’m planning on attending the Birmingham meeting.
@ HIG. No chance the snake oil salesman will never answer the questions, it would just prove what a scam this whole thing is…. PONZI, seems such an inoffensive word to call it when people lives are being ruined.
Marvin- You are a moron on a par with Cliff Jones and Dave Mann, I know these two oafs are on here and your my bet!
Crazy Horse – Sad to hear about your parents but ask Paul and Erica why funding was on the cusp and it got withdrawn due to all this bad publicity. Thank these 2 who want to commit financial suicide for us all. Maybe they have a plan for you as they ruined the finance deal and it certainly wont be resurected until SFO etc have come finished their enquiry.
Statutory demands do not recover your cash they just send companies bust so than Fatchet for your penny in the £
Erica – why dont you tell everyone the truthabout Panorama?
CH – Do you believe everything you read on here?
Instead of chatting with know it all Walton, or the bored housewife erica, phone up Harlequin and ask for a meeting with Dave Ames – he will meet you as long as you are decent and polite – hence why those 2 busy bodies couldn’t get a deal when others can.
All Those to germs are doing is ruining everybodys investments
Well I have decided to complete and take title
FYI -https://barbadosfreepress.wordpress.com/2012/12/15/harlequin-property-to-make-refunds-to-disgruntled-investors-or-so-their-lawyers-say/#comment-1292267
@In the know – “ask Paul and Erica why funding was on the cusp and it got withdrawn due to all this bad publicity. ” Proof of that statement? No credibility without it.
BB _ I have seen it
KARMA – The sum of a person’s actions in this and previous states of existence, viewed as deciding their fate in…Destiny or fate, following as effect from cause.
Synonyms
fortune – fate – destiny
someones due some very bad KARMA
Not in the know – Your so full so s*** you wouldn’t know the truth if it bit you on the backside. You couldn’t be further from the truth I don’t Mr Jones or Mr Mann.
Funding really?? Is that why the funding has “nearly” been there for the last however many years?? Now it’s been withdrawn because of two disgruntled investors??? Really??? You have to come up with a better story than that Mr Dalligan.
Your obviously worried about your job but there is no one else to blame but your boss Mr Ames. Good luck in finding a new job.
Love
Marvin x
Marvin- thats funny! I dont get my income from HP!
Yes the 2 investors have damaged things contacting statutory bodies, MOS, and anyone else that will listen! Including Panorama who backed out even though it was the bored splitarses moment of glory!
I’m now even more convinced you are one half of Jones/Mann comedy show otherwise known as dumband dumber
WHY WHY WHY are people completing are they crazy????? at least wait until the SFO etc have finished there investigations.
after all, they have made us wait so long so im sure they wont mind????.
Been Had – time for your next dose of medication?
In the Know
March 27, 2013 at 4:47 pm
BB _ I have seen it
As I said, no proof, no credibility.
Been Had – Because I want title prior to a Statutory Demand landing and becoming a creditor
BB and why would I care if you belive me – take it or leave it, I have seen it but couldn’t take a copy
In the Know
March 27, 2013 at 5:03 pm
BB and why would I care if you belive me – take it or leave it, I have seen it but couldn’t take a copy
Who else will believe you?
BB – people can make their own decisions, I’m not employed by HP to prove anything!
@in the know, you be a good boy and do what big boss Aimless tells you to do.
@in the know stat demands have landed! many many more to follow!!!
@In the Know
If you are going to make statements or allegations of that serious a nature (you will be adding immeasurably to the stress of some) without proof, it is irresponsible and cannot have any validity. I think that readers will draw their own conclusions.
@100 and Mr Lars unfortunately I agree with you.
The only way is to take legal action and the various compensation bodies that are available, however, Ames will lose all his assets, 3rd time lucky ….. you will still be struck off as a director when you come out of jail!
In the know…. is only here to wind people up – best ignore it
SL – I am sure they will be treated in the same way as the others and get nowhere?
Are you taking some sick pleasure from wanting HP to fail? Think you need to grow up!
You sound like Newman with your little legs “joke” – you need a new script writer, its that old that joke it isn’t even funny!
Run on to your Fat Bastard Boyfriend O’Halloran
And what is your purpose you fine figure of a man!
@Canuck, very brave, but I’m sure you’ve thought it through. I really do hope you’ve sought good legal advise or will do before parting with any more money. If you’re frustrated now (as I expect you are) just imagine how you’ll feel if you part with more cash and things don’t work out. Personally, I won’t be completing yet as I haven’t had a penny out of them for 3 months. If they can’t cover my monthly interest, how will they cover much larger payments?
@in the know
I think its a great name and funny too 😉
I will take great pleasure in seeing Ames fail and end up in jail, Harlequin has failed already……..I repeat it has failed already – do you need a list of failures
SHORT LEGS! SHORT LEGS!
SL – Your posts are playground stuff!
Sorry if I’m being really thick BUT if the accountant had anything to hide or had did anyThing untowards WHY would he have contacted the SFo on many occasions to ask them to investigate.? ??
@Anonymous55, that’s far from being thick….that’s the question of the day!!!
Can anyone answer that?
@Hardlysuccess..I used to watch Comedy Central, but now I just read your comments on BFP. Thank you.
@Anonymous55
Accountants are not generally stupid people, so the answer must be you would not report yourself – but how do we know its true?
@Anon55, to detract from his partner O’Hallorans fraud.
Just a reminder that the meetings are getting booked up pretty quick!
Investor Meetings – April 2013
• Meetings
• 9th April 2013 – 12 noon – Marriott, Hale Barns, Manchester Airport
• 11th April 2013 – 12 noon – No5 Chambers, The Strand, London (NOW FULLY BOOKED).
• 11th April 2013 – 3pm- No5 Chambers, The Strand, London (NOW FULLY BOOKED)
• 11th April 2013 – 6pm- No5 Chambers, The Strand, London
• 12th April 2013 – 12 noon – No5 Chambers, Steelhouse Lane, Birmingham.
We have limited places, so please book on as soon as you are able.
Please email – gemma.stackhouse@regulatorylegal.co.uk if you would be interested in attending.
All the best Paul
harlequin have professional indemnity insurance– i suggest you claim against this via legal channels –before they file for bankruptcy
@in the know.(not) you are a fool who stands to lose it all.
In the know is not a real investorthe
HP don’t have PI! Why would they need it when they don’t provide professional services or financial advice?
Anonymous – maybe I will, maybe I won’t! Time will tell – but leave know it all and the bored housewife to their crusade and they will be the architect of your downfall, they think they are home and dry because of a PI policy – lets see how easy that is to claim against!
They are insured against against contract violation. And its is straight forward to claim against.
No they don’t – who told you that?
RL will advise I’m sure?
My God.
To all those that are going to complete purchase, although I think you are truly beyond help (as I said before – I’d rather lose 30% than 100%), I’d advise you to make sure you have LEGAL TITLE and that your land is registered in SVG before you hand over more dosh (you sad fools).
And when I say “take legal advice”, I don’t mean from someone recommended to you by Harlequin.
Please also think about how much your little unit (without kitchen), in the middle of an incomplete resort which may be liable to go bankrupt, will be worth soon.
God help you all. Your reasoning is totally beyond me.
Reasons unknown – plenty if advice what not to do but not much by way of a solution!
Get legal advice and try to get out. Sharpish (I’ve been advising that for years and years, here and elsewhere).
But for goodness sake, don’t hand over more money. Unthinkable.
Get out, get out. Must be blind to not see this is a scam.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-21963389
More dirty tricks. You will find that the Times newspaper is behind a paywall but guess who the security consultant is? None other than Mister Sean Ghent.
BBC Website – panorama editor suspended over bribe!
Oh dear seems like this anti harlequin propaganda may have some truth to it!
The bored housewife and her hen pecked husband won’t be getting their day in the sun!
I hope your all ashamed of this witch hunt and the damage you continue to do to the HP investment.
The gobby cow is very quiet – remember the cockiness “wait for the surprises”, “the Panorama journalists are excellent”
Erica oh yes they are aren’t they – you will be dealt with next!!!
“you vill be dealt vis next” – sounds like the German in Dad’s Army – empty little threats by a comic.
hahahah in the know you are a proper dimwit hahahahaha
One thing’s for sure, any media organisation that didn’t know about the Harlequin scam certainly does now as it is all over the web and has been picked up by most of the local press in the UK. As a reputation management exercise Mister Ghent may find that this will backfire spectacularly. As Mister Ghent is no stranger to spilling the beans about his former employers I am sure that he won’t be the one to lose out.
http://www.beatles-unlimited.com/2007/04/29/exclusive-macca-the-bodyguards-story/
The ham-fisted way Harlequin has gone about managing this crisis is just further evidence of their lack of competence.
BB – we will see wont we if HP pursue the NDA with Erica -you so sure you retard?
Been had – useful reply, scraping the bottom of the barrel now with trumped up bull shit!!
Oh vinegar tits must be choking on her cornflakes this morning – front page of Times, Telegraph and Sky interviewing.
And Erica says they are wonderful journalists!!
Eddie Lizzard – get your carer to read the article to you and you will see that this has come about because Sean Ghent wouldn’t spill the beans!
Why don’t you and been had get on with licking some windows?
@in the know
Typical bully boy tactics from Harlequin to go after a 50-year old lady who’s lost everything, moved house and has a disabled husband. Have you no shame?
The email Sean Ghent claims to have received is barely literate and I doubt very much if it was written by a BBC journalist. Whoever offers a bribe in an email via Linkedin? C’mon. It’s just not believable.
In the know
March 28, 2013 at 7:42 am
BB – we will see wont we if HP pursue the NDA with Erica -you so sure you retard?
Calm down dear – my, my we are a big boy when bullying anonymously aren’t we?
@in the know aka 36, aka TDNRM, aka Yorkie poo. Lets not get ahead of ourselves here. Why not go and ask Mr Ames for a list of questions the Panorama team have put together!! Ask Mr Ames if he still want electronic equipment from my house! Yes Guys lets ALL ask Mr Ames what was it he wanted from me and what I would have got in return???
I thought Mr Ghenty no longer works for Harlequin so I do not see the problem anyway, lets face it Mr Ghent is no stranger to talking to the newspapers is he He obviously want his fifteen minutes of fame.http://www.cbsnews.com/2100-500202_162-2745635.html
This is not over until the fat lady is singing and I aint singing yet!!!!
In the know – I think Harlequin will have more to worry about than Erica’s NDA don’t you?? time is running out and you’re clutching at straws?? I’m pretty sure that Erica has a very large following behind her now so what ever you do we backfire spectacularly. You sound like a ships captain staying until the ship has sunk this is sinking quicker than the Titanic flee quickly!
Erica – I’m behind you love united we stand!
Don’t forget to do a little pi$$ in your pants while you spin in your office chair today thinking you have one over because of your empty threats remember “it ain’t over till it’s over”
The conveyancing required to complete on the Buccament Bay units will have to be very carefully carried out. This is especially important giving the fairly complex relationship between the resort operator and the unit owners.
The lawyers will have to satisfy their clients that provisions are robust in the event that the resort operation changes hands. Under these circumstances will:
1. Unit owners have a guaranteed right of access to the site and across the public areas in order to enter their property?
2. There be a regulated process by which new resort owners negotiate the operating contract with each owner? For example, how will terms such as free weeks, guaranteed returns, service charges be regulated? If these terms are too heavily weighted in favour of the unit freeholders then the resort would be in attractive to a new prospective resort operator and so it may be hard to get someone to run it. On the other hand, if it gives too many concessions to the resort owner then it leaves unit freeholders open to having their service contracts renegotiated.
It will be a complex process to pick your way through all these issues. Handing over completion funds before all these are reduced to contracts would be rather rash.
Sean does work for HP so don’t frett!
I don’t know what Ames wanted from you but I know what he wouldn’t want you ugly old bag!
Come on tell us!
Should have worried about your disabled husbands assets prior to opening you big yap!
And BB I have no problem telling you to your face!
Cliff Jones – u really need to find a hobby since you we’re sacked – even being Sean Ghents bitch is better than dole!!
In the know – Tick Tock 😉
@Erica, Dont bring me into this! I’ve not name called you, bit of banter but nothing else. Dont forget I’ve proved my position. I did say a couple of days ago that the Panorama people had been naughty boys though. Professional reporters who doorstep a PM and DA on a plane! Dont make me laugh!
@fdnrm Sorry 😦
Here’s a bit more detail. The BBC producer was at best clumsy with his use of language and at worst incompetent
http://www.andrew-drummond.com/2013/03/harlequin-and-bbc-great-savings-wipeout.html
@in the know.
You like bullying people hiding online don’t you?
You are obviously uneducated using words like retard and other offensive terms,so you actually fit in quite well with the harlequin bunch.
Regarding the NDA for Erica, as I recall Mr Fatchet, Pannone and Chambers number 5 were on her side for free – that would make great PR for the investor group!!!
Are you a little upset because you have lost your job? Not got your money back from Short Legs, he conned you too! Or have you been investigated by one of the regulators?
Either way you are a sick twisted individual.
Even the venerable BBc have backed down….what will it take for people to give the HP guys the benefit of the doubt. My hope would be that there’s a ‘calm period’ which will give some space for the necessary finance to be raised….all is not lost people 😉
@Nick Stewart, sorry there will be no finance – who would lend money with all the authorities looking at HP?
Lets just totally blank In The Know, he will get bored and pick on someone else
SHORT LEGS SHORT LEGS 😉
@Short Legs – with interest rates at record lows, and likely to remain so, there’s billions of $ sloshing round looking for a decent return. Maybe DA can ‘work his magic’ they same way he did with retail investors…
For those who have not read the actual BBC statement –
“In light of information received late in the production process of this film, the BBC decided to postpone broadcast.
“We are currently reviewing the facts.”
A disciplinary procedure is under way but not completed and a BBC staff member is suspended. Important to deal with the facts, and until the BBC have completed their review the programme remains postponed – not cancelled.
A staff members indiscretion/breaking rules does not of course mean that the overall content of the programme is baseless.
So Andrew Drummond, that “well respected journalist” thinks that its ok to propose a bribe so long as no actual money changes hands. What sort of twisted thinking is that. No wonder journalists such as Panorama, MOS are held in such low opinion.
@Nick Stewart – get real, no accounts SFO and all the other stuff going on…. not a chance
@Nick Stewart
“there’s billions of $ sloshing round looking for a decent return.”
the slight problem there is “decent return” – no evidence that HP can deliver any kind of profit let alone a decent return. Financiers at that level aren’t stupid.
“Maybe DA can ‘work his magic’ they same way he did with retail investors…”
from Wiki – Magic (illusion), the art of appearing to perform supernatural feats using sleight of hand, escapology, or other methods. Staging tricks or creating illusions of seemingly impossible or supernatural feats.
@FDNRM/ Harlequin have behaved the same so pot and kettle!!
@ Nick Stewart, the retail investors, in general terms, were relatively inexperienced and won over by sales pitch and glossy brochures.
Institutional investors will probably not even want to see the publicity material. Instead they will interrogate the robustness of the scheme and the business model. I can’t imagine, but may be wrong, any credible institutional investor doing thorough DD and proceeding. The reasonable questions put to the company have not been answered in a public forum and if there were positive answers I’m sure we would have been given them in newsletters without having to ask.
Add to this a trail of litigation, association with brands like Oasis that have fallen through, accounts not published in the Caribbean for years, qualified UK accounts, investor unrest, building delays, SFO, FSA, Essex Police, bad press… Can you imagine anyone investing?
I invite anyone to flesh out an alternative view that might lead to investment but I can’t think of one.
I have been following these threads for sometime now and have made my own conclusion, that there is no light at the end of the tunnel only for one person and healthy commissions for the others.
My hat comes of for the brave lady you all know as E.
Name calling as you all know is the lowest form of wit, so that does not say a lot for all you supporters of HP.
Fatchett does not represent me.
March 28, 2013 at 8:57 am
So Andrew Drummond, that “well respected journalist” thinks that its ok to propose a bribe so long as no actual money changes hands. What sort of twisted thinking is that. No wonder journalists such as Panorama, MOS are held in such low opinion.
Mr Drummond actually said “If the reported conversation is correct then clearly no bribe was made. If I were talking to an employee of Ames I might be a little bit circumspect but I would see no harm in offering to help someone who was helping me in their enquiry.”
There is a difference from what you impute – a fine line perhaps, but an accepted one in media. For example The Telegraph paid to use stolen material to expose the MP’s expenses scandal – is rewarding theft acceptable to you? The defence of course is ‘public interest’ and I think that quite clearly that can be demonstrated in this instance as well as in the case of the expenses probe.
Roy Greenslade makes a good case for the defence of the media in cases like this –
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/greenslade/2009/may/08/mps-expenses-dailytelegraph
Just because you feel that this is not in your interest does not mean that it is not in the public interest.
I don’t think we should get too obsessive about the alleged Panorama issue, it does not change the facts as we know them regarding Harlequin.
All the best Paul
Hig. Yes only alleged as yet.actually the fact that this is on front pages of the main press could be even more damaging to harleqUin than if the programme had just been aired? All main press
JOurnalists may now pick up on harlequin and the background,court cases, sfo investigation, Fsa investigation etc…
Indeed so – if they didn’t know about a Harlequin scandal in Ellesmere Port, Formby or Leighton Buzzard they do now! And potential American investors currently who HP are so keen to impress can read all about it in The Huffington Post.
This Panorama debacle is actually very very bad news indeed for Harlequin.
Unless investors, search the internet or read one of the few newspapers that have published negative articles – you could be blissfully unaware of any problems with their investment, If you’re are only getting the Basildon PR updates this will have come as an enormous shock.
The majority of investors, possibly had no idea of the problems surrounding Harlequin.
And the irony is Harlequin can do nothing about it, as the main story is about Mr Chapman, and Harlequin mentioned secondly
.
It’s getting so much median now, most HP investors will know now that there could be cause for concern……
All the best Paul
Like I keep saying….there really is no smoke without fire.
I think the irony here is brilliant!!
Harlequin would have fought tooth and nail to stop this Panorama program going out, and claimed it as a major victory!!!
Bet their not so happy now! All over the media more damage than one BBC program could do.
When you login to AOL
http://www.aol.co.uk/?icid=aoluk5logorefresh&dlact=dl1
Brilliant absolutely great PR
Significantly it has also opened up a channel for The Guardian to comment on Harlequin without breaching the terms of their previous gagging order.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2013/mar/28/bbc-shelves-panorama-episode
They can now report on the SFO action and the Essex police investigation and have invited comment.
This a a clear case of The Streisand Effect..With today`s Media, it is impossible to surpress information by lawsuits , gagging orders, etc..Harlequin is now experiencing the Streisand Effect.
“The Streisand effect is an Internet-coined name (although the effect predates the popular usage of the Internet) for a phenomenon whereby an attempt to censor or gag a report has led to great interest in the story or work that nobody would have noticed had they not attempted to ban or censor it in the first place. ” ..from rationalwiki.org.
So we have Barbara to thank then.
@BBaywatch, it think it is now fair to assume you have very strong journalstic connections, a reporter maybe?
@Paul walton, “The majority of investors were not aware of a problem with Harlequin?” MOS? Thats not very widly read is it?
ATTENTION TO ALL HARLEQUIN CLIENTS!!!
New information about our action against Harlequin Property.
We have organised 3 meetings next month in London to help the investors with the Harlequin. The QC, a top UK lawyer (with a track record in Civil Fraud) as well as a top insolvency practitioner will be present at the meeting to give individual advice and guidance to each client’s case. The initial meeting is free of charge and if you decide to stay with us the cost will be kept to a minimum. If you can’t attend our meeting we can still represent you.
Contact us:
Email: cpcholding@europe.com
Tel: 0191 386 2487
CPC = vultures
It looks like the ambulance chasers are going to cause a traffic jam soon. CPC can always park their’s in between the caravans. Google maps can tell you so much about some people. Why is Ms Crozier reluctant to put her name up on here?
I hear from a local lawyer that they have been contacted by CPC and CPC seem to be making the right moves. If people are feeling aggrieved. or feel they are losing life savings, they have to turn to someone, and it has to be a lawyer if Harlequin are not honouring their agreements. To automatically call them vultures is perhaps harsh – someone has to do the job do they not? There may be some ambulance chasing involved but it is a free market economy – where there is demand, someone has to fill the supply. The demand has been created by broken contracts.
A few parallels between this charmer and the HP/IFA sales teams –
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2013/mar/28/fake-lawyer-jailed-desperate-victims
“The judge also noted that, while this case is about money, “it is also about something different and great – it is about the real distress you caused to so many people”.
in the know = C**T
TO ALL HARLEQUIN STAFF.
when the SFO interview you don’t expect any loyalty from Ames, as his old school chums and business partners about that. 🙂
its over.
even though the puppet master Dave ames is pulling the strings lets make sure that when the s**t hits the fan the puppets, Dan, matt ames, dalligan don’t try to pass the buck.
What is wrong with a legal firm, representing clients for a fee. They can not get anywhere with a company that will not refund deposits and pay contractual interest payments……. what other choices do they have – I am glad they are picking over Harlequins bones!
Bet someone is not getting much joy with his ‘bone’ 🙂
Well first it was Dan Dalligan saying things about his arch enemy Mr Fatchett, that cost Harlequin several thousand pounds, embarrassment and actually put Mr Fatchett forward in a very good light, sure he has happy getting all those new clients.
= Damage to Harlequin
Then we had Mr Ghent pretending to be a happy member of staff being paid in Buccament Bay, then posting as someone else.
= Damage to Harlequin
Now we have the almost comical actions of Harlequin trying to keep the lid in Panorama, and it’s all over the world!!
Now, what Mr Ghent acting on his own or just doing as he is told by his boss Ames? Either way it has backfired in the most spectacular fashion.
= Damage to Harlequin
Its all over when the little fat man sings
Anonymous – do you do anything good apart from chatting shit?
Which came first Mr Ghent sacked after Mr Ames approached on a aeroplane?
OR
Mr Ghent being approached for information and informing Mr Ames?
mmm It makes you wonder
I wonder if Erica and her husband Andy Pipkin have had their suprise yet!
Does anyone remember the comedy show called Rowan and Martins laugh in , were each comedian or comedienne popped out of a door in a wall and produce what can only be described as a funny quip.
Does this remind you of anyone HP.
In the know (NOT) Do they have television where your going?? You really are something else. Look at you hiding behind a fake name you pussy.
Don’t forget…………TICK TOCK
Have a lovely Easter weekend actually do you celebrate Easter I take it from your posts that your not Christian.
@In The Know or should I say Richard ……..(head)
@In The Know.
You do need to get some help with your interpersonal skills, they are sadly lacking, unfortunately this a trait with many uneducated Northern men 😉
@BBaywatch, do you spend all your time trying to find some very tenuious link bewteen HP and some legal case? I’m sure you know the definition of Troll, and you are rapidly becoming one.
Isn’t ironic that now the Panorama program has been stuffed the anti HP brigade are cranking up the rhetoric. And as to HP trying to keep the lid on Panorama, who came up with that idea. HP being investigated by muppet reporters. Muppet reporters trying to doorstep a PM. I think HP have come out of this ok thank you.
@ in the not know
I understand that YOU blame one woman for ALL of the demise of Harlequin? She didnt take ya money man!!
WHY do you not blame Ames/Ghent and co if you are a investor why are you NOT blaming these pair of idiots?
They have caused this to go global!!!
I think we ALL know the answer and I guess when the SFO do come and vist all the ip addresses will be available to them and of course you will then ALL be guilty of witness intimidation wont ya if she has gone to the police!!
How are you going to feel if someone does something stupid because of your nasty horrible little comments just because the opinion differs from yours
This is going wrong and it is one persons fault AMES why dont he pay back the money he owes hey!!!
@Dave Amless, funny you did not jump to my defence when I was called “Lying Harlequin scum” (Where is Terry these days?) or a f***ing twat. To suggest the canceling of the Panorama program has caused this to go global is silly. MOS on line is read by 4.5m people worldwide. Panorama have cocked up big time and its no point in blaming anyone else but themselves. They thought they could get away with anything, but are just gutter press like the MOS article.
@FDNRM – but this is very bad news for Harlequin is it not?
Erica did not take 6,500 deposits and build between 166 and 300 units, and not start all the other projects. This is really what this is all about, they are in such a deep hole with no way out, not even financing can make this make sense. The media reporting, or lack thereof, whilst a sideshow that affects image, is entirely irrelevant to the fundamentals here. They sold properties they could not build, and paid themselves commissions, and approximately 6200 purchases remain unfulfilled with building work not even begun. This happened long before Erica, or the MOS, started making public noise.
DAve Amless – What are my comments going to make people do that is so stupid?
Who’s a northern man? Am I North of Watford?
What you guys do is a pack mentality and no better or worse than me having my opinions posted?
BFP – Slow on changing your headline to reflect the news today of the Panorama debacle?
And I’m still waiting for Erica to enlighten us on what Dave Ames asked her for!
I think theres a touch of the Randall & Hopkirkb about Erica!
Phone calls at 3am??
@ in the know,, Why dont you just tell us all what is Ericas suprise…………I know you cant because you dont know!
I never said you were northern
and the truth is you dont know what postion someone is in when you post your innane ramblings do you? so if they do something daft/stupid it is YOU who will have blood on your hands wont it?
You come on here and give it large but your hiding behind a fake name get a grip and stop bullying a woman! man you make me so ashamed to be born the same sex as you, are ya going home to beat up yer wife now you finished your work for the day at Harlequine
FDNRM – Erica was Panorama mad until it was found to be lies – Suitcases of cash??? Doorstepping?? Bribery??
and now she claims Dave Ames has requested her electrical goods on the phone at 3am!
Shes stark raving mad!
I wonder what she offered to send her?
I bet its her 240v mains plug in Fistmeister 5000 complete with self cleaning attachment in size XXXL
Amesess – be paitient and you will be rewarded!
I couldn’t care less what you or anyone else does to be honest as it would be their weakness!
By the way I am Female!!!
In the know (Not) I think you might be the only person to have a Fistmeister 5000 I had to google what one was.
Where did she say that Dave Ames requested electrical goods at 3am? I think you really need to read up on facts first before posting you only make yourself look silly.
@ IN THE KNOW NOT!! /Andrea
I have never said Mr Ames has phoned me at 3am have I so do not try to twist things!
Mr Ames through Mr S Terry (in house solicitor) has asked me for my laptop as well you know.
IF your abuse continues I will post ALL my evidence on here and reopen my website so I think now is the time for you to start behaving like a human being
I am not part of the Panorama production team and only know what has been said on here and what I have been told by Mr. Matthew Hill which was “that there was legal issues”, so to be honest it was a shock to me this morning to read the on-line newspaper articles I have never met Mr M Chapman.
I will not stoop to your level you disgusting bitch laughing at people in a meeting well now Andrea do your worst as I am going to and let us see how many people come to your defence you horrible little scamming IFA
Remeber all the time we have been called greedy!!!
http://www.harlequinagents.co.uk/
OK folks,
In the Know is a Harlequin troll trying his damnedest to derail this thread. It’s a common ploy used by the Basildon Bunker. Here he is calling people a cu n t and a retard and making violent personal attacks. Ignore. What he posts is nonsense.
Erica – Thank you for the link wow I thought my IFA was my friend now I know why. What a real eye opener.
I will see you at the London meeting 12pm
I think I may have rattled you with that one – A xxx
@BFP – I assume that the BFP is published for the benefit first and foremost
for the citizens of Barbados and its sister Island Nations. I wish to commend you for continuing to post the comments re: Harlequin. I believe that the
damage of this imploding business model has hurt, is hurting and will hurt
the finance of construction in the future. Tragically thousands of British
investors will lose their life savings. But from the BFP perspective I can
understand that this is secondary. It takes an awful lot of hubris for ITK
to tell you to change your headline banner. I wanted to type “cujones”
but she stated she is female. Thank you BFP and keep up the good work.
@210, why is the Panorama program being cancelled bad news for HP? They were obviously scraping the barrel for something new, their doorstepping tactics were discredited. The MOS articles were just recycled old news. The freezing attempt was turned down and RL are recommending going after the IFAs now. Food for thought eh?
@Erica Broughton
March 28, 2013 at 4:27 pm
Remeber all the time we have been called greedy!!!
http://www.harlequinagents.co.uk/
….says it all doesn’t it. Good post.
@ Erica broughton
I am with on this Erica but, you need to stop answering the trolls and getting into arguments with them, take a leaf out of the investors group book,
You are lowering yourself to the troll level when you start your ranting and raving – it looks unprofessional – that’s how they want you to look!
Oh Dear its all got silly again, when will you all learn feeding the trolls does not work.
In Internet slang, a troll (pron.: /ˈtroʊl/, /ˈtrɒl/) is someone who posts inflammatory,[1] extraneous, or off-topic messages in an online community, such as a forum, chat room, or blog, with the primary intent of provoking readers into an emotional response[2] or of otherwise disrupting normal on-topic discussion
@T.S. hear hear
Trolls aspire to violence, to the level of trouble they can cause in an environment. They want it to kick off. They want to promote antipathetic emotions of disgust and outrage, which morbidly gives them a sense of pleasure.
They are sick people, don’t give them any pleasure.
http://www.ftadviser.com/2013/03/28/pensions/sipps/sipps-firm-halts-esoteric-access-ahead-of-fsa-adequacy-rules-skJnP0A5SrK8n8pHJb3UUL/article.html
The changes in FSA rules means significant increases in capital for SIPP Providers who hold esoteric investments.The cost of holding esoteric investments will mean the vast majority of SIPP providers will not hold them in the future.The FSA rule changes and the nervousness. With overseas property investments will practically cut off new SIPP investments. It will not be the product, but the decision of the SIPP provider not to hold such investments which will be the key focus.The link to the FT Adviser story provides more detail
@EB,
Not a good day for Harlequin….. I will drink to that 😉
@EB,
What a good post to have a drink to, good bye Harlequin…….good bye IFA’s ‘Fatchett the Hatchet’ is coming to get you!!!
Every days a good day at HP – sat there burning and moving our cash so we see none of it!
As I predicted earlier the fall out from the Panorama gagging (by fair means or foul?) has allowed The Guardian to resume comments and investigation. A second string to the original story only highlights the failings of the enterprise.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2013/mar/28/harlequin-resort-investment-homes-built
This concludes by highlighting the mess that the accounts are in
“But even BDO, the new auditors, have struggled with Harlequin’s numbers. The most recent accounting records of the UK company were so defective that its auditors were unable to form any opinion.
So serious were the problems with the 2011 accounts of Harlequin Management Services (South East) Limited, the main agent for Harlequin’s overseas companies, that BDO took the unusual step of saying: “Because of the significance of the matters … we have not been able to obtain sufficient appropriate audit evidence to provide a basis for an audit opinion. Accordingly, we do not express an opinion on the financial statements.”
In the Know is Andrea Owen of Tailormade. Shameful truly shameful. Stay strong Erica, there’s a lot of people rooting for you.
So what’s the bets on how long harlequin have got left? Maybe until the SFO have finished or sooner? We all know Ames will still be spewing bullshit out of his fat gob when they cart him off. Maybe even try and sell an apartment to his fellow cons!!
have a nice easter EB you deserve it,true grit young lady
@ Erica n paul stay strong and ingore the very vocal and vitrioloc few. This has now gone viral across the world and answers will have to be forthcoming,not just promises, but clear and demonstratable business plans.,funding,etc
I know of some St Lucians who went to the labour office yesterday, and who will not be eating a lot this Easter thanks to Harlequin not paying them for their hard work. Really good people, nice people. At least Ames and IFAs have everyone’s commissions to ensure they eat well and holiday well. What a set of people.
Seems odd to me that people are rejoicing in the potential downfall of HP – how can this be of benefit to anyone?
Can BBFP set up a paypal account so we can all pay in what we want/can afford to help these people? and they could oversee it so that the money went to the people who needed it most please
@BBaywatch, can you confirm my earlier question that you have journalistic connections? You are not an invetsor but seem to easily post links to news items. What is your agenda?
Erica – Fatshit could have donated the £6.5k we had to pay him for Dalligan being mean to him – the soft bastard!
We may have to set an account up for you and your other half soon!
Seeing as we are naming names here, who are you Kroll?
A xxx
@Canuck – There is no other outcome for Harlequin than downfall – they have no chance whatsoever to deliver on what they have sold, a line needs to be drawn underneath this shambles/scam whatever you want to call it. Someone needs to get hold of Blu, run it properly and pay the staff. Someone needs to take hold of Buccament and run it properly (financially that is, not running outrageous and unsustainable costs) and people need to move on. Perhaps those that are glad to see them go down because they know there is no other outcome and they want to see the people that took their money under false pretenses pay. Their downfall does not benefit anyone, but it is a certainty in most people’s opinion, so better to get on with it than it dragging on. For me, I don’t rejoice in it, I have known from day one that this cannot work and would inevitably end up where it is now, I just am sorry so many Brits got hoodwinked, and now Caribbean folk also suffering from this. There is no joy in knowing Ames was doing all this in plain sight, despite authorities knowing, despite media trying to speak up about this – he was selling property he never could build, probably never intended to (cannot speak to that with any certainty, but even he could not be that stupid when looking at the numbers), and ensuring he enriched himself and family in the process. I’ll be glad to see the back of him and his kind from our shores, that’s all, and will help to make sure we don’t see his like again.
Erica, a noble thought of yours, it would mean a huge amount to the people who put the work in, but it is not your responsibility, you have already been stitched up. St Lucian law will take care of this. I will happily fund any legal fees for these guys myself to ensure they get paid.
FDNRM – on here for sure hiding are Ciff Jones, Dave Mann, O’Halloran, Newman and Ghent!
Who is who?
In the know (NOT) I’m not surprised you are up at this time of night you have no job to go to in the morning. Even sweeping the streets is too good for you (that’s what you said in an earlier post you would rather sweep the streets than work for Tailormade)
So now you’re admitting to being Andrea Owen who was an IFA for Tailormade??
Marvin – it’s a Bank Holiday here tomorrow so no work – but shopping at the Trafford Centre with my commission – I’m using Ericas principle get rid of the cash and I can’t lose any!
@BBwatch, this new media exposure has me laughing my self to sleep at night. I seem to remember Wilkins-Kennedy announcing back in 2010 that Harlequin only ever had $1million in liquid assets at any one time. Cash flow from new investors was clearly vital. If they weren’t insolvent then, they have to be now.
As for the good Mr Ghent’s attempts to appease his employer and lover by trying to embroil the BBC in legal nonsense has just brought even more media interest. Barbara Streisand would have been proud!
Sorry £1 million, not $
I see there’s another member of the Mongy Club – your well qualified Mr Blue!
Please DONT feed the animals
Hi all,
I feel I am late to the party but would like to ask for advise from those who are clearly more up to speed than me.
I am in the process of dealing with my late father’s estate on my mother’s behalf. They were invested in Buccament Bay from 2009 and have not had their apartments built. I have been trying to understand the situation and work out what the truth is. I am convinced that Harlequin are either inept or dishonest (probably both) and cannot see how this company could possibly make the situation work and so have advised my mother to exit immediately. I understand that this is probably too late but I wanted to know what more informed investors are doing to try and recover some of their investment. I would be grateful of any information, advise or sources of background information that may help me assist my mother in what is obviously a very stressful situation.
Thank you
@ theakston
You need proper legal advice. My condolences. There are two camps here – one of satisfied Harlequin investors who deny that HP is in very serious trouble and a group of around 800+ investors who are extremely worried and want their deposits back as per their contracts. I am not an investor BTW.
YOU MIGHT WANT TO CONTACT THIS COMPANY…
Harlequininvestorgroupnw
March 27, 2013 at 6:25 pm
Just a reminder that the meetings are getting booked up pretty quick!
Investor Meetings – April 2013
• Meetings
• 9th April 2013 – 12 noon – Marriott, Hale Barns, Manchester Airport
• 11th April 2013 – 12 noon – No5 Chambers, The Strand, London (NOW FULLY BOOKED).
• 11th April 2013 – 3pm- No5 Chambers, The Strand, London (NOW FULLY BOOKED)
• 11th April 2013 – 6pm- No5 Chambers, The Strand, London
• 12th April 2013 – 12 noon – No5 Chambers, Steelhouse Lane, Birmingham.
We have limited places, so please book on as soon as you are able.
Please email – gemma.stackhouse@regulatorylegal.co.uk if you would be interested in attending.
OR THIS COMPANY…
CPC Worldwide Ltd
March 28, 2013 at 12:39 pm
ATTENTION TO ALL HARLEQUIN CLIENTS!!!
New information about our action against Harlequin Property.
We have organised 3 meetings next month in London to help the investors with the Harlequin. The QC, a top UK lawyer (with a track record in Civil Fraud) as well as a top insolvency practitioner will be present at the meeting to give individual advice and guidance to each client’s case. The initial meeting is free of charge and if you decide to stay with us the cost will be kept to a minimum. If you can’t attend our meeting we can still represent you.
Contact us:
Email: cpcholding@europe.com
Tel: 0191 386 2487
Theakston – Ask a solicitor because I think there’s a time limit on estate issues – so you may have an issue with HMRC.
Where did you find the information to come to your conclusion of dishonesty – mis management for sure but still not convinced about the dishonest bit! (yet)
@FDNRM its bad news for HP because if you did not know Harlequin are scam merchants you will start looking NOW
ON THE ISSUE OF FINANCE
@ in the know
March 27, 2013 at 4:34 pm
Crazy Horse – Sad to hear about your parents but ask Paul and Erica why funding was on the cusp and it got withdrawn due to all this bad publicity. Thank these 2 who want to commit financial suicide for us all.
March 27, 2013 at 4:38 pm
CH – Do you believe everything you read on here?
Instead of chatting with know it all Walton, or the bored housewife erica, phone up Harlequin and ask for a meeting with Dave Ames – he will meet you as long as you are decent and polite – hence why those 2 busy bodies couldn’t get a deal when others can.
MY REPLY – THE TRUTH!!!
Thank you for your kind words. in the know.
I met Mr & Mrs Ames in February 2013 plus their legal team, it amounted to nothing.
Regarding the finance, glad you mentioned it because when I asked Mr Ames for details or a document he could not answer. I them followed this up with several emails and recorded delivery letters – still no reply.
An extract from one of my unanswered letters:
I have never been given details of the finance available, apart from Mr Ames rather vague description of it ‘were giving out like, developer mortgages, they call it’ and ‘lawyers speak to lawyers’ ‘ we are handing over to you next week’
I feel for a completion, next week or 1st April 2013 I would need a little bit more information than that? Please send me all the details I need to make an informed decision regarding the above points.
@FDNRM this is hardly good for HP is it?
http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2013/mar/28/harlequin-resort-investment-homes-built
regards
Paul
@Kroll
good name
http://www.krolladvisory.com/investigations/
@Paul Walton, that is not true is it regarding your meeting with DA. Something did come of it, you were offered your money back over 12 months. It was your decision to turn it down. Re the Guardian, this is just the same old news recycled by another newspaper.
@FDNRM
Can you provide one coherent argument for why Paul should have accepted a refund over 12 months when the contract drafted by HP states that by now he is entitled to the full funds safely in his bank accounts.
Don’t try to make out that investors are being unreasonable for asking that the contracts are honoured. The investors did not write the contracts and I’m sure, if the boot was on the other foot, the letter of the contract would be used in HP’s favour.
One coherent explanation please.
@Canuck Thank you.
I have not concluded that they are 100% dishonest as yet. My personal opinion doesn’t really matter further and making a decision on pulling out anyway. However, I was concerned buy Dave Ame’s past in Thailand, his son’s arrest for fraud and the general structure of the business model as far as I can make out. These aren’t classic traits of a stellar entrepreneurs!
Last week I ‘ran into’ Matthew Ames while at BB. He was supposed to be there for an ‘important’ meeting. He avoided me at every opportunity (even in the gym at 5:30am!) before leaving. He stayed at BB less than 24hrs. That didn’t fill me with confidence either.
@FNDRM.
Not quite correct, the offer went up from 45k over 18-24 months to £71k over 15 months in the meeting with DA & Co..
The Friday prior to the MOS I was offered a full refund but it was over 12 months and talk of a NDA, this was made via TailorMade in Warrington.
I invested 112k – yes I did refuse this.
I don’t think that’s a very good offer considering recent events
hope that’s cleared up.
regards
Paul
@Beggars belief, well he could have put some money into Erica’s Paypal account for one. However in the world of real negotiation sometimes it is more prudent and pragmatic to get something rather than nothing. If PW had
accepted in January the offer he might be £30k better off by now (I accept the figures may be incorrect) but the principle is the same. Bird in the hand etc comes to mind.
@Paul walton, we seem to have some x over on postings here. However I would of thought that £112k over 12 months would have been a very good offer considering the opinions of the doom merchants on here. As I said you could be £30k? up by now rather than nothing.
@FDNRM
Your post saying that a “bird in the hand” and that one should expect to negotiate – sorry I don’t agree.
The whole purpose of a contract is to regulate the actions of two parties when certain things happen. They are not negotiating tools.
Your post suggests that HP had to negotiate with Paul. Does this further suggest that they were not in a position to honour the terms of the contract by paying the refund in full?
Given the reports of people not being paid monthly interest charges doesn’t inspire confidence that a schedule of payments would be honoured.
Your explanation simply fails the most basic requirements. Do you want to try again with a more coherent response?
@FDNRM
And your comment about Erica’s suggestion that investors start a hardship fund is facetious and rather distasteful.
Can we all try to raise the standard of posts on here, to avoid name-calling and silly ad hominem attacks that offer no advancement to anyone’s understanding of the situation?
@FNDRM.
I think possibly about £10k maximum, if, I was paid the first instalment very quickly as the meeting was the end of February.
My view, and I understand everyone has different opinions, is that the payment would stop and I would have signed a NDA.
I had no reason to think otherwise when you consider the missing interest payments, the amount of people this has affected is more than I first imagined. I still think I took the correct choice.
Now £10k or £20k in a SIPP is not going to change my like, £112k is worth fighting for…. fair comment?
Regards
Paul
Just noticed a section 159 has been registered at Companies House. Not downloaded it yet but it suggests that the auditor has resigned.
@Sean Ghent or HP supporters club.
Let’s just consider the following scenarios, won’t be difficult because you are a very important security consultant.
You were set up:
It’s possible to send emails and they look like they come from, for example Matthew Chapman at the BBC, your in box it will show his actual address – you will not be able to trace the IP address as its bounced all over the world.
You would be t0o overcome with joy to check this small point.
Knowing that you would go running to Ames with this golden nugget and how he would react you both took the bait.
The Global news about Harlequin, not very flattering, the journalist point playing second fiddle – to the poor performance of Harlequin.
You set it up.
You would be golden balls in the eyes of Ames and redeem yourself after the incident on the plane with Ames and Panorama.
But it totally backfired didn’t?
Either way its put Harlequin in a global bad light
I cannot see Mr Chapman being so naïve sending it to your Facebook email address something so sensitive it’s so stupid it’s unbelievable.
If he did he does actually deserve what’s coming to him……
hang on maybe he did but used the method above???? Now that would be cleaver!!!
BB – This might sound really stupid but what does that mean for Harlequin?
Rgds
Marvin
Well it means that HP has to find a new auditor who can draw up accounts ready for the filing date of the end of June. They have missed their filing date by some months two years running so this probably doesn’t worry the directors much (though it should because it is an offence that opens them to prosecution).
It is worth noting that the accounts for the last financial year should have been filed by HMSSE Ltd at the end of December 2012. They used a feature of company law that allows a company to re-date their year end (I think they shifted it from March to September) so that pushed the filing date back to June. Companies can only do this once or under very specific circumstances and so it should not be possible to push this date back again.
Statement under Section 519 Companies Act 2006.
In accordance with Section 519, we detail the following circumstances connected with our ceasing to hold office as auditors of Harlequin Management Services (South East) Limited which we consider should be brought to the attention of members and/or creditors of the company.
Following our disclaimer of the audit opinion in relation to the financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2011 and our recent report of significant audit findings to the directors, we have not been given sufficient information by the directors to enable us to ascertain whether or not appropriate progress has been made in relation to those findings. In the light of this lack of communication and the importance of International Standards of Auditing place on effective two way communications as a pre-requisite for an effective audit, we have resigned as statutory auditor.
BDO LLP
@Beggars belief, you need to lighten up, the remark regarding Erica was tongue in cheek. If you find it distasteful, so what. Regarding my other suggestion, if you don’t like it then who cares. I have no intention of entering into some inane conversation just to meet your ” coherent response” criteria.
@BB does that mean in lay terms, they can not sign off the accounts because they don’t have enough info?
What about the forensic accountant mentioned in the press Barkers? or something like that? sounds like BDO want to join the ever growing list of people that want to distance themselves with Harlequin?
@James Pond 007, you think it’s not possible to trace an IP address? Try Newman, IP address in USA, server in FE. And of course Chapman was suspended because? He’s innocent. Yes right. Courght out hook line and sinker.
@SL
Last year BDO qualified the accounts to a great extent and made reference to a lack of information needed to form an auditor’s opinion.
I seem to remember, but may be wrong, the HP responded that they were in the process of rectifying this deficiency by appointing more people to their financial team.
More recently I thought that HP said BDO were going to bring the Caribbean accounts up to date. I can’t imagine that BDO are going to take this up. If I have mis-remembered this then please correct me.
BDO will have been trying to form a set of accounts for the year end 30 September 2012 and should by now be nearly ready for director sign off ready to meet the deadline to file by the end of June.
If the information is not in good shape and HMMSE are not communicating with the auditor it is probably not going to be easy to find another auditor with the experience to meet the deadline.
However this gets spun, it can’t be read as good news and makes the idea that a third party funder will sign up to this even more remote.
It is hard to square the Harlequin statement in the following link with the Section 519 filed this morning.
http://m.accountingweb.co.uk/article/harlequin-sues-former-auditor-negligence/537594
BFP – please start new post – this one is really flaky to download now as it is so big. The Auditor resignation news is a good opportunity.
@Cannuck, I really think you need to accept the dishonesty of Harlequin. They were selling Blu based on a US$700 per night rate (I have teh e-mail still if you want it) when that hotel was getting US$50 per night at the time, and now gets still less than US$100. It compared other 4 or 5 star beachfront hotels as its comparables. Look at this youtube at minute 1.18 and he is saying years ago taht the marina is almost finished at BB – it still has not started. They say anything, they are fundamentally dishonest people, you simply cannot take anything at face value. They say developments will be open in 18 months that have not been started – they must have known the impossibility of this, given no finance was in place nor contracts agreed with build companies, and it has indeed been borne out that years later they still have not started (just see youtube interviews at World Travel Market with Ames) They lie non stop, to not be convinced they are dishonest is to live in total denial.
Ames is a sick man and actualy believes his own lies!
he will not give his baby up as he thinks it gives him credibility he craves
Just listened to the bulls**it coming out of that trap makes me wanna vomit.
He needs locking up in a mental institute.
Fdnrm
I think james bond was saying its possible for the email to be faked to look like it come from the BBC and Harlequin would not try too hard to prove otherwise, why would they?
If that were the case it went very very wrong! The BBC will have the skills to find out the truth
Ghent has been caught pretending to be someone else before! Has he not?
Dont think he is too bright to cover his tracks
Please watch this. Watching this broke my heart. I don’t think Harlequin have a heart.This is just disgusting Ames you should be ashamed of yourself
@ Fatchett does not represent me.
Are you actually aware of what Linkedin is all about?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LinkedIn
You can forget the fake email stuff, HP used a QC called Heffin Rees at great expense to deal with this matter.
As for the Caribbean accounts they exist back to 2006 – Gareth Fatchett has a copy.
@EL2 eh yes. Your point is?
Paul your sorted mate if you can’t be bothered to listen to all the BS listen to the last 5 minutes of this http://youtu.be/YiGy4Tg-LOE
@ Canuck
‘HP used a QC called Heffin [sic] Rees at great expense to deal with this matter’.
…Yeah at the investors’ expense no doubt.
What happened to Carter-Ruck?
EL – I don’t know I’m just passing on the facts and yes it’s paid for by investors. CR are lawyers Heffin Rees is a barrister on the Queens Council they are two different entity’s Dave Ames choice of who to use is his I guess?
Anonymous – why the personal attacks on Ghent? He’s just earning a living he’s not a IFA – Sean is a gentleman,in fact if you had met him you would know he’s articulate and bright enough to not to be fooled by Ames
@Marvin…its painful to watch this buffoon speak.Also hard to believe anyone could watch this and then buy into an off plan development that he is trying to do..and in 4 or 5 locations in various countries simultaneously.
Yankinitoff – well you used to work for Ames yourself didn’t you?
@In the Know…no thanks, I think he is more your style.
Yankinitoff -I think you did! aren’t you the big fat lad who always has plenty to say but shits their self when it comes to backing it up?
Ghent a gentleman, geeze now you are a troll! The guy is a halfwitt bully with an ego to match his head! Ask the staff on bb what he is like, thats why they are scared to post her
Just a bumbdumb big old oaf
Anonymous – I can only assume you are listening to more rumour and nonesense and have never met him – I have never seen that side of him? Do you know him and why can’t BB staff post on here?
They always seem happy enough to me!
I bet you haven’t met him!
How strange that this blog has not made a post about the Panorama scandal. Waiting for Fatchett to tell them what to post next perhaps.
FDNRM – the point about the email/emails? allegedly sent by Matthew Chapman is that they are reported as having been ‘inmail’ sent from a Linkedin account. If you search Linkedin for Matthew Chapman there is indeed an account saying that it belongs to an employee of the BBC. However there is only one connection and no other information. If you have ever used Linked in you will know that this is very unusual.
This has been noticed by The Guardian journalists covering the story, who have also highlighted the noticeably poor grammar and spelling used in the content. They draw attention to this with the use of sic (“thus”; in full: sic erat scriptum, “thus was it written”)
CF – Its [sic] always good to keep one eye on the future!
I’m not saying that journalists or producers never lie, quite clearly they do, but one thing that a trained writer always does is use correct English – they can’t help it.
Does this restore the Panorama team’s reputation? Not entirely but it certainly raises questions – especially if BBC employees are forbidden to hold Linkedin accounts.
The press coverage of the ‘Panorama affair’ has only widened the circle of those taking notice and if the above scenario has any truth init will be very damaging. Similarly, if the HP supporter posting as “IntheKnow/Anthea/whatever” continues to post abusive and bullying posts I would not be in the least surprised if that aspect was not picked up by a national newspaper who has previously covered cyber bullying of vulnerable women. Everyone expects discussion of a topic like this on a forum like this to be ‘robust’ but there are limits and there has been legal action in other cases. Surprise, surprise, there are lawyers specialising in this area (everything leads back to lawyers doesn’t it?) a quick search will reveal several.
Once again HP and their supporters seem to be doing their best to trash what little remains, if anything, of their reputation – another extraordinary exercise in futility.
If the news about BDO resigning is correct, let me have a go at guessing what the announcement from Harlequin will look like:
“David Ames today announced that Harlequin would be starting legal proceedings against its ex-auditor BDO, for failing to produce the company’s accounts in accordance with the timescales set out in company law.
Said Ames “We worked hard with BDO to provide them with all of the papers and details that they required but it was clear that they were incapable of carrying out their role as auditor to our satisfaction. We have therefore given them notice of termination as our auditor. We will strenuously pursue them in the courts for the losses which they have caused Harlequin.
In the meantime our developments at Buccament Bay, the H-Hotel and Merricks proceed apace and will be completed shortly in accordance with the dates we have already announced.””
On this forum, it will not be long before BDO are accused of being in anyone and everyone’s pay including O’Halloran, Erica, Paul, Uncle Tom Cobley and all.
The scam will continue until the last moment.
I have met him in BB and i speak as i find, he was being the big i am a big inportant guy( he thinks) with the locals, all very cringworthy. He is just a big boring lump
Quite nasty to the staff because he could beve met him a
So why don’t BB staff post on here anonymously? What is it you think they are too frightened to say?
As a casual observer, this thread has intrigued me. It seems there are some very ignorant people on both sides of the argument. Please note, by ignorant, I mean lack of knowledge, I am in no way casting aspersions.
To my way of thinking, (now in my 70’s) investment in capitalism is a gamble. And as we all know, we do not gamble (invest) money we cannot afford to lose.
Any investment (gamble) carries a risk, and wise investors (gamblers) will only invest (gamble) in secure ventures (they still may lose). However, if they are prepared to take the risk, they may place their available money on high risk ventures, hoping for high, perhaps quick returns. Horse racing is the most obvious example: bet on a 100 to 1 outsider, you may be lucky, especially if you know what you are doing.
Punters (investors or gamblers) are doing this all of the time, world-wide.
Litigation arises when agreed payouts (gambling or investing) do not materialize. Again, this is happening all of the time, world-wide, and when court proceedings are in place we all hope that persons on the stand will speak the truth!!!
God bless you all, even keeping one’s money under the mattress has its risks. You can be burgled, and the only benefit which may arise is that the value of your chosen paper money (or gold) on the world markets increases.
The playground behaviour in this blog indicates to me the child-like naivety of posters on both sides of the dispute. It seems to me (IMHO) that HP are crooks and deserve all that is coming to them if they can be caught, but I only wish I had that sort of money to invest (gamble) in high-risk ventures.
Watching this reminds me so much of the comedy programmes on UKTV over the years. What a crook!
P.S. I have just chatted with locals re Harlequin in Barbados. Everyone I spoke to here thinks they are dead.
Casual observer like fuck – just tell us your agenda! Everyone here has an interest in this one way or another – nobody comes on here because of the fun of it!
@in The Know….what do you come here for?
@St George’s Dragon
You missed Mathew Hill being in bed with BDO and conspiring again Harlequin trying to damage the brand and our investments 😉
Short cock – to annoy you and I succeed!
BEFORE YOU BIG BRAVE TROLLS POST ANYTHING ELSE WATCH THIS.
@In The Know
Thank you for the comments about the apparent shortcomings in my gentleman’s department, however, it does have the ability to grow – unlike your intelligence
😉
@in the know
play the above C ee U N ext T uesday
In the know, you seem to be very naive concerning blogs, fora and chat rooms on the internet, especially anonymous ones. We all come here for the fun of it! If you want to get real go into RL!
I have already outlined my agenda in this blog. I am a retired school-teacher, and I do not take kindly to students asking to repeat myself, unless I know there are genuine special needs. Declare yourself, and I will assist you. BTW, I have not changed my user ID, “casual observer”. I trust no-one else is using this ID, therefore you should be able to find my earlier posts.
You should appreciate that I am ignoring your bad language. In a school setting with me, you would be out on your neck for what you posted!
In all honesty, I do have another agenda not mentioned in my earlier post. I just love to see criminals brought to justice. I do not have a lot of sympathy for, even the pensioners, for their ill-advised investments, they obviously had the money to invest in this scam, (HP glossy adverts bemused them), but DH is the criminal, and needs to be brought to justice.
What is your agenda, in the know, are you too a criminal? Pleas come clean!!
Anonymous – and why is his money being lost any worse than anybody else’s? What are you suggesting?
Nice playground humour, maybe it will cheer the guy up
In the know – you sick twisted scum
Casual observer – I’m afraid I am not one of your pupils so no point speaking to me in that tone. Clearly you have spent too much time around children and now are childish.
As for a criminal, I have an overdue library book.
I dare say your criminal record has parallels with operation Yew Tree!
Anonymous – was it something I said?
DONT feed the animals
Zoo Keeper – Feed me I’m starving and can’t pay my mortgage!
Erica – you never asked me how my shopping trip to the Trafford Centre went? What shit did you spend the day stirring ? A xxx
Anyone who loses their home over this affair is deeply tragic and is not a matter for flippant comedy (@ITK).
The situation was entirely avoidable if agents had given people a balanced view of this as a high risk investment. There is enough information in the public domain to show that this was being sold as a dead cert route to lots of money. Maybe investors have been naive but they have also been exploited.
In The Know I suggest you make your exit unless you have something substantive to say. Your recent posts have done nothing to improve your public image but then you probably don’t care.
BB – yes your right I don’t care what you think!
I thought my question was a fair one util anonymous got abusive!
@ITK
Well keep the posts coming then. At least then we will have a constant reminder that the pro HP lobby think it’s funny that investors are about to lose their homes.
It puts clear blue moral water between the decent people on here and others.
I didn’t say I wanted anybody to lose their homes I hope for a successful outcome for all parties.
My question was the video that Marvin & Anonymous had posted – why is it worse that he is in financial difficulty than anyone else?
Folks…do what I am doing…just ignore the ignorant, insulting troll known as In The Know….not worth the time, and she is only trying to distract from the real reason people are posting on this blog.
Yankinitoff – keep clogging up the blog!
@ITK you are now officially ignored.Now GFYS.
And another worthless blog to clogg up the forum! Keep them coming!
What a gentleman!
OK. In a bid to get this forum back to a substantive issue that emerged today, the international accountancy firm BDO has resigned as auditor of HMSSE accounts.
In doing so they reminded us of their qualification of the last set of accounts and their recommendation that the financial information presented to them by the company be improved so that they can make an unqualified view of the state of the company. They said that nothing has so far given them confidence that the issues have been addressed, that they have delivered a critical report to the directors and that they are not receiving sufficient communication from the company.
If In The Know is in the know then maybe she could comment on this rather than her day out with the chavs in the Trafford Centre.
I must not feed the trolls
I must not feed the trolls
I must not feed the trolls
The consequences of this news regarding the auditors could be absolutely massive – for a range of reasons. It’s unbelievable.
@ITK 6.57 pm
The answer, if you don’t know already, will be made abundantly clear to you throughout the course of regulatory and legal investigations, which will focus on the marketing and sale of this investment by those such as yourself.
It is one thing to hard sell speculative, high risk, illiquid investments to those who can afford to lose their stake; it is quite another when they are sold to elderly or otherwise vulnerable individuals who risk losing their home if the investment does not come to fruition.
As the sales process comes under increasing scrutiny the most flagrant examples of miss-selling will naturally attract most attention and will represent an amplifying factor when financial and no doubt custodial penalties are handed out.
Kroll in that case I’m not worried, must be others your thinking of!
Anon, entirely expected though. This entire set-up is one big crime (misrepresentation, fraudulent selling of property that had no planning and was not even owned by Harlequin at certain times, no filing of accounts in Caribbean etc the list is long, even unjust enrichment is something to look at as Ames has taken your money, paid himself and done nothing to build what was sold), and therefore cannot be accounted for. Those in doubt need to wake up and smell the coffee, you have been had – some are making their moves and getting title or something tangible, or getting money out.
@Kroll
God Bless you sir. It could not be stated better.
Your all in a feeding frenzy – your all convincing yourself of things there are no facts of!
@ITK, are you saying that the Section 519 as published on the Companies House website has no basis in fact?
No it’s old news is that – your behind with what’s going on
@ITK
Well the notice is dated 25 March and so has been posted to the Companies House website quite recently so the news is hardly old.
And how does saying it’s old news do anything to excuse or explain the situation? That’s a ridiculous non sequitur (look it up sweetheart).
If the news is old then perhaps you could update us with your analysis of the situation.
I only know that the issues stem back to the Wilkins Kennedy situation from previous years and cannot be made public as Nabbaro are dealing with it for the court case ok sweet cheeks?
But why don’t you pick up the phone and ask Dave Ames yourself?
@ITK
So BDO write…
“Following our disclaimer of the audit opinion in relation to the financial statements for the year ended 31 March 2011 and our recent report of significant audit findings to the directors, we have not been given sufficient information by the directors to enable us to ascertain whether or not appropriate progress has been made in relation to those findings. In the light of this lack of communication and the importance the International Standards of Auditing place on effective two way communications as a pre-requisite for an effective audit, we have resigned as statutory auditor.”
The lack of communication from HP directors relating to the BDO report of significant audit findings is Wilkins Kennedy’s fault. How?
By the way for the rest of you thevlatin means the argument doesn’t follow – – its a bit old fashioned.
Because WK never produced the info in previous years HP has been unable to provide any info – that’s what 6 years of negligence by your account does!
Anyway it’s the SVG accounts you need to worry about that’s where the cash is not in the selling agent
Sorry ITK, as an argument that doesn’t even begin to cut it.
Responsibility for the accounts lies with the directors in any event, but the auditors resigning in these circumstances tells its own story – and shines a different light on the allegations re WK.
How can the directors provide info to verify accounts when the company accountant never prepared any, it’s all part of the same thing
@ITK in Company Law it is the sole (and most important duty of a director) to maintain sufficiently good financial records such that accounts can be filed at Companies House on time. The directors cannot pass this responsibility to anyone else.
The directors sign the accounts and not the accountants. If the audited accounts were in error then it was a grave breach of Company Law for them to sign them. If the directors did not realise that the accounts that they signed were deficient then frankly they are not qualified to be directors.
Why don’t you ask the directors of the company the question instead of somebody who doesn’t! You say your intelligent so you should be ale to use a telephone?
Don’t worry ITK, I’m sure that plenty of people who are amply qualified to ask such questions will be doing so very shortly.
The accounting situation is very complicated and relates to the Irish case – look up o’Halloran on Newman on LinkedIn and see if you notice something odd.
Anon are you an investor?
BB and others, your further evidence demonstrating that Harlequin is at best a shower of shit, at worst a criminally fraudulent operation, is wasted on ITK.
Please don’t waste your breath responding to their prattish comments and excuses. Another perfect representation of the lack of professionalism, integrity and intelligence in the Harlequin corner. Revolting people.
BB – if the auditors / accountants have resigned and will not sign last years accounts are Harlequin currently unable to file their accounts? What does that mean for them? Struck off? Let’s face it, no other accountancy firm will step up to work for them with their track record.
The Auditor will be doing everything they can to make sense of the accounts. They will have been asking HP for information so that they can make the accounts give a reasonably true picture of where the money is/has gone. In their letter they have inferred that HP have failed to provide an explanation as to where the money is. This makes it impossible for the auditor to do his job… hence they have resigned. The fact that HP even now, under the spotlight, have failed to satisfy there own auditors questions is very worrying.
Harlequin trolls/supporters keep saying there is no evidence as to what we are all saying. What I can say that is indisputable even by Ames himself, is that there is no building activity. Nothing whatsoever in ST Lucia, nothing whatsover in Barbados and nothing whatsoever in the DR, and assume not in Brazil either. BB is not building either I am told. They are supposed to have built over 6,000 more units than exist, that is a staggering amount. Cit has taken them 7 years to build less than 200 (some claim 300) At this rate, it will take them 210 more years to build the rest. Or could it be so unimaginably behind schedule because they are crooks posing as incompetent developers, who have focused on taking and paying commissions, and not focused on building.
The only solution is to involve either the Russian Mafia or the Mexican
Drug Cartels………………and we all know that is no solution at all.
Whoever predicted that O Halloran and Newman would somehow be brought into it, you are to be congratulated! Just waiting for the suggestion that they are linked to BDO somehow now.
Anon – Reasons unknown – if I’m prattish your just plain hindsight merchants – you know everything after the event, but not when you invested?
What’s the saying a fool and his money?
And if you think Dave Ames is that daft he will let you lot get at his / HP assets your morons.
Panorama failed
Fatshit cour freezing order failed
Newspapers repeating same shit
Fatshit realising claiming on PI is not going to be too easy and the companies have insufficient PI
On the up side Lamborghini, £5 million loan, ,Millions on property and planes
Whose the idiot???
Priceless
Anon – I’m glad you like those 2 crooks they have 13m of investors funds but that’s fine?
What a cocksucker you are!
Itk, you saying he is a smart conman, because he has indeed taken those things but not delivered. What is your view of him enriching himself in that way without delivering what he sold?
“Whose the idiot” (sic)
You’re right, that is priceless.
Itk … I presume you are not religious … or indeed believe in any kind of natural justice… since you seem to think you can play people like we are part of a computer game ?
No I’m being sarcastic – I don’t believe he is a conman but I think he’s having difficulties/ inevitable but he is trying to sort it out – maybe he will or maybe he won’t but no way was it a plan
What people don’t realise is that there are people on here who are pretending to be concerned investors when really they are the trolls – but disguising it
Isn’t that right fatty Mann and Pervert Cliff? That’s to mention 2, I know of 4 more and they are posting under different names.
Cliff bad mouthing Sean Ghent but fills his nappies when it comes to backing up his threats!
Why don’t you two low lives on here say why u were fired by HP and are kicking up shit on here
Anon – who’s or whose, yours or you’re? i dont give a shit I’m not correcting my spell check for grammar for your benefit!
Are you a frustrated English teacher?
No — strangely enough it’s not necessary to be an english teacher to be capable of mastering basic grammar.
You organise your sentences as capably and as impressively as you organise your logic.
So ITK blames this on Wilkins Kennedy again? No surprises there then. We all know that Harlequin will just continue to blame anyone they can for the mess they’ve created.
The real fact is that there can never be any accounts, because HP can’t show any income other than investor deposits (and now that’s gone), so any accounts will show that HP have spent investor deposits on everyting under the sun (except for the building work they were earmarked for), including paying FRDM his 10%, and that ‘In The Know’ makes it a Ponzi scheme.
No accountant will ever be able to do these accounts because HP will never admit that thay are operating an illegal scheme/scam, and are most likely operating insolvently to boot.
Anonymously – to be fair it isn’t a spelling lesson here it is a blog, not defending ITK
So don’t be a such a smart prick for 2 reasons
A – I have dyslexia and am not thick – but am self conscious about spelling – you think that’s fair on people like me
And
B by picking up the spelling you are feeding the troll and clogging up the blog!
What a tosser you are!
Mr Blue with due respect the Harlequin Management accounts are not the big issue in the overall mess.
The uk accounts are merely ghent sales side – what Fareth Fatchett has requested is the SVG accounts because the millions have headed over to the carribean but we have no clue where it is.
HP claim to have the accounts but will not forward to RL to verify – if they did it would put a lot of people’s minds at rest!
Just to be clear WK were never instructed to undertake carribean accounts – so I have no idea what excuse HP can give for never preparing any!
Nostradamus’ Mate – no I’m not religious don’t have imaginary friends or am part of institutions that arse rape little boys!
So I’m not part of the church or the BBC!
Canuck I take your point, and apologise for any offence to you — but find ITK’s casual lack of respect and general offensiveness intolerable in the circumstances (don’t like people who just feel that they can unconditionally give it out). You’re right about the feeding the troll thing; it will be the last time I respond to him/her. I’m not sure the tosser comment was entirely necessary, but no offence taken!
I do think that these accounts a quite a big issue in the general climate of concern — it’s hardly a ringing endorsement.
6 years of no accounts in SVG is beyond belief for a company with this level and nature of turnover.
Canuck, people cannot keep saying that ‘this or that issue doesn’t matter’.
Every single part of HP is failing (except their previous ability to sell).
People also need to stop trying to blame everyone else for all that is going wrong with Harlequin.
We have numerous posts explaining simply and clearly why the model couldn’t work, and the internet is filling up more and more with evidence and info showing that Harlequin are incompetent, non-compliant, use misrepresentation, lie, are litigious, unethical, immoral, untrustworthy and fail to honour contract terms with investors and subsequently treat their investors disgracefully. The piece of info BB has brought to our attention today shows that their own auditors cannot and will not agree to how Harlequin are representing the financial side of the business (i.e. it doesn’t add up).
A company like that should not be defended and should not be allowed to continue. They WILL fail, and the sooner they are stopped so that investors’ money (and Ames’ assets) can be frozen by the courts, the better.
As I’ve said before: anyone defending Harlequin now is either complicit or utterly stupid.
Anon apology accepted! Sorry for the tosser bit!
I think the ones on here that are supporting HP are one of the fortunate few.
I have it on good authority that if you can complete with cash then Ames is giving title (with sub-divided land) if people can’t or won’t compete because of funding then he is selling to cash buyers at a discounted figure.
So Ames is wringing out the last drops of cash and the cash buyers are having a laff at everyone else’s expense.
After all one paid for and title transferred what will we get out of a liquidation?
One last comment before I log off, people on here keep stating Dave Ames is stupid – I’m personally not so sure, however what I do know is that he is not adverse at spending good dollar to get the best advice he can when he needs it.
I would guess he’s hiding and syphoning cash out of the business without trace as we speak!
How much of our cash did it cost Ames to employ a QC Heffin Rees to take on the BBC?
In order to communicate effectively we need to appreciate that both spelling and grammar are important. If only people would take the time to read over what they have written and correct any mistakes before posting their comments it would help others to better understand what it is they are trying to say.
@Canuck, The UK accounts are a vital peice of the puzzle here, They were heavily qualified on the SV business, and HP SVG hasn’t produced accounts for 7 years (or ever actually. No accounts EVER, this is a very important issue). The UK legal system will never allow tardiness in regards to the accounts, so they have to be filed, and that is going to be a major problem for them.
In SV, Dave has the PM (and more than likely others in positions of political influence) so deeply embroiled in his web of deceit that he has gotten away with out producing accounts for his business for the entire life if the business. If this isn’t corruption, then you tell me what is. 7 years isn’t tardy. It is without precedence (to my knowledge).
As for those silly enough to give HP more money to complete, I have to ask do they have an alien land holders licence? The facts are simple. No licence, no land. Things in the Caribbean move SLOWLY. Just because Dave is running out of money doesn’t mean he can change an entire culture. Giving HP money now is about the most stupid thing a person could possibly do, all you’ll get is another overpriced peice of paper, and those who have invested in this already have one of those- they don’t need any more.
Mr Blue – yes HP are getting people alien landholders licences – you have to get a doctors letter and a letter from the police too
Gareth Fatchett
What happened to your call for a period of calm up to w/c 8th April, affording Harlequin the opportunity to set out their proposals to deal with the claims being made against them?
I do not understand this witch hunt. How can people say the dreadful things they do against Harlequin with no proof?
Yet more days of hysterical commentary, a frenzy of wild and unsubstantiated speculation.
Erica aka EL2. You are responsible for the BBC production executive about to lose his job. You have fed him lie after lie. You used him to further your own ends. you do not care how many lives you damage in your relentless, evil obsession. This is about you and Dave Ames. No one else should be dragged into your dispute. You are using everybody and anybody to support your vendetta. how many more lives will you ruin? How can you sleep at night knowing how much worry you are bringing to those investors willing to wait for their investment to bear fruit? You are a self-centered bitch, hell bent on self destruction. I put you in the same class as jilted O’Halloran and his pal drag queen Newman. All three of you have severe psychotic ailments leading you to self destruct. All of you have condemned yourselves to a life of depair, regret and sadness. No happy ending for you, that’s for sure!
RL, your ambulance chaser, asked for a period of calm. You have not taken any notice of this request, just the opposite. I wonder if Fatchet regrets meeting you?
Well what dreadful things are you talking about I have read all the things wrote on here and if there is a witch hunt it is Harlequin who are conducting it out of the Basildon Bunker, the things they have let a IFA say about E disgust me and make me not want tobe a investor.
The proof is there
LFC=GONE
ANDY TOWNSEND=GONE
PAT CASH=GONE
GARY PLAYER=GONE
BDO ACCOUNTANTS=GONE
SFO=INTERESTED
LONDON POLICE=INTERESTED
FSA=INTERESTED
IFAs RESTRICTED
LACK OF FINANCE
Why dont you go and pay for a BB cash and then they can give me my money back……..No I didnt think so because you think that even though they have not built mine and many other peoples units we should be stuck with a contract they have now breached because for some reason you have a loyalty to Harlequin…..Well I have not I have a loyalty to put a roof over my kids head
It it time now to take action try to protect your investment seek legal advice.How much proof do you need?
@screwed..Trader Vic`s, gone
Oasis Hotels, gone
Marina atBB ,gone.
Financing packages , gone
I don’t know where people dream this stuff up, yes some is correct but others in just plain wrong.
Gary Player is still commissioned for St Lucia.
LFC & Pat Cash – no issue yet
Trader Vics – still happening
Townsend – in contact daily with Ames and invested in 2 units
So why say they are gone?
@theakston
The only real way to cut through all the disinformation is to contact a solicitor that knows this scam Reg Legal are good
If you don’t think Harlequin is running out of time and money fine wait and see. If you are concerned seek legal advise and go to one of the meetings organised by Harlequin Investors group – why would you not – then you can cut out all this crap? the will be held in Manchester, London and Midlands.
@Yatinkiteasy, isn’t it about time you were gone?
The thing the Trolls hate is being ignored, and The Harlequin Investors group, Gareth Fatchett from Reg Legal is like a cross to a vampire ; )
lets keep on that track!!!!
Short Legs -Gareth Fatchett is the first to admit he has nothing like the full facts – he personally explained to me he had issued questions to be answered and requested a full set of carribean accounts – he has even offered to go to Basildon prior to the London investors meeting and view documents if copies were not availible.
We don’t know 1% of this so hence why this is a page of opinions
Where is Trader Vics?
http://buccamentbay.com/BarsRestaurants/
@short legs Good call.
Bizarre delusion going on on these pages. A man sells you a holiday home 7 years ago, still has not started it, has no accounts to show what happened to your money, does not refund you according to your contract, and yet you still wait for facts as believe somehow things will be ok? And by the way, the same thing happened to thousands of others….no wonder people were hoodwinked – if they still believe in Ames they will always lose money in life.
Trader Vics is built and ready to go (but not fitted out yet) I guess BB has to pay for a TV on site, so no point in buying in if the current numbers don’t warrant it yet.
Yank – yes I know – was curious about that too but I have an email fro Trader Vics Corporate Relations confirming its happening and all fixtures and fittings are in warehouse in SVG
FDNRM – looks like what I have been told fits with what you know then!
@Canuck
Sorry don’t understand you point? so you have met Fatchett?
Anon – if that comment was aimed at me – no I don’t think all is well but I’m saying we are not in possession of facts – because of HP may I add
There are enough facts to be worried unless you are thick or delusional.
SL – I have spoken to Gareth Fatchett on the phone
@Canuck , so have I and in person, so you should be truly worried then?
SL – apart from non delivery, no refunds and court cases we have no facts at all – granted the first two are critical
SL – no I’m not worried because I have done a deal with HP
So you managed to sort a deal out, despite no body else being able to? unless you decided to take instalments, or swap it for another unit ?frankly I find it …. not plausible. if you done a deal why are you here?
if you took instalments, how long do you think they will continue?
Everyone on here has done a deal with HP !
@ Canuck, on the 26th March you said your interest payments were in arrears by £800, you claim to have spoken to Gareth, and then you are on about taking title – so you went into debt for an investment? you were not paid and even after seeking advice from a solicitor ( who openly attacks Harlequin) you are going to complete.
Interesting, if you went into debt for a deposit, how are you funding the balance.
I smell BS or a troll?????? or you are pretty dim.
SL – no not a troll and none of your business but I will enlighten you you cocky twat!
I was and am still owed £800 that’s not changed.
I had multiple units I have amalgamated into one and taken title!
An apology would be nice – you seem very spiteful against everyone?
Have you a chip on your shoulders?
Don’t worry about me, I would have preferred a deal that got me out but it’s the best I could do.
Everyone has that commercial decision to make!
I’m sure you will now slag me off again?
@ Canuck, I wont apologise after such rude rude language, you nincompoop!
Seems strange how you took title, one assumes you took the appropriate legal advice and the title has been granted to you?
I am not spiteful just unhappy with Harlequin.
When they go bust what will happen to your unit, in the middle of the building site? it will be worth nothing like you paid for it…..
I am sure Mr Fatchett did not advise this route
@Canuck.
I take back what I said about being a troll.
you ARE dim if you think you have done a good deal with Harlequin.
All that’s happened is you have been hoodwinked into thinking BB will work and you will get a rental return.
It’s over, face up to the the facts… Harlequin is finished, you have been had.
I await further rude rude language.
SL – I am also not 100% sure the deal is right but what I do know is they have no cash to pay us all off – so surely if I can get title on a property without exposing myself to more financial risk it’s worthwhile – RL did not advise me not to do it but advised me to employ SVG lawyer to make sure the title was transferred properly!
God your such a know it all – when unreality you have to do what you consider right at the time!
What’s your escape plan brain box?
When Buccament folds, as it seems inevitable it will, what will be the value of a purchased villa?
Those who have taken title will have the details of the relationship between their villa and the rest of the resort – for example rights of access etc.
My guess is that without an operating hotel (which is a huge ask), a villa will be worth no more than the “normal” price of land in St Vincent.
See the link here for land prices:
http://www.horizonsvg.com/landres.htm
Looks like its about US$5/SF. What’s the lot size again?
SL – maybe your the troll on here causing problems!
Your arrogance is something else! Who are you to give opinion on what I did? How do you know what I did was right or wrong?
It was a way of reducing some risk for me that was cost neutral what gives you the right to pass judgement?
Now you know my circumstances tell me about yours and your plan of exit?
St Georgev- point accepted but I cannot see that happening. By anyone’s imagination the resort is beautiful and has potential. I think if GP go bust the administrators will sell all communal areas restaurants to another operator – this will have to happen to get some cash for creditors, they won’t let BB close
@SGD
How the relationship between the resort operator and the unit owners gets captured in the title documents is very critical.
All unit owners have to pass over land they have no title to in order to reach their units so it is more than academic. Equally the service agreements and rental returns have to be captured somehow. I presume the resort operator is meant to service the properties, maintain them, replace furniture… This needs capturing in the transfer of title.
The difficulty will come if it turns out that the margins available make it prohibitively expensive to pay the returns to the investors and maintain the resort as a going concern. Faced with the possible collapse of the resort operator what negotiating power would a unit owner have in protecting their RoI?
If the resort did change hands how would the new service contracts be negotiated?
It may be possible for the unit owners to club together to buy out the communal areas and effectively share the entire freehold. They could then appoint a company to manage it for them but this has its own risks of course and it is far from clear that there would be much to share out between the investors once all the costs were taken into account.
I can only hope that a good conveyancing lawyer would explore all these issues thoroughly with anyone seeking to complete.
‘@canuck
I have action against Harlequin and the SIPP company.
I have already filed 21 statutory demand against HP and in SVG and got my claim in with the SIPP companies PI insurance – its logged and happening.
If the above fails I will go after Ames personally and the IFA along with the SIPP company for DD – anyone is fair game for me – and I will get my money back I have no doubt about that.
I have a couple of other options I have available to me should I wish to go down that route.
So I have several options, if one fails, plan ,B , C D, but I would not entertain your option period.
Sounds sensible but I have no SIPP provider or insurance to pursue so what better option did I have?
SL -Think Ames will be paying out any cash I think that’s a bit far fetched! Also how does a Statutory Demand recover you any cash – it doesn’t. None of your options are easy! Good luck tho! And there’s one cabana that can’t be liquidated! I wonder how many are left?
Cannuck, if your contract has been breached, then a stat demand would also be an option for you, as would placing cautions on property be an option. However, if you have taken the view that getting your money out is not really likely, then getting title without further financial exposure is understandable. I hope you followed RL advice and are using a good SVG lawyer to ensure all is done properly – I would think it worth flying over to get this done properly.
73 – I think there’s a lot of consolidation from multiple units on multiple resorts – seems like if your unit is ready and your unable to complete there are plenty of takers. The solicitor is clearly acting for many people.
http://www.lovemoney.com/blogs/scams-and-rip-offs/scams/20379/nick-levene-ponzi-fraudster-one-pound-compensation?source=1000557
@ Canuc, I appreciate your honesty and your posts might help others to make reasoned choices about the best way forward.
Can I ask who your conveyancing lawyer is and how you were introduced to him/her? Did they take you through the complexities of the service contract with the third party operator? Do the title documents have annexes which set out the rental returns and the charges that will be made to you for the servicing of the unit?
BB – the drafts have the information – the SVG lawyer was introduced by the UK – you need to engage with HP as well as the legal route and see what you can engineer
* introduced by a UK lawyer
Maybe I have Paul Waltons unit! Who knows?
Can I ask how building work is progressing ,as that is what this should be all about .significant progress on that front would be an answer to all the flak flying around,the company is called Harlequin property developments,thats what they need to concentrate on.If no more building is to take place then perhaps they need to consider other options
@ Canuck, thank you for that.
I don’t want to put words in your mouth but would it be fair to say that you made an independent choice of conveyancing lawyer and that you are happy that you are receiving impartial advice? In other words you are happy that your lawyer is working hard for you.
Home front – I’m not aware of any building work at present.
BB – yes I’m comfortable with the lawyer – just hope I am doing right thing, but I consider I may have reduced my risk a little
@ Canuck, I can understand why this might look like an option for you given the circumstances. Don’t be afraid to ask lots of “what if” questions to the lawyer so that you are satisfied that you are protected in a wide range of circumstances.
I think many people are naive about the function of a contract. When I posted above about what happens if the resort company fails is in no way saying that this is a likely outcome, rather that it is a possible outcome. The purpose of a contract is to regulate the actions of two parties if and when certain things happen. In this sense a lawyer should seek to capture any event that is remotely possible (within reason – the resort suffers a reputation issue because a holiday maker is eaten by a shark is not a sensible clause to include for example!)
@ Canuck….. an idea? pinched it from you.
I have been following with interest, my unit is 105 on Buccamant Bay and I have not had a refund so you can not have it 😉
This maybe sound a bit off the wall but here goes.
Say a unit was £360k, could 4 people not combine their £90k deposits and each own a quarter & share the income and costs? a fractional ownership agreement just needs to be in place – complicated but not impossible.
Its not something I would do because I just want my money back, but it may be an option for some? especially cash investors – who don’t have the benefit of PI and FOS as a fall back.
I think this could work but it would need HP to allow it,
It works better for the investor but maybe not HP as it does not give them any income – but would show willing?
All the best,
Paul Walton
Here’s a thought maybe a legal eagle can advise on..
Dave ‘borrowed’ £5mm from UK Harlequin company(correct me if I’m wrong)
He probably invested it badly and lost a lot(he doesn’t come across as shrewd)
If company goes into liquidation, liquidator can and will pursue him for the full 5mm…
He’s probably squirrels away other monies through ‘management fees’ etc but if and when HP goes bust he may not simply be able to walk away from the mess..
Here’s hoping….
What do you all think?
An idea we have talked about within the investor group and the legal team, is getting a small group of investors together to ask questions and try to work constructively with HP to find solutions, without all this emotion and anger – now what seems to have come out of today’s ‘in house’ fighting is something worthwhile recommending?
Now, if we could put things forward in a sensible way with HP then maybe we could sort something out for both parties that is satisfactory???
Any thoughts on this?
All the best,
Paul
I’m not sure what this £5m refers to but it keeps doing the rounds. Is it the same sum of money mentioned by BDO in the accounts which says that overseas properties have been bought in the name of Ames’ family members but the intention is for this to be paid back and the company has a legal charge over the property?
I don’t know much about the legality of this but, if HMSSE went under what would happen to the legal charge? Would a creditor of HMSSE have rights over that charge or would it just die with the company?
@ Paul. That sounds like a very sensible way forward. Why not aim to get a constructive dialogue going like you say. Are RL signed up to the principles of collaborative law?
@BB
I don’t know the answer regarding RL and collaborative law – I will ask the question,
Must go and take the dogs out…..
all the best
Paul
Paul – I think what you suggest is a given to get a successful conclusion. When I met Dave Ames I witnessed documents, funds, letters from funders and looked into the whites of his eyes and I saw some hope there, although some difficulties to overcome.
Dave has this odd approach where he sees its his duty to fight, even though he’s wrong.
There were 4 lawyers there and 1 QC all just there to fight the investor group and its madness.
I feel dialogue and openness can resolve this – there’s stuff I can’t say on here so I may email you later and give you a call you won’t believe some of it
@Canuck,
Please do, I don’t know who you are, but understand you have my number and or email.
all the best
Paul
Ames just trying to save own skin, hence all the lawyers there ar your expense. I am afraid that not starting 6000 places is more than some difficulties to overcome. Ames is a criminal and there is no hope of things going forward as planned. Radical and total change is needed to the plan, plus acceptance you have been had, and sorting this out yourselves without Ames. If you for a second think ames is going sort this out, you are mistaken. This may seem an unhelpful post, but it is a shame to see people waste time and hope on this crook.
Anon – no I don’t think he is a criminal and you certainly aren’t in possession of the facts to know.
This blogg is odd because we have people like you who are just as much trolls as the pro-HP brigade, serving no purpose but to choke the discussion.
I think we need to get a forum you need to register with your property details as this place is degenerating fast
@Canuck, I agree with regarding the post by Anon 7.44. Says nothing new, adds nothing to the debate. Upwards and onwards rather than same negative posts.
All the evidence points to this though, and you just refuse to accept it. But fair enough, will stay quiet now. And yes, I do have enough facts to know, but again will just wish you luck as you do seem decent and don’t deserve to have been taken by this guy. Good luck.
Canuck ? French Canadien
Knute ? English King (well sorta) who could’nt stop the tide
Nuck! Nuck! Three Stooges tag-line
Paul be very careful because I sense a snake in the grass.
This is from someone who has only suffered “collateral damage”
FDNRM – I know there is a few people on here causing trouble and posting under different names I’m sure you can guess who these are and I don’t mean Newman/ O’Halloran – we need a registered forum setting up – I would do it if I knew how!
Perplexed – what’s your problem? Try and help or just go away – we all need to move on and try and help each other.
Why would someone who is straight have a default mechanism to lawyer up and get body guards as soon as anyone was upset? Makes no sense.
For weeks the BFP has provided an even, impartial, fair (even when the
language became a bit over the top) outlet for people to express their
concerns and situations re: Harlequin (in all its myriad manifestations).
If Canuck wants to start BASILDEN FREE PRESS I am certain that he would
immediately receive the help he needs. But would it be even, impartial and
fair? My only concern with this link is Barbados and recently 90% of the
posts have been only tangentally connnected.
@Perplexed, is this some sort of quiz game? What are you on about?
@FDNRM
Barbados and the well-being of the Caribbean
Anonymous – Ames does not have a personal bodyguard he employs security staff for the offices and resort and these were in place long before this all flared up
Perplexed – do you eat a lot of cheese at bedtime? Go and worry about something more relevant to you and leave us investors alone!
Canuck do you have my contact details?
Another idea we talked about was having an area for a blog on RL site, it would be real investors using real names – would be able to cut out all the sillyness.
Any thoughts on it?
Regards paul
@Perplexed, I hope you are not implying BFP is impartial, even and fair?
Hickory dickory dock Harlequin Tick Tock
@Canuck..”There were 4 lawyers there and 1 QC all just there to fight the investor group and its madness”
Why? What madness?What is Mr Ames so scared of? People want answers to their questions and concerns I do not class this as madness why do you?.
But YOUR forum would be different how…………? you would still have people with a different agenda to yours that is life I do not expect everyone to agree with me some people want to still be investors with Harlequin some do not.
It would be great if Mr Ames could see that this is the way forward and for him to embrace the Investor group.
People need clarity, they need to know in advace what exit charges there are if they want to end there overdue contracts with Harlequin and likewise what loyalty bonuses will be implemented if they decide to stay with investment that have not been completed on time
The truth is the truth all the bullying tactics in the world are not going to stop the investor group indeed it just draws negative publicity to Harlequin does it not? I believe Mr Ames could and should explain this to his staff and of course the IFA companies who sell his resorts
This morning I was accused anonomously of causing a job loss and lying I have never spoken to Mr M Chapman and would not of encouraged the behaviour he is accused of, EVERYTHING I have told Panorama I can and will totally back up when the need does arise ask Mr S Terry if you do not believe me
Panorama will be shown it is just a matter of when not if I wonder what people are so scared of?
Paul – yes I have your details I will email you.
The sooner we get off here and get focused the better – even though I have an offer I’m no way home and dry but I think I have put myself in a better position without spending cash – so I want involvement.
We need to get to a forum where Dave Mann & Cliff jones aren’t trolling under different names, making wild accusations without fact.
@EB
I feel your pain. This has become a classic example of “agitprop”
I am not sure that grouping together to jointly take on units would help much.
If it was possible in the first place (think about SIPP rules, joint agreements between co-purchasers etc) then it would still leave Ames as the deranged driver of a train heading for the buffers at speed.
Any solution would have to take him out of the business. If it didn’t, what is to stop him buying another Black Pearl or H-Hotel, or taking another £5 million loan?
Erica you have misunderstood – what I mean is;
Spending so much money on lawyers to avoid payments properly due is madness the lawyers were not here for investors benefit, read what I said
A forum through RL with real names and verified investors rather than ex harlequin employees trolling on here under multiple names.
I think your confused at what I’m suggesting, this forum is now rotten with people who have no investment involvement.
We need the forum cleaned up, investors representatives appointed to meet Ames, and answers.
You seem quick to go off on a tangent- maybe what I wrote was unclear or maybe you misunderstood?
Panorama has been confirmed in writing as never to be shown – its in writing from the legals
@ Canuck What sort of accusation have they made from what I can see they have been attacked and accused of ……..well all sorts?
You are doing what you are accusing them of making wild accusation without knowing the facts how do you know they are on here trolling??
I am not trying to attack you but everyone needs to think before posting unless you have proof do not say it or indeed repeat it, this is exactly what causes the topic to go of course.
St George – shared ownership is nothing new, and if you read what paul said he said it was a possibility for non SIPP investors who have no insurance to claim against – Ames owns all facilities so how would you get rid of him and secondly when I was there he did it well!
For Whom the bell toll,s Mr Ames the grimm reaper is close on your tail
Meat Head – very informing now trot on!
Erica – and your solution to trolling is? It’s not at all unusual to have to register for forums.
The difference is Erica I have seen the documentation I refer to, I insisted on it prior to agreeing a deal, so hardly trolling when I refer to them.
If you can’t see single people are using multiple id’s then your blind.
Is it you we need to convince to alter things?
Erica – you don’t read things very well you seem to automatically think negative
I haven’t seen anything suggesting that Panorama is being permanently pulled; the information as it exists in the public domain merely says that an allegation is being investigated and its broadcast has ben postponed. Frankly the case as it appears to me seems soft — there is no attempt to influence or steer information, just to get hold of it (information being so routinely absent here). At worst it’s crass misjudgement on behalf of the produer, it absolutely doesn’t intrinsically undo the legitimacy of everything that they were looking to investigate. Seems to me like a desperate attempt to root around and find any means possible to keep it off the air — can’t imagine why.
Anonymous – unless you had been given access by HP to the legal letters how would you have seen them? They are not in the public domain – I have read them myself! It’s binned 100% never to be shown
Canuck, why don’t you go and start up your own forum instead of flipping out here and threatening to do so?
Please. Just go, and leave those of us who’ve been discussing Harlequin here for years to continue to do so.
@Canuck are you referring to the BBC and documation?
There are always going to be trolls wherever, Unfortunatley already on RL there are IFAs and Harlequin employees who claim to be investors also.
There are people who do not want to respect other peoples rights to a refund or to carry on with Harlequin the truth is some people are happy and other are not and there are a few in the middle who are very confused and would like answers .
As for me going of on a tangent “what madness” are you talking about with the investor group as I was under the impression I and others involved to be quite sane
Where is your proof these trolls are who you say they are?
Anon @ 10:13
Hear! Hear!
or is it…..
Here! Here!
I’m not British
No your a gobby yank interfering where your not wanted – sounds familiar that!
Erica – I was saying that the spending of vast sums on lawyers was madness, not that the investor group was insane. Read it again!!!!
Strange how these crucial documents that contain all the answers are all kept behind lock and key and only seen by specific people in specific circumstances. Nothing massively peculiar about that!
@Anon 10.13 Panorama has been proved to be a gutter press program. Silly technique for trying to get interviews by doorstepping people, now potential bribery. The content is irelevant, the program is totally discredited. If the story was so great why try bribery to get additional information. Obviously not convinced they had a cast iron story.
@anon RU. Don’t suggest people should leave this forum just because they disagree with you. Canuck has just as much right to be on here as anyone else. However non investors should stop clogging this forum up with inane rubbish.
Anonymous – the documents need making available that’s for sure!
So the investors all put money into Harlequin. Not only did they not get their own units built but Mr Ames owns the hotels.
Remind me how much of his own money he put in? Should the investors not own fractions of the resort?
St Gorge – that’s why we need to see the Carribean accounts in detail – they exist
OMG , just caught up on today’s posts and I see a huge amount by Canuck who diffends Ames and harlequin at every opportunity.
Sounds very similar to a certain Yorkiepoo. Remember him/she/it. Ames bum buddy/employee!!
I am no fan of Ames and i havent defended him once ,he has failed but we need to get the best out of this situation.
Are you another idiot who can’t understand what they read?
I haven’t come out well with my investment – are you another troll with multiple names?
Maybe HP can dig deep into this pile of secret documents and publish the magical “forensic accounts” now that BDO have quit.
Of was all that talk of “forensic Accounting” just more Harlequin bull sh*t?
Wake up people. DA is a con man. @Canuck’s deal seems to be a damn good idea, at least he should get something out of this, but why does he still stick to the Harlequin script when clearly he see’s the writing on the wall.
Are you closer to HP and DA than you’re letting on @Canuck?
@FDNRM sorry, but that’s nonsense. Panorama is a flagship programme on the BBC and one errant piece of behaviour doesn’t discredit the whole programme — that’s utterly nonsensical logic. The “bribe” was only offered to get information; there is no suggestion whatsoever that this information should be embellished or fabricated. It’s a technicality that has resulted in the whole thing being postponed (partially, I would suspect, because of the post-Levenson and post-Saville paranoia about press ethics).
The content is not irrelevant and neither is the programme discredited — if one piece of inconsistent or dishonest behaviour is to be taken as evidence that an entire project is discredited, then I think we all know what that could mean.
Journalists have doorstepped recalcitrant people since the dawn of the free press — getting hold of as much info as possible is terribly important, you see.
24 hours straight!!! Someone’s very very worried.
Mr blue – I have no hidden agenda I just speak as I see fit, I may have done the wrong thing, time will tell, I’m not impressed with HP at all!
Been Head – stop trolling and blocking discussion
You are so Dim you can’t even remember what you have posted ( I looked into the whites of his eyes and saw some hope) hahahahahahahaha that’s a classic. Canuck = proper rumbled dimwit.
Bean Had = troll, another post that adds nothing, bye bye
I love how the trolls personally attack on here and pretend they don’t troll!
You better find somebody else to try and wind because you have no chance with me – trott on now!
That’s fine, we can let the readers make up their own minds about that.
@Canuck it’s unfortunate but as we know anyone who comes up with anything which is contrary to the pack mentality gets a personal attack. Just ignor the morons.
@Anon 10.55 don’t try and hide the truth about panorama because they are a “flagship program” They are only as good as their last program and their journalistic efforts on this were very poor. There are clever ways of getting information and very stupid ways. This was stupid, you see.
We can let the readers make up their own minds about that.
@Canuck, blaming all of Harlequin’s woes on O’Halloran and Newman, and then accusing anyone who speaks out against HP of supporting or even being O’Halloran or Newman, is the same line we’ve heard ad nauseum before on here from the same Harlequin trolls using different names.
At best you make your self look naive, at worst another HP troll.
Consolidating your investments into one unit and attempting to gain title doesn’t look like the actions of a naive individual, given the circumstances it is actually rather clever. Thus I’m left thinking you have connections that you’re not disclosing.
Been Head – they have already! Read the posts! Whe are you going to contribute something instead of being a disruptive moron?
FDRM – I don’t let it worry me – people need to remember you are the only one who has backed up their position with paperwork – had been is jus full of bull
Mr Blue – I don’t think it’s all down to O’Halloran/ Newman at all, they are a smallish factor but I am the first to admit HP have failed.
As for connections it depends what you mean – I don’t work for HP if that’s what you mean?
@FDNRM this could go round in circles — particularly given your loose relationship with reason — so I’ll try and leave it here on this subject: there is no way to characterise their journalistic efforts as “very poor” as you haven’t seen the programme. There was a lack of judgement on the part of the producer, that is all — as that is all we know. Probably best not throw around accusations of “hiding the truth” here (wonder how many boats have moored at that marina?)
Lots of people do stupid things — frequently much more stupid than clumsy suggestions in an email.
@Anon 11.31. Journalistic effort can be characterised by more than just the content of the program. How many more people had been tempted by a bribe? Who knows how many more had been tapped up? There again what would I know given my loose relationship with reason? Whatever that means.
Canuck… maybe you are using classic negotiation techniques to win over the trust of, and hence to influence investors who are reading (and not commenting) on this forum? And if I was one of the vast majority of people who have not had their unit built … what would you suggest I do ?
Nostradamus – I am in no way qualified to give advice and so hesitate to suggest anything. I was in a position where I had sufficient deposits if totalled together was sufficient to buy a cabana at BB, if I had bought through a SIPP I might not have done what I did.
If I was you I would register with RL but in parallel try and meet Ames and work a back up plan. Even though your unit isn’t built people like Paul are exiting so you may be able to take somebody else’s?
I have to reiterate I’m no IFA or HP employee so its just my opinion.
This is exactly why an investors spokesperson with HP would be useful?
@Canuck.
Some things bother me about you. It’s like reading a book from an author, the story line reads the same but the characters change in name only.
How’s this for starters.
The story
Once upon a time…. There was a poor investor.
I am that poor hard done by investor in Hardly Quinn ,I have taken legal advice from the evil Mr Hatchet Fat chap, but somehow managed to get close to The Dwarf King…. and his team of legal four professionals including a QC no less! These are scary people.
You may not believe it but, I managed to make it a condition of me turning up to see all sorts of very, very important documents….. these were for my eyes only…. Just for me nobody else…
Now, the plot thickens, these documents are so so important NOBODY else has EVER seen them!!!
These documents would bring down the BBC and even the mighty Harlequin Investor Group!! This evil group made up of a few determined individuals want to bring down Dwarf Kings evil empire – only these document will stop them.. so me and The Dwarf Kings legal team decided to keep them quite.
I had to borrow money to invest in Dwarf Kings empire, so much in total I was able to buy a whole Castle Cabana…. Yes, a whole one!!! I have so much money the closing costs don’t even bother me, not like that Walton fella…..
Now, The Dwarf King made me promise to try and get the support of the BFP supporters and make contact with the most evil one….. the dastardly Paul Walton, who dared to ask for a refund, the Beast a true fiend…..
So I have been posting all day and night otherwise I have been told I will turn into a troll……even a Dwarf.
The End
Short Legs trolling already!
@ CANNUCK Just you and a few others
Yawn yawn – another pointless, meaningless post!
What’s with all this trolling?
I agree that mud slinging gets us nowhere. Let’s stick to things that matter.
Nobody has offered a decent explanation or account of the Section 519 issued by BDO. I make no apology for keeping this on the agenda.
The statement from BDO makes it clear that HMSSE are not communicating effectively with their auditor and not providing adequate confidence that they have addressed the serious concerns raised by BDO in previous years. This doesn’t paint a picture of a company on top of its financial affairs to say the least.
I have made my own enquiries and can confirm Canuck has done such a deal.
I know little legs is the biggest pratt on here but in a roundabout way he is raising a fair question.
How did Canuck get Ames to agree to a deal so heavily weighted in Canucks favour – a deal that is not on offer to other investors ad far as I know?
@caynuck
Did you contact Paul Walton – or was that another little story?
@ITK
If you have made your own enquiries, and you know so much, why don’t your contacts tell you – why its such a good deal has been offered?
Your mis spelling and typing looks similar to others Mmmmm I may carry on my little story.
@ Canuck, sorry for the spelling of your name.
did you contact Paul Walton?
Get both sides on Jeremy Kyle. It seems at the moment its all about points scoring .Why so much abuse and aggro ,if a good post does come up with a good point its ignored or heaped with abuse,Im always asking how constuction is going and I have to say if the guys on site worked as many hours as some people spend working on posts here and maybe on other sites lots more would be built .Both sides need to act in good faith and also generate trust and respect without these things no agreement is going to happen ,The past has gone ,learn from it but discuss the future.All these secret threats are pointless , As I have said before I am not an investor but close to someone who is,They did not borrow to invest,and are just about able to write it of,make of that what you will
@Homefront.
ok I call a truce, no more silly stuff 🙂
No I haven’t contacted Paul yet I have to dig out his email address I will be shortly.
Back trolling about spelling? It’s a blog not a gcse!
I thought you didn’t think it was a good thing for Paul to speak to me?
@Am I the only sane one left??. No not if you keep clogging up this thread with meaningless U Tube clips. It now takes far too long to load this thread up. Can we start a new one or delete the video clips, most we have seen before anyway.
@canuck
Its Paul Walton, you can get me on walton.notlaw@gmail.com
If you include a phone number I will give you a call.
all the best
Paul
An update from Regulatory Legal for those who have not seen it.
All,
We are booking up the seminars in London well. If you want to go, please be in contact with us.
It is important that investor’s can take part in the debate. The BBC issue is a distraction. It has not got those waiting for their finance payment paid. Nor has it built more property on time.
The “Linked In” incident is unfortunate as it does not help deal with the concerns investors have. Next week, we will issue the findings from our survey. It will set out the concerns and what Harlequin needs to do to resolve them.
Some of the more avid industry watchers will have seen the new FSA Capital Adequacy rules for SIPP coming in. The upshot is that more esoteric investments held within SIPPS will require significantly higher capital requirements.
The simple conclusion is that most SIPP providers will not be able to afford the increased capital and will stop taking esoteric investments. This is something which will affect all esoteric investments
New money via SIPP will be difficult to obtain.
Our conclusion is that now more than ever Harlequin need to be open with their existing investors. After all, it is these people who are now being asked to complete on the properties which are ready at Buccament Bay.
@Paul Walton, I have to disagree with the RL sentiments above. “the BBC issue is a distraction” Not so long ago Panorama was being hailed as the “nail in the coffin” program, the expose which would bring HP down. Now that it has been cancelled it is now just a distraction. What a pity a more pragmatic view was not shown when solutions should have been sought rather than the lets all piss on the corpse pack mentality of earlier.
Hello In the Know, or should we address you as “Canuck” ???
One thing that will get you banned at BFP (and there aren’t many things) is coming back with a different name and having conversations with yourself to fool people into believing that you are more than one person.
If we catch you again, you’ll be gone.
Now please apologise to all the people you tried to deceive.
Marcus BFP editor.
And that warning goes for a few other people ’bout hey too.
Marcus
Four years ago my wife and myself attended a presentation here in Barbados, near Merricks, given by Harlequin. Because of the obvious high level sales pitch (we had already experienced timeshare sales techniques) and a suspected scam, we abhorted our intended investment with them, and have since purchased our own spot near Merricks, built, and are now living in comfortable retirement, thankful we did not go for Merricks.
We enjoy soap operas on the TV. “Days of Our Lives” is childish, funny, entertaining and we love to see the lies and deceit among the idle rich. I have spent more time reading this blog than watching “Days”, for the same reasons, and also here we are accompanied by occasional U-Tube items and rhythmic interludes (Tick Tock Tick Tock).
On a serious note, and this has been pointed out by a poster already, I do not like to see Barbados and the Caribbean exploited by crooks (and I believe they exist on both sides of this argument), and I hope that they will be caught and punished.
In the meantime, I guess BFP will commence a new series (fresh blog) to give us all space to watch, or join in if we desire. If any of us are perceived as trolls, I am sue BFP can deal with us if they so wish. I would not complain, unlike some who have suggested that the removal of their posts would be an example of censorship. The idea of running their own private blog is very sensible IMHO, which would mean that the dirty linen of the rich and selfish would be kept away from the envious gaze of us plebs, and I will have to go back to watching “Days”.
BTW, this is Easter Weekend. I am sure BFP have many more things to do rather than work hard to set up a new blog, or spend time monitoring our playground behaviour.
My thanks for your latest posts, BFP, I had written my own on Wordpad before you arrived, but have not bothered to edit it.
@short Legs 530am…as you see from above BPF message, In The Know and Canuck are one and the same person…such a bunch of crooked, deceiving “supporters” of a failing,possibly crooked operation…makes me sick.
Now that BFP has exposed Canuck as being “In The Know” (also Yorkiepoo), investors should reread his posts in the knowledge that he is a Harlequin liar. All of the following – taken from his posts – are presumably untrue:
“I hear another investor settled a deal with Ames today, so sounds like one did and one didn’t! Maybe there is hope!”
“……was he a big bloke blonde hair over 6ft. If it was he has had a settlement!”
“If what I hear is true in that HP are signing title to the chosen few, then the asset of BB is deminishing (sic) for the rest of us isn’t it?”
“Erica – We are all with you I think”
“Harlequin do not own quite a lot of the finished cabanas as title has been passed to their owners.”
“I think if Harlequin went bust the administrators would sell the resort minus the privately owned units to an operator? Why would they let it crumble to nothing?”
“Its a fact that title is being transferred as we speak so assets are diminishing (sic)”
“surely getting a property would be better than becoming a creditor?”
“We dont know people aren’t getting paid do we?”
“Well I have decided to complete and take title”
“As for the Caribbean accounts they exist back to 2006 – Gareth Fatchett has a copy.”
“HP are getting people alien landholders licences ”
“Gary Player is still commissioned for St Lucia.
LFC & Pat Cash – no issue yet
Trader Vics – still happening
Townsend – in contact daily with Ames and invested in 2 units”
“I have an email fro Trader Vics Corporate Relations confirming its happening and all fixtures and fittings are in warehouse in SVG”
“I’m not worried because I have done a deal with HP”
“I had multiple units I have amalgamated into one and taken title!”
“…surely if I can get title on a property without exposing myself to more financial risk it’s worthwhile – RL did not advise me not to do it but advised me to employ SVG lawyer to make sure the title was transferred properly!”
“seems like if your unit is ready and your (sic) unable to complete there are plenty of takers. The solicitor is clearly acting for many people.”
“When I met Dave Ames I witnessed documents, funds, letters from funders and looked into the whites of his eyes and I saw some hope there, although some difficulties to overcome.”
“…I have seen the documentation”
“that’s why we need to see the Carribean (sic) accounts in detail – they exist”
It has all been a long lie to put investors off the scent. Go to a lawyer.
@BFP, is it possible to name ALL the posters who have multiple IDs. Not sure if it is practicle, but if you are aware of others then please communicate with us. many thanks.
@St Georges…as good a liar as DA himself? There are numerous You Tube videos that expose blatant lies coming from him…they have a dedicated PR department working full time on BFP..one of the few sources of information for H investors.
Would anyone like to see the original Harlecon website pages? They were full of loads of information about Harlequin finances and the scam. I saved copies as I was concerned that Harlequin would take the website down as they did with Singing Pig.
Paul / Erica – do you have them? They might be useful to you and investors.
@St George,s Draggon, If you can will you please send the saved copies to the harlequininvestorgroupnw@gmail.com it might prove very useful.:)
Also I have noticed a few investors are really woried and are trying to contact me through the old website Harlequin property problems I cannot contact anyone through the website. Can I ask you all to try and help each other and talk about the meetings we have set up starting next Tuesday in Manchester, Thursday London and Friday Birmingham Please
@St George
It looks that way, certainly very little credibility now, think Sean Ghent aka we all have been paid BB member of staff, Dan Dalligan – Gareth’s phantom poster….. and the yet to be confirmed BBC emails to Sean Ghent etc.
desperate times = desperate measures
lets get things back on track?
All the best
Paul
Sorry the above post was me Erica Broughton my son also uses my laptop
@St GD, do they have the details of O’Halloran’s $13m fraud also? No? I thought not. In that case you can keep them.
@St G
No I do not have a copy, there was a post a week or so back that gave access to them…
@Erica, does that mean your son is “Am I the onle sane one left”?
Yes he thinks we are all insane and says “we all only have so many heart beats in our bodies and we should write this of and all move on”
Hahahaha, Canuck/ in the know/ yorkiepoo we’ll and truly rumbled as expected, what a dim wit. Who will he come back as next ???
One reason for not allowing multiples would be that they can be used to con people.
@Erica, 3.03pm
Erica, if what you say is true, that “Am I the only sane one left???” is your son, then I commend you for having a bright lad! He posted the rock video which I thoroughly enjoyed, even though I am not a rock fan.
I also commend you for your concern for pensioners who are likely to lose their investments, and your concern that others do not follow suit.
I hope and pray that through your efforts, and others, crooks and scam artists are brought to justice (I celebrated over the Stanford affair), but regrettably corruption is endemic to a governmental society, whether it be capitalist or socialist. In my student days I was an anarchist (non-violent, c.f. Tolstoy).
In the meantime I encourage and support any individual, politician or otherwise, or group of individuals, who are prepared to whistle-blow. If I was younger I would certainly be into investigative journalism.
God bless you, and if David Ames ends up in prison like Alan Stanford I can have another celebration! If he is only a weak and naive individual, (not supported by his presentations on U-Tube, I have said he reminds me of the comedy sketches of criminals and con-artists depicted in UKTV), then I hope he recants his errors and does what he can to redress the distress he has caused to so many vulnerable individuals.
However, I return to my diatribe against people who have big money to spend, even if it is their life savings.
I have already likened all investment to gambling, IMHO, and that is an on-going discussion anyway. Like your son, I say give it up (i.e. the money – I trust you can afford to lose it), but do not give up your campaign to bring the criminals (if there are any) to justice.
OMG, know Canuck is imposing as me (Been had). you are very sick, thick skinned individual with no morals. If you have any self respect you would crawl back into that little hole were you belong.
I correct my username is Been had and you have lost the plot. Is the thought of prison freaking you out??
Looks like everyone has “been had”
Multiple posters are always pro-Harlequin. Twisted bunch of crooks couldn’t “lie” straight in bed. Every trick in the book, and yet they still manage to cock it up and make themselves (and Harlequin) look even worse than they already are.
Go on FDNRM and … erm … erm … who else is there? I think you’re on your own. But anyway, off you go and set up your own little website where you can exclude the “trolls” talking about FSA, SFO, BBC, Companies House, construction progress and all those other minor distractions to your WONDERFUL (clever you!) investment you want to talk about. What an amazingly successful company you’re backing FDNRM. Genius. Go on … off you go, to talk your fuckwit chat elsewhere where no future (frighteningly thick) investors could be swayed by your lying, deceitful bullshit.
What I meant was we have “been had” by been had, if you follow me.
WTF Been Had? “window licker”? How exactly did you work that one out, and how the hell did you presume I was talking to Ames?
Yep; Been Had, classic long-term Harlequin investor. Pity on you. Total pity.
Hi Guys,
I want us ALL to be more respectful with our words. Paul has spoken with Patrick who is featured in a video posted on here March 29th at 5.40 I do not know if he is aware of this blog but feel that he (Patrick) might benefit from meeting you guys, so can you all please request a few of your posts be deleted before tomorrow and then I will tell him about BBFP 🙂 Iknow your coments are not intended for him but I think we would all hate to upset him in any way. Can I please request this post is deleted as well later on
Many Thanks Erica
@Anon RU I thought you had stopped these silly personal attacks. But hay ho perhaps if the nurse gives you your medication you will quieten back down. Lets face it if I wasn’t here who else would you get excited about. Perhaps it’s your way of sexual arousal.
@Erica, who’s Patrick?
@Been had, nobody, just me. If I had two IDs then Anon RU would not be able to stalk me.
Oh dear FDNRM, there you go again with your sick little sticky handed fantasies … hunched there over your keyboard, jiggling away, with me stalking you.
Just tell me:
Do you recommend the Harlequin investment;
Do you think Harlequin will succeed in all they’ve promised
Do you advise people to stay in the investment, or get out as contractually entitled to?
If you’re going to answer positively to any of the above, would you like to give us some explanation as to why for once?
All I’ve ever seen you do here is talk like an uneducated Essex boy, agitate, insult, threaten and fantasise about me stalking you. Try to come up with something a little more substantive as I certainly think you’re a prize prat who deserves to lose every single penny you ever earned stacking shelves in Asda.
@Anon RU nice LOL x
St George’s Dragon March 31, 2013 at 6:19 pm
I post as Eddie Lizzard2 as well as this name!
You don’t and I can prove it. You are a liar!
@BFP I think you need to sort this out ASAP.
p.s. someone is impersonating Anon Reasons Unknown he’s coming over as a nasty personal stalker. This cannot really be him, can it?
@ Been had @18.31 You and your horrible pathetic coments are one of the reasons for that!!
Tsk! Tsk! To think that you were to all be neighbors in paradise,…..
sort of like Eastenders with palm trees.
@Erica, I exclude you
Canuck AKA In the know AKA Yorkiepoo AKA Confused.com at 11:31 30 March
“I don’t think it’s all down to O’Halloran/ Newman, they are a smallish factor but I am the first to admit HP have failed”
Does Uncle Dave know you’re not towing the company line Canuck? Next time you look into the short man’s yellowing eyes he’ll probably be telling you that you won’t be getting your bonus this month.
Perplexed at 10.20pm – now that was funny. I actually lol’d at that.
BFP – there is someone else posting under my name here – see the March 31, 2013 at 6:19 pm post and Eddie Lizzard2’s post of 7.35 pm.
There is nothing worse than identity theft – apart from stealing money from people.
Please do me a favour; we may disagree about Muslim matters but you know who I am and where I post from. Please confirm the 6.19 post was not mine. If you want to go further, perhaps you could confirm the IP address was closer to Basildon than Barbados.
While we wait for BFP to confirm who posted a message in my name on March 31, 2013 at 6:19 pm, there appear to be two St George’s Dragons on this website.
One is trying to stir things up by saying that I post as Eddie Lizzard2. The other one has been to Merricks in Barbados today to check on the progress on site.
The real SG’sD can confirm that there has been no progress for months – see the photos taken today which I an about to send to BFP and which I hope they will post.
The false SG’sD who has stolen my identity will no doubt say that work continues apace. Pictures of the H-Hotel to follow.
Hello to the real St. George’s Dragon,
I went through and took out all that person’s posts. Every one and put a blocker on.
We’ll keep an eye on it but do speak up if you see it happening again.
Thanks
Robert
Just to clarify Canuck/in the know /yorkiepoo also decided to hijack my user name also ( been had)
Good work BFP, about time that troll got kicked out. ; )
Lol banned from this place it’s too funny!
Will have to find a way around it!
The last three days activity by HP and their agents has shown just how far they will go to disrupt any legitimate criticism. In a re run of the campaign against opponents on Trip Advisor they have used foul, abusive and aggressive language to attempt to get threads removed and posters banned. Fortunately BFP show no sign of caving in to these tricks.
It looks as if the attempt to smear the BBC used a fake Linkedin identity from which to send the inmails, and I expect to see the Panorama programme screened in due course.
The principles of the company must have been aware of what has happened and I wonder how anyone could continue negotiations in good faith, now that the extent of the deception has been exposed. Yet more evidence of incompetence and poor judgement, virtually guaranteed to generate further bad publicity.
Well that took alot of working out to beat the banning order!!
@BBaywatch, would you like to elaborate on the “fake Linkedin” comment. Or is this speculation?
@Anon RU, glad to see the medication has kicked in and you are better now.
FDNRM – the talk of the email being fake is none sense it has been fully verified. HP did not deal with the BBC they had a QC to do that! It’s just silly talk!
@Undecided, BBaywatch has some sort of Journalistic connections, may even be one himself. He is always defending his journalistic friends, i.e. John Austin, so he must be able to substanciate his comment. His comment above cast a whole new light on the Panorama debacle and must be backed up.
hmmm – Undecided – one post wonder – instant rebuttal – appears to be in the know about events. Looks like we have In the Know/Canuck/Yorkiepoo etc etc in a new guise.
Just confirms the points in my post.
@FDNRM
It would be possible to set yourself up with a LinkedIn account as Mathew Chapman, the difficult bit would be confirming your e-mail BBC@??????, because you need to verifie the email as ‘real’ the only way round this would be to have one that ‘looked’ like a BBC email address.
I have been in contact many times with Mathew Chapman, and it was never by LinkedIn – plus the style of writing does not look the same. I think the BBC had to take action regardless if the claim is real or alleged.
I had a LinkedIn account until recently when the amount of people viewing it spiked to an all time high.
Then started getting strange phone calls at the office. The interesting think is who and where the majority of my ‘new’ fan club was from……..
hope this helps
Paul
@BBaywatch.
Yes a reincarnation …getting quite tedious ..not worthy of more comment
Don’t worry Paul, I’ve made my point and won’t feed the troll.
Hahahahaha you gotta laugh at this sicko, he/she /it is really getting off trying to wind people up. but in reality it is just a very sad person who fits in very well with the rest of its harlequin low life colleagues.
keep it coming! it just shows everyone the levels you stoop to.
@BBaywatch, as you have not attempted to back up your previous comment regarding Panorama I can now accuse you of being a troll. Very poor, either put up or shut up.
@Paul Walton, it’s @bbc etc for a bbc e- mail address. Minor point I know.
Is the sort of behaviour that the Harlequin representatives have been up to here illegal in any way? Could it be fraud? Would the SFO be interested?
Would it be fraudulent misrepresentation under contract law?
Any lawyers like to comment?
@Yorkie,36,ITK,BH,CANUCK, Andrea???? Are you Paul Glazebrook? Not that it really matters as all you are doing is damage to Harlequins all ready fragile reputation! Keep up the brilliant work!!!
Good news about Panorama soon to be shown!
I was not talking about misusing my username. It was the web of lies from the fictional Canuck about having done a deal with Mr Ames and taken title on a unit at Buccament Bay that I was referring to.
If a Harlequin employee or agent lied to entice people into a transaction, that would be fraud, wouldn’t it?
Yes St George, and the dimwit has probably used his home or office so he wont be hard to find when the SFO come knocking ; )
Article in the Nation in Barbados this morning – a 2-3 day water outage at Merricks.
I believe one of the conditions prior to Town and Country Planning being granted is that Harlequin has to upgrade the water infrastructure in the area.
How is that coming along?
There seems to be no “lowest common denominator” on what is coming
out of the Basilden Bunker. It reminds me somewhat of the final chapter of
Shirer’s Rise and Fall of the Third Reich. Dr Goebbels continues to employ
many guises (ie. user-names) to promote the lost cause.
As soon as this is over (and it is turning into the SLOWEST train-wreck in
corporate history) and the Island Nations can return to some form of
cunstruction/investment normalcy – the better. The periferal damage is
greater than many may suspect.
DAFPM Aka In the know – You really needs some Kalms your going to give yourself a heart attack carrying on like that, pull yourself together man. That’s why you have to post in stupid usernames because you haven’t got the balls to post in your real name you pussy!! It’s so obvious that you’re posting as several users because your writing styles are the same dumbass!! Atleast change your writing style eh!
Erica do not feed the troll he will get bored soon enough.
@DAFPM You are allowed your opinion and I am allowed mine.
There are so many other TV Companies wanting stories on Harlequin why do you not run along and tell them how everything is wonderful in Harlequin la la land if you feel so threatened by Panorama,
@Erica, what is the good news about Panorama? Please enlighten us. Or are you using the post by the Troll BBaywatch as your font of all knowledge? And by the way stop putting 36 in with your list of collective IDs. That was me in a former life, I told everyone that I’d changed my ID on here.
Thats right i am Anthony75 and i have been consistently anti HP as they have screwed me for the last 6 years. my main purpose on here is to help any future investor think twice before they throw away there money with Ames and Harlequin. Unlike you, who is a twisted sick individual who couldn’t care a less about anyone but yourself and consistently defends Harlequin 24 hours a day. you are fighting a losing battle and you know it.
@FDNRM /36 I take it you are happy with your investment and would invest now knowing what you now know about Harlequin =get real man!!
I think we all know how this is going to end so lets all stop anyone else being drawn into this saga it is now about behaving properly= damage lmitation you all need to do a letter of intent to the person you purchased from.
DAFPM – I’m backward?? You can’t even get my name right you pleb. You haven’t looked in the mirror for a long time have you?? hahah! You should really worry about who your calling on here you don’t know what some of us are really capable of.
@ DAFPM
So it’s all the fault of wicked investors asking Harlequin for their money back which is causing the problems? Nothing to do with lying about progress, planning permission and ownership of sites? Nothing to do with conning people out of their pension money? Nothing to do with paying huge commissions to IFAs to keep the Ponzi scheme running?
And when this “witch-hunt” comes to an end, exactly how does Harlequin intend to fund the developments when its access to new investors has dried up? Perhaps Mr Ames will kick-start it by refunding the £5,006,040 “loan” he took out of the company.
My Husband has no assets 🙂
I think DA might become Prime Minister….of St Vincent. He already owns the only 5 star resort on the island, with lots of beachfront land (all paid for, according to him)..He is a Citizen of St Vincent, and a good friend of the present PM. It is not beyond the possible things that DA is capable of dreaming up.
DAFPM, You are sooooo wrong Mr Ames does not own BB Investors own it sweetheart 🙂
We are currently setting up a investor group forum so all come along and join the web address is harlequininvestors.boards.net
see you all there please stay here trolls!!
@David Ames For Prime Minister
Trees? do you have problems writing a coherent sentence? a trait you share with former uneducated trolls. 😉
@David Ames For Prime Minister
Thicko troll your new name TT 😉
@perplexed The free world lost many lives defeating axis forces,most people know the cost to all countries including the cost of gold stars in windows,All to give us the free speech which should be enjoyed by everyone
@Anonoymous 2.33 yes your that articulate you cannot think of an original ID apart from”anonymous” The spelling trolls are back again.
@homefront
I hope that you and I are on the same page
Yorkipp / in the know / canuck/ DAFPM
One think you can’t get away from in your posts, you illiterate little prick is you dyslexia, even a spell check wont help will it?
You have no cure do you?
The best of it is you think what you write is OK – ha so wrong…..pricless
Buy four know… Seee wee can all nasty get nice not is it
MR Lars you and the business owners of St Vincent are the only ones who can see ahead you are right we must all come together and have a plan with the govt of St Vincent to some how to take controll of BB resort before it is too late .I hope that what I am seeing on this tread is not really happening now,are people who invested in other HP project are switching over to BBresort and this is allowed how??????????????????????How are people really getting deeds because I have heard nothing of this.I wish someone could post a deed up with the stamp from ST vincent and show us that someone has recieved a deed please I really think it is time to come together and help each other.I said it before I still think BBresort can be a successs but we have to act now.I still am hoping
@Dyslexic, if you are going to mock other people’s issues, then try and be word perfect yourself, and I don’t mean the mocking sentence.
Anonymous, you stiff dick,try using a capital letter after a Question Mark, you asshole.
@perplexed we are
@ John Delhirro
You need to track back up this thread to understand what went on. Briefly, it appears that those who said they had taken ownership were Harlequin employees or representatives posting under false names and lying.
I don’t think anyone apart from Harlequin trolls have said that they have ownership.
It was all just another part of the continuing scam which is Harlequin.
Get legal advice!
Let me get this straight — because someone is dyslexic they deserve every
consideration (Old MacDonald had a farm…….o-i-o-i-e)
But if someone (I believe his name was Patrick) has some serious
physical challenges and is in dire probability of losing his home (but, who
by the way, seemed more concerned that others may be lured to the same
fate) deserves absolutely NO CONSIDERATION — something is drastically
wrong.
Erica I’ve been on your forum here’s a link for anyone struggling to find it
http://harlequininvestors.boards.net/index.cgi
I wonder if any of the pro-Harlequin commentators/trolls here, can post any truthful updates about the rest of the Harlequin projects and how they are coming along (other than BB and BLU).
1) Buccament Bay in St Vincent & the Grenadines
(2) Merricks in Barbados
(3) Marquis Estate in St Lucia
(4) The Hideaway in the Dominican Republic
(5) Las Canas in the Dominican Republic
(6) Two Rivers in the Dominican Republic
(7) Garapua Beach Resort in Brazil
(8) Harlequin H (the old Amaryllis), Barbados
(9) Emerald Palace, Pratamnak Hill, Pattaya, Thailand
10) Ravenswood Hotel and Resort, Perth, Australia. SOLD OUT allegedly
11) Lake Villas Resort, Mabprachan, somewhere in Thailand
12) Phoenix Grove, Pattaya, Thailand
13) Golden Mile Apartments Palm Jumeirah, Dubai
14) Little Baga, Goa
15) Snotbuiltdski– can’t remember the name, Bulgaria
16) Harlequin Island, Petit Nevis, (a barren rock) SVG
17) Nirvana, Koh Chang, Thailand
18) Forest View, Pattaya, Thailand
19) Harlequin at ‘The Parks, Development’ Panama
20) Harlequin Air Fleet (two grounded 9-seater old Piper planes circa 1980)
21) Harlequin “5 Star Mega Resort” Jamaica (had Escrow problems)
22) BLU Rodney By St Lucia
@EL2 who I have never met on the new forum there are pics being posted of Merricks taken today 🙂
http://harlequininvestors.boards.net/index.cgi
@DAFMP..422pm…You are correcting english grammar? Do you know that “you are” and “your” do not mean the same thing . Such misuse can not be spell checked..it just shows poor education.
@ John Delhirro – any company that would allow its owners or members of staff to abuse investors suffering from cerebral palsy or other disabilities in the vile way that has been carried out here and who have lied and mislead using false identities cannot be trusted to deal fairly with your case. Dave Ames must be aware of this campaign, he certainly has not done anything to distance himself from it, which tells you as much as you need to know about his morals and principles.
The only way to split BB away would be to ask for intervention by the government of SVG and that is unlikely to happen given the close relationship between HP and the government. Seek legal advice urgently, I’m afraid your options will be limited and the outcome unlikely to benefit you.
@BBaywatch
EXACTLY ! Next time I am in BGI/SVG I’ll buy the Banks
@Yatinkiteasy, AKA the English teacher. You missed a ? mark out LOL.
@BBaywatch, AKA the troll. Either put up or shut up regarding the Panorama program. Your comments are worthless unless you are prepared to back them up.
So a productive day? We have a nominee for PM who can not write.
This maybe of interest:
http://www.echo-news.co.uk/news/local_news/10325848.Accountant_resigns_as_auditor_of_Harlequin_property/
Yatinkiteasy and Anonymous, these two fart for brains, seems to have this misguided idea, that proficiency grammar is in some way related to Intellect. Albert Einstein, arguably, the greatest intellect in our present age suffered from Dyslexia. Which meant that he read his letters backward in most cases? There are some people who have must difficulty constructing a simple sentence, but can explain the principles of Quantum or Astrophysics with the great of ease. I’m now convinced that the ignorance of the educated takes no scrutiny to establish.
The accountancy firm that done the forensic accounting for HP some links below:
http://www.bakerclarke.com/
http://companycheck.co.uk/company/07263355#summary-tab
@FDNRM506 pm..sorry I missed the ? mark. My comment regarding misuse of “your” instead of ” You are” is still valid.
BTW you did the same here…
Fatchett does not represent me.
April 1, 2013 at 2:54 pm
@Anonoymous 2.33 yes your that articulate you cannot think of an original ID apart from”anonymous” The spelling trolls are back again.
@MF..you have proven over and over again to be an idiot who just rambles and posts crap that is totally irrelevant to the topic.
I will not, according to you, get into a dick measuring contest. Just measure your brain….same size.
The Echo article says who did the “forensic audit”. Accountant James Baker, of the Baker Clarke Partnership, in Tolleshunt Major. He is quoted as saying that “all investors’ money was accounted for”.
Baker Clarke:
“….business incorporated in England & Wales on 24th May 2010. Their business activity is recorded as Accounting And Auditing Activities. The Baker Clarke Partnership Limited is run by 2 current members. 2 shareholders own the total shares within the company. It is not part of a group. The latest Annual Accounts submitted to Companies House for the year up to 31/05/2011 reported ‘cash at bank’ of £624, ‘liabilities’ worth £173,066, ‘net worth’ of £270 and ‘assets’ worth £173,336.”
Ironic that the HP cheerleaders are so dismissive of spelling, grammar and literacy, yet it is those very attributes that provide the clues to the identity of the perpetrators of fake smears, just like a clumsy and stupid thief leaving their fingerprints at the scene of the crime.
Feed YOU brain? Is this Thicko Troll talk?
Tut, tut, you do have it bad TTT, mind you, being a Troll it would be of benefit if you could string a sentence together?
Or should I say sentence ringing toogether bettur wood bee – in you language.
Maybe I just don’t speak troll xxxx
@STG’sD – just about says it all doesn’t it? Perhaps they are ‘redefining accounting’ in Essex? 😉
Gosh, don’t tell me that the “forensic auditors” are dyslexic too.
Something does’nt add up…..
@Yatinkeasy, the difference I don’t actively pick up on posters grammar and spelling. I think is a pointless excercise and detracts from the debate.
@BBaywatch, keep up troll. It’s the anti HP pack who comment on spelling grammar. Now where is the back up to the Panorama comment? Perhaps you are “redefining journalism in Essex” 🙂
Nice to see such a multi national top notch accountancy firm is checking into HP accounts! Something BDO could not do. 🙂
I just saw the photos of the Merricks Show Village. It is evident that several
major building materials have disappeared from the job-site. It does’nt
matter where in the world you are, if a job-site is abandoned, it becomes
a free-for-all. If HD is serious about restarting building it needs to get
some security there. I want to emphasize that this would happen anywhere.
DAFPM – Have you actually got proof of this? If you haven’t wouldn’t it be classed as defamatory?
@DAFPM … You will be here all on your own soon 🙂 … then you can shout rubbish and profanities as much as you want… to yourself. Eventually everyone including BFP will get bored of you and all your other identities and you will wink out of existence… and no one will care !
DAFPM – Why haven’t you posted then?? It all seems very civil so far.
Don’t you get bored of abusing people, have you really got nothing else better to do?
I came across a definition of a personality type today:
A pervasive distrust and suspiciousness of others such that their motives are interpreted as malevolent, beginning by early adulthood and present in a variety of contexts, as indicated by four (or more) of the following:
•Suspects, without sufficient basis, that others are exploiting, harming, or deceiving him or her
•Is preoccupied with unjustified doubts about the loyalty or trustworthiness of friends or associates
•Is reluctant to confide in others because of unwarranted fear that the information will be used maliciously against him or her
•Reads hidden demeaning or threatening meanings into benign remarks or events
•Persistently bears grudges, i.e., is unforgiving of insults, injuries, or slights
•Perceives attacks on his or her character or reputation that are not apparent to others and is quick to react angrily or to counterattack
•Has recurrent suspicions, without justification, regarding fidelity of spouse or sexual partner
They are the symptoms of Paranoid Personality Disorder.
I have never met Mr Ames. Would anyone who has like to say whether he has any of these characteristics?
lol .. but you will still be a troll ..
“In Old Norse sources, trolls are said to dwell in isolated mountains, rocks, and caves, sometimes live together (usually as father-and-daughter or mother-and-son), and are rarely described as helpful or friendly.”
I almost feel sorry for you… but can’t quite make the effort 😉 xx …
@David Ames For Prime Minister!
Deep down you know you have some real issues don’t you? You need to seek help it’s not your fault.
I feel actually very sorry for you.
It’s very sad that you need to come on this blog to feel somehow important, to seek attention or some other fulfilment lacking in your life.
kind regards,
Paul
Any chance of any building activity next week? Just a nudge to remind everyone we are talking about a property development company,empty sites cost money ,lets discuss how it will be possible to complete all projects,which must be done to meet contracts This should be HPs major concern as a property development company ,also if some of the more abusive people on here are employed by them they need to understand it does make them appear unprofessional
@Homefront
It would be interesting if someone in BGI drove by HarlequinStudio
at Marine Lodge, Hastings Road, BGI and saw any activity. Its seems
to me that it is pretty bleak. Believe me, of all people, I would love
to see this work. The silence from Basildon is deafening except for
the ridiculous trolls. Does HD have any end-game in mind?
You can see the photos of Merricks that I took yesterday on Erica’s website at http://harlequininvestors.boards.net/index.cgi
There was no-one on site, not even security. I could have driven off with those big black water tanks, required as there is no water supply available for the development.
I will pass by the H-Hotel and the H-Studio at Marine Lodge tomorrow and send photos to Erica. Don’t expect anything to be happening though as even Harlequin admits that they have put the H-Studio staff on a month’s unpaid leave. There has been nothing happening at the H-Hotel for some time.
@SGD
There is a heck of a lot of VERY expensive building finish material sitting
someplace in Barbados. Duty was paid; it was cleared. Someone has
got to have it. BUT it sure ain’t at the building site. Why? oh why, does
HD remain silent when so many investors have their monetary future
undecided. This has become a really sick end-game.
I think any sort of response from HD would be called for. And I mean
from the man himself (DA). Man up. Enough people have been called
pussies on this site………BUT THE REALITY IS THERE IS ONLY ONE
PUSSY !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! DA
@ Perplexed
All that has been built at Merricks is a couple of “show houses” and an entrance gate. Do you have any details of what was shipped to Barbados? I suspect it was not a lot, as Harlequin seem to have done the minimum at the site. I don’t think they would have purchased anything more than the bare essentials.
Let me know and I will ask around.
SGD
It was a lot and it was expensive. I am getting into some territory here
that that I am not comfortable with. I really am at a loss at this point
to know what is ethical, privileged, etc, etc. Give me a day or two to
figure out how to contact you directly. I think that we have a lot of
notes to compare. Caveat Emptor!
@perplexed if you email me on the gmail I will pass SGD email address on to you if that is what you both want 🙂
Perplexed & SGD if you don’t feel comfortable swapping email addresses the new forum has a PM system so you can contact each other that way instead. HTH
SIPP update, strange I wrote to the SIPP provider in 2012 about DD
http://www.ftadviser.com/2013/03/06/investments/property/sipp-providers-hit-back-over-harlequin-due-diligence-wWNFplvrieAmuNHnTuG8MO/article.html
@David Ames For Prime Minister!
Once upon a time in a far away land lived a troll called ‘In the Know’, but he was a little stupid. ‘In the know’ told naughty fibs pretending to be other trolls using lots and lots of other names, Yorkipoo, Matt, Canuck the list goes on and on…
Anyway, one day the cleaver people at BFP found out about this and made him feel a bit silly, and he stopped. Then he was caught again, but he did not stop!! No, no he got worse!
Hiding behind many more names he settled on ‘Dave Ames For Minister this is because he has some special IP hiding software for about $9.99.
This made him feel invincible!!!!
@Paul Walton, is it any wonder Paul that your negotiations with HP did not go well if you were rattling cages in 2012? Are you sure you had no other agenda other than an investor wanting out?
@FDNRM
No other agenda. If you seen my letter to HP you would understand.
It took me a while to accept that things were not as they should be with HP – I wanted to believe in what I was being told, eventually the penny dropped.
I had concerns prior to 2012 especially around the promise of finance that never amounted to anything.
All the best Paul
@Erica Please can you tell me what is the point/logic of this new website that you have set up? It seems to me that anyone can register and comment and pretend to be whoever they want. Just like on here except you run it and if you don’t like what anyone says you can delete. On here at least BFP are neutral. If im wrong, I apologise. Thanks
@FDNRM
I just wanted the finance on the70% LTV then I could invest the ‘cash back’ into more BTL property in the UK.
So for me, it was always about finance not the delay in building.
By the way did you not think a full refund over 12 months was a good bit of negotiation? I think you called it a no brainer?
kind regards,
Paul
@Paul Walton, yes I did and yes I would have taken it.
@Crazy horse,
The only posts that will be deleted are ones that are abusive or slanderous.
We do not want any issues with Harlequin. We want to work with them we are more than willing for them to answer any posts that are made on the forum, Also we can post upto date newsletters from Harlequin and photos of the resorts, people can PM each other without having to give their email address. Gareth Fatchett is going to be a legal expert so people can ask questions and he will answer. We will also be asking other independent experts to join to give us their expertise. We want to be independent from Regulatory Legal.
We set the forum up so that people can talk among themselves. It is not and will not be an Anti Harlequin forum.
We have always tried to work with Harlequin and will continue to do so
hope this clarifies the situation.
@E – who approves you to be accepted on the new forum please? I have been waiting a couple of hours since registering and still haven’t been approved!!
Hi All new members are now approved 🙂
Short Legs – You obvioulsly have alot of time on your hands! Do you only think Yorkiepoo has been using multiple names on here? Your worse than a troll for blocking the blog – thank god we are moving off
@Erica I think you are just confusing things and it will just be a harlequin slagging off fest……Reglegal site and BFP is enough. Why do we need another one?
@Anonymous April 2, 2013 at 1:32 pm .
Why did my little story upset you so?
@Crazy horse, We needed to be independent. Not everyone want to use one particular solicitor some poeple have already signed with a different solicitor and we have been very lucky that Mr Gareth Fatchett has said he will come on board and help us and as for BBFP who are absolutley BRILLIANT we can not post photos, documents and newsletters. To be honest we are hoping that by moving over we can stop some of the more sensitive comments being left to be veiwed if you do not want to join that is fine, All comments with regard to Harlequin will be moderated as will the the comments regarding disabilities as we have several members who have difficulties and I feel that some comments on here are innapropriate to each other and I do not want a repeat of it on the forum.
@ Erica Gareth will answer all our legal questions but you want to be independent of Regulatory legal????, now I am confused? Seems like you just want to feel in control and see your power base slipping away?
I don’t see what the point is of having another blog, and to be fair you would be the last person on this earth Harlequin would ‘engage with’ you are just going to confuse everyone & have done!
@Crazy horse,
You are welcome to your opinion and I respect you for your honesty
Thanks
Hi @Crazy Horse, I have already been on the new blog and saw straight away that the new site is much more organised and easier to manage that this BFP blog – as great and useful as it has been. If you give it a go I’m sure you’ll find it much easier to navigate around all the various topics and conversations. As for being interdependent of RL, I think that’s a good thing as it allows individual investors the freedom of choice. RL will still play a big part, but you won’t have to feel obliged to use them.
@Short Legs, are your legs getting shorter or are you sinking deeper and deeper?
Hello Sid and all Harlequin (cough, cough) investors!
BFP is always happy to have things discussed here on our stories, but no we’re not really set up like a discussion forum where different topics can be separated.
We continue to follow the Harlequin story because it is of intense national interest to all Bajans. Our leaders such as they are allowed Mr. Ames to use our fair island as part of his scheme. We used to have a beautiful coast at Merricks. Now we have an unfinished mess and a legal tangle that will probably remain a blight for the next ten years. Oh well!
Hi BFP. Can I just say how invaluable your site has been. Without it we would all be much less aware of what is going on within HP and that there are many, many other investors in the same boat. Thank you for giving us the space to share our experiences….and I hope you get your beautiful coastline back soon.
I have just watched the recent videos on the progress of the new Argyle International Airprt and the interview with Prime Minister Gonsalves during his visit. i am pleased to see the airprt progressing so well, on it’s way to completion by the end of 2013, as planned. Dr Gonsalve’s interview was an inspiration to us all.
.
@Sid @Erica I’m not trying to cause you any trouble, but BFP is neutral ground for everyone. Your website isn’t. No matter what you say. Best place for everyone is here. and genuine investors can get facts from RL website. Simple.
Paul Walton. Can you please tell me the month and year of your investment?
@Crazy Horse, you aren’t causing me any trouble as I’m not part of the investor group and have nothing to do with the website. I’m an independent investor like you but have been on the new forum and do think it will help. I don’t think for a minute it will be anti-HP, but it might keep out some of the trolls and time wasters.
Erica. You say your new website is not going to be anti Harlequin. You have changed your tune. You have to date been amongst the most vociferous of the anti Harlequin posters. Why the dramatic turnaround?
@Harlisuccess, it is good news that the airport is on plan, but the fact that there isn’t an airport on the island currently can’t be used as an excuse for the resort being incomplete and under populated. What happened to boat transfers from St Lucia that take under an hour where cocktails are served and that holiday makers considered to be the start of their holiday? That’s what Ames used to say isn’t it in the early days? The lack of an airport wasn’t considered an issue then. What changed?
The current crop of posts on this and other threads concerning HP have absolutely nothing to offer by way of sensible debate or information. mostly Troll vs Troll, filled with vile expletives. It says a lot about BFP ( themselves anti HP , no matter what they claim) that they allow this to continue.
@ Harlisuccess.
I have two investments, if you explain why you wish to know I will consider your request.
regards
Paul
@Harlisuccess I agree with you. Erica cant be neutral. She is against HP. neutral website is what we all need. Even those awful trolls. At the end of the day, anyone can register on the website and there will be trolls and time wasters. These buggers will follow anyone who posts badly about HP.
@BFP You have a done a good job so far, please keep it up. If it wasn’t for you, then I wouldn’t have known about HP, and gotten legal advice. Thanks BFP 🙂
I can`t believe it…discredited multi poster Harldlysuccess is back again…everything with Harlequin is wonderful!
I suggest she looks at the posts today of photos at Merricks….this is what is called proof of a failed business.Not even a guard to protect the two show homes.Sad.
Hats off to BFB. I for one have felt very much alone in this mess bought on by Harlequin. This blog has given me the right to speak out and realize Im not the only one who is going through this nightmare and also put me in touch with the SFO, Regulatory Legal etc.
Funny how Harlisuccess has popped up while Canuck /in the know etc etc has disappeared
So far the new forum is looking really friendly I’m sure it won’t get bogged down with all the abuse like it does here.
From what Erica has said it will have updates on resorts and investor meetings etc. Erica has tried to communicate with Harlequin on several occasions like she said a while ago Harlequin need transparency and with this new forum and Harlequin invited to comment then I don’t see the problem with it.
BBFP – You are doing a stirling job for us, if it wasn’t for you then we wouldn’t know about Harlequins problems. Please don’t think that the new forum will take readers away from you I’m sure there will be a lot and I’m sure many of the members on the new forum will still come here to read. You could also get information from it too. It’s just easier for people to upload files which is something we can’t do on here 🙂
@Erica, lets hope the fowl mouthed Terry and Anon Reasons-Unknown go with you. Also the troll BBaywatch. Lets hope!
Will you be coming over FDNRM
I really hope the new forum will be helpful to worried Harlequin investors. As Erica has already pointed out, it has lots more sophisticated functions that are not available to posters here on BFPress. [God love them]. A couple of years ago, I helped run a forum with a similar format to the new one. You should be able to email privately to other members and start up your own threads. You might even be able to have a confidential discussion if the mods set it up for you. BUT please be aware that if you wish to remain anonymous you must pay special attention when loading up confidential documents to photo-sharing websites like Photobucket and maybe Flickr. ENSURE YOUR ACCOUNT IS SET TO PRIVATE otherwise anyone can look at your pics.
BTW, at the moment ‘guests’ can read posts on the new forum.
@Anonymous, I’m not sure my contribution would be appreciated. I’ll just keep looking on and see if there is anything I can add. Who knows.
FDNRM – I’m sure you will be welcome as long as you don’t call names and be abusive that is all the group is asking for. At the end of the day we’re all entitled to our own opinion and we might not agree on everything but at least it’s somewhere where people can have a proper conversation with each other without all the abuse.
EL2 – I have helped the group through letting only registered members view now I think I hope it works. Thanks for pointing that out 🙂
I hope to see everyone over there.
see any common factors here:
http://www.international-adviser.com/profiles-and-analysis/analysis/why-its-important-to-know-your-models
Charles&Eddie,
You might like to consider having a ‘landing page’ that anyone can read where you could state the group’s aims, publicise meetings and add special news. You also have the choice of deleting the gobshite troublemakers who think it is as a game to disrupt threads with their foul-mouthed comments and impersonations.
Oooops forgot this
http://www.international-adviser.com/news/bdo-resigns-as-harlequin-auditor
EL2 – one of the good guys!
Seems to be very quiet on here, no trolls that’s good.
One can assume Dave Ames had a word and decided that the IP hiding software is not infallible and they should back off, or if the trolls are not ‘employed’ they now have decided the game is over.
The fallout from this train wreck will be huge, from the people on the islands, to the clerks in the office in Essex – I feel for them all apart from the ones fuelled by greed and lies – they deserve what’s coming to them, and coming it is = Karma
@ EL2 – Do you mean like a news fader? I’ve never helped a forum before as you can probably tell, I am trying my hardest though.
If you would like to help me I would be very grateful.
Charles&Eddie – I’m no expert but do have a little experience with web pages and think that you also need to check your key wording as this will help with your SEO and help people to find the page. Although cross linking within a site is apparently frowned upon and supposed not to help the meta crawlers, it would be helpful to link back to the appropriate BFP pages. You might find http://forums.seochat.com useful and a source of help for how you can optimise the site using the software that you have.
@C&E seems to be you are very close to the investor group all or a sudden l? Why did you not just say in the 1st place? Why hide? Weird Weird. I don’t get it.
You are an investor I take it?
@Charles&Eddie,
It’s a long time since I have done it I’m afraid. Just had a brief look at that seochat.com link which looks helpful; and you should be able to get more information from the help pages within your forum aimed at the moderators and administrators.
Good luck.
“No trolls on here” not true, BBaywatch is back. Now how about backing up the Panorama comment or did you hope that by keeping your head down it would be forgotten?
@Erica Broughton – new Blog – concerns
Please don’t take this as a personal attack, I have a few concerns about the blog.
You are not neutral, you seem to hate harlequin
If you don’t like a post, you will just remove it, how can that be right?
You could be leaving yourself open to action from Harlequin again?
Could you or your team be left accountable for ‘advice given’ you are not professionals in this area?
How will the legal advice work? Post a question a solicitor will answer? Is it free?
Is this not an issue of communication. Harlequin obviously has financial issues it has paid finance payments for years so if it now stops it must be for financial difficulties. If that is so, forcing the closure of a partially completed project will surely just result in its sale to a predator company for a discounted sum.
You know how much was spent building BB and you know roughly what the commission rates earned from the investment by the IFA Community were. They are all posted on here. It is known that deposits from one resort were likely used to build another resort so this must tell us that the level of the depositors/creditors of BB are in excess of £160m. So how much is a 200 room resort in St Vincent worth?
If it turns over $400 a night for example x 200 rooms x 365 days x 50% occupancy levels?? gives it a turnover of about $14m. If it makes 25% then a profit of $3.5m That would value it on a sale and leaseback contract as an operating hotel in the region of $35m or £22m.
So if this project is wound up by time realisation costs and professionals have been paid I would guess direct investors in this project might see 10p in a £1. ( probably less in other developments) According to my rough maths.
How does such an approach help anyone. I refer to someone earlier talking with pride of some statutory declarations. Some are seeking to complete to get title and security, some seek litigation to recover funds turning into a fight with every man for himself. Such individual approaches are likely to bring the downfall of a project like this.
Harlequin is clearly weak now that much is obvious, now is the time to demand what changes you want, and to see and transparency of Harlequins full position and what can be done about it by them or others as the case may be. People should be talking to those with decision making power perhaps via an elected spokesperson for practical reasons and maybe this is Mr Fatchet, who knows but you should talk. Any company at war with its investors is finished sooner or later and then only professionals win.
The ship is battered and bruised and not in the kind of condition any of the Captain Crew or passengers would like to see right now that is for sure. Blame for its condition will surely be resolved later in time but right now, it is still floating and if it is crashed against the rocks everyone is beached!!
@ Crazy Horse, I am an investor and also noticed Erica needed help with her forum we talk regular through email and phone so I offered my services I do know how to do websites etc. I posted a while ago saying I was having lunch with Erica so wouldn’t that give you the inkling that we are “friends” I don’t see why I have to declare who I am and aren’t friends with.
@ KCTGY – The only posts that will be removed are abusive ones. If there are posts that are for/against Harlequin then they will stay there isn’t a problem with them. Harlequin are invited to join the forum and comment on threads we have said that they can appoint a representative to become admin on the site.
We are not giving advice as such we can give our opinion we will also have IFA’s, solicitors and people who are of a financial background give the information this will be free of charge. This is just a forum where it’s easy to navigate you don’t have to look at all posts if you don’t want to, questions go into certain areas of the forum so it’s easier for a professional to answer the question if it’s in their field of expertise.
Have you looked at the forum? If you have, have you seen anywhere where we are anti Harlequin? You are more than welcome to join the forum and if you don’t like it you can leave.
I agree with you @KCTGY. I had a quick look at that website and I have to say I won’t be on there. Topics are broken up and it looks like its a nicely worded bitch fest against HP. Don’t get me wrong I hate HP but at least here you can just put your opinion and fact. Why on earth would a solicitor give his/her time for free when genuine investor have already signed up on RL and getting all the information there. Just daft!
@Crazy Horse – Where is there any bitching??? I’ve not seen any??
@Swill – if time could be re wound you might have a point, but right now HP are not communicating with their investors (and haven’t been for some considerable time), there is no money to complete the ‘project’, two sets of accountants have resigned citing HP’s managements inability to provide proper information, no accounts have been filed for seven years, planning permission has not been granted on all sites, not all land required has been purchased (and some units may have been sold on land that is not owned) – I could go on as there are many other factors (not least that there appears to be no evidence that these mega resorts would ever succeed in these locations).
To continue your metaphor, the ship is on the rocks, but the captain is blaming the rocks and refusing to acknowledge that he drove the ship at full speed onto them!
@KCTGY @Crazy,, It will be fine it someone want to post a different opinion to mine (I am married) so I can handle most things,the one thing I will not tolerate is abuse of ANY kind I will not allow people to use this forum in a unconsructive way this is for EVERYONE and nobody has to have the same opinion as me I promise 🙂 We have said that if Harlequin want to become part of the admin team that is totally fine with me and the others( they can answer questions we cant) so to me it would be a bouns I do not know why you feel that Harlequin cannot work with me they are grown ups (professionals) not children.Life is full of people whos opinion differs from yours that is life I am absolutley certain Harlequin can grasp this concept.
If you do not want to come over that is totally fine dont let us worry you it would be great that we could all be grown ups and try to work together but I can understand if you feel you cant.
I was thinking with abusive posts we could just blank out the offending words what do you think?
@BBaywatch Understood. Do you not feel that now, with the position that DA is in that the investors can not demand answers and changes? If they are successful in this approach then even if all the resorts do not work to full potential they surely would be worth more constructed and running than they are now? Assuming planning is in force of course. It occurs to me that there is a business here with a hotel project effectively pre sold to investors. I know times are tough but assuming profit exists in the construction surely the project is something that can be financed. The funder would have an exit with completions to investors and profit in the development assuming that is the case of course. Of course they would not want to trust Harlequin in the construction of it but there are several ways of achieving this with monitoring surveyors building contractors etc. This would surely bring more back to investors than a collapse of the project partially delivered? Why does Harlequin not communicate with its investors? surely this is in everyone’s best interests
@Swill – there is indeed money out there for the right sort of project, but unfortunately Harlequin’s reputation precedes them. I’m not an investor, but from reading posts by those who are, HP has had plenty of opportunity to communicate and provide answers but obdurately refuses to do just that. I believe that the main obstacle to any kind of rescue plan or phoenix business is that the co-mingling of funds has made it impossible to separate what belongs to whom and that the existing hotels (Blu and BB) will never be able to generate an operating profit and also return sufficient extra profit to make any kind of reasonable repayment to investors.
Unfortunately your prediction of 10p in the £ might be the best that they can expect – however that is achieved.
@BBaywatch, when are you going to start communicating. I have asked several times for you to substantiate your Panorama quotation. You know that program that was going to blow the lid of HP. If you are not an investor why don’t you just naff off and let the real people discuss this. Or are you just part of the gutter press also.
Would HP have paid out without court proceedings?
http://www.ftadviser.com/2013/04/03/pensions/sipps/investors-seek-advice-over-harlequin-holdings-oGPpt1g49aPBQN0GYlRXnO/article.html
So the ambulance chasers are forming a convoy now. More freezing orders, which will be defended with investors money. Really is “every man for himself” now.
Ambulances only turn up when there’s been an accident.
Or cause one.
That doesn’t really work, does it?
Ambulances only turn up to accidents that they’ve caused? Seems like the same sort of perverse logic that underpins a lot of your opinions.
Eh no. Ambulances can cause an accident. You obviously did not follow my logic. No need for the silly personal comment.
@FDNRM
I am disappointed at you!
Where is your DD report on Nicolette-Elizabeth Crozier, spokesman for CLC? or the other law firms…. or is that only reserved for your best mate whose name you take? :0
Revenge of the Guardian……
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2013/apr/03/harlequin-property-auditor-resigns
@Anon 6:47….you are experiencing the same thing that caused me to stop
posting for a while i.e. logic be damned
To All – In my country (USA) the politicians would have jumped on this by
now and be screaming from every media outlet available. Dem’s (Labor)
un-fettered/regulated free enterprise taking advantage of pensioners savings Republican’s (Tory, well at least Conservative) Free enterprise
shackled by co-ordinated smear campaign. I am mildly surprised that neither the SVG or BGI opposition are not doing the same. After all the
impact on their individual economies weighs much greater than it does on
the UK.
@Short legs. Let the lemmings run over the cliff. Mr ( notice the Mr) Fatchett realised he was wrong to go after HP, it’s IFA,s who stand to loose. Now others are trying the same approach with a freezing order. Same old approach which will have the same result. Nothing.
@FDNRM.
Yes and no, it got his clients the money back, did it not?
I think the problem is that Harlequin just don’t have the money – we know all the reasons why, but that would seem to be the case.
The IFA’s etc. are just next inline for a bashing….. and not forgetting Ames.
FDNRM are you familiar with Comical Ali?
@BBaywatch 1.37pm has explained eloquently to all those who care to listen exactly why the Harlequin project is doomed to failure. I am afraid that I concur fully with his analysis.
At best ill conceived, badly executed and consistently mismanaged, the ramifications of this fiasco will be far reaching, with implications not only for individual investors and the Carribean tourist industry, particular in St Vincent but also for the UK financial services sector. The fall out from the inevitable “miss-selling scandal” will bring radical changes to the way such investments are marketed and sold in the future and already through the intervention of the UK Financial Services Authority (some would say too late) the use of pension funds as a vehicle of ownership, which I understand accounted for 90% of Harlequin’s sales, has effectively ended. No solace for investors but at least we can say with some certainly that the potential future supply of money to projects of this nature and hence the capacity for consumer loss on a similar scale has already been reduced.
Whilst I can appreciate that some investors, particularly those with an interest in the partially completed Buccament Bay resort, might wish simply to turn a blind eye to Harlequin’s shortcomings in the hope that if things are simply allowed to play out something approaching a fully functioning resort with some investor value might be salvaged, given all that we know about the scale of mismanagement this would appear somewhat naive. The co-mingling of investor funds and the fact that the money appears to have run out means that everyone is effectively in the same boat, whether their investment is in Bucament Bay or elsewhere.
Now that the money supply has been turned off and with no real possibility of it being turned on again, 10p in the £ and a claim against the selling agent/IFA/pension provider where possible would certainly seem like the best that can realistically be hoped for.
@short legs, no I don’t believe he did, certainly not Paul Walton or Erica.
@Kroll, you mean BBaywatch the troll?
@Anonymous, no, why should I?
@FDNRM I am not represented by Mr Fatchett as I have said before
Kroll – I’ve instinctively been highly suspicious of anyone who defends HP and rebuffs substantive evidence, fact and the recent involvement and intervention of authorities. But I am trying to understand that this may be driven by selfish greed.
Just suppose I had been an investor, and hadn’t received my full refund plus legal fees; and that a campaign had begun to expose Harlequin for what they are (that campaign being more open and not subject to Carter Ruck as was the underground campaign that has been going on for years here on BFP and elsewhere). What would I do? Would I try to support, defend and promote Harlequin and deny all evidence put forward in a futile attampt to protect my investment? In the early days, maybe others would. I wouldn’t, but maybe others would see that as a viable strategy.
After all that has transpired in the media and professional journals since January, I have to say that anyone still sticking to that strategy must be completely mad, or in absolute fear (maybe fear of being exposed for complicity)
I know for a fact that I would never defend Harlequin, even if I hadn’t received that hypothetical refund, plus payment of legal fees, and hadn’t been forced to sign an NDA in order to receive that contractually entitled refund. Not just because I would not want to mislead future investors, and cloud the waters, but because I would never want to shed any positive light on an organisation that had threatened me, lied to me, and blackmailed me with an NDA.
I shall ignore the pathetic accusations of stalking and obscene language I suspect will be thrown at me. I will follow BBaywatch’s lead on that.
@Anon ru. well said and i agree 100%.
@Kroll, BBaywatch and Anon 10.28pm
What more can I say, well done – only the certifiable one’s would defend Harlequin – even their numbers are dwindling…. as each day passes. 🙂
@Anon R-U you only get accused of bad language if you swear. F***ing twat ring a bell? As to BBaywatch he threw a comment on here regarding Panorama which he has refused to back up with facts. That is being a troll, yes? There are 3500 investors and only perhaps 50 post on here. Do you consider that representative?
if you think its around 50 people that post here, you have 48 that speak sense about Harlequin and the scam and the remaining 2 who are happy with their investment, thats you and someone else who has had about 10 different names, yorkie,36,in the know, Harlisucess, D ames for president etc etc.
@Kroll – thank you for the endorsement, you are too kind.
Unfortunately UK governments for about the last thirty years have been in thrall to the financial sector so reform is long overdue. The SIPP mis-selling scandal is not the first time that pension provision has been put in the hands of the MLM style pyramid salesmen with their ‘downlines’ and accumulative commission, so it should come as no surprise that it has been repeated and that unlicensed and unregulated companies and individuals have run riot.
With so much being taken out of investment as fees it virtually guaranteed that the scheme could never succeed. The original concept of selling some of the buildings as homes (the legacy of which is that some commentators still refer to them as ‘villas’) together with a hotel within the development, would have had some chance of success if properly managed, but the banking crash and the inherent problems associated with such large scale projects put paid to that. The scale and very high density of the development was predicated on the type of investor that they were targeting and the low level of investment which those individuals could afford. Post 2008, where other soundly funded and responsible developers might have drawn breath and reassessed the situation HP discovered the SIPP loophole which gave access to even more inexperienced and vulnerable investors and converted the development into the AI resort model now current. The repercussions of this debacle will reverberate around The Caribbean for some time to come and the full extent of the damage caused may not be apparent for some time.
re the HP apologists – just imagine them sitting in front of their spittle flecked screens, hammering at their keyboards in impotent fury. Easy to ignore them after that 😉
@BBaywatch.
Not an image I like to think of thank you very much!!!
consistent good posting.
@Kroll, BBaywatch, Short legs, it’s a love fest xxx So you think calling some one a f***ing twat is ok then. Why don’t the three of you get a hotel room together, perhaps you have already. Using your standards I can post anything on here for effect without backing it up. And you, BBaywatch being a journalist. Shame on you.
@FDNRM.
No I don’t think it is ok, nor is making silly comments about getting a hotel room – I much prefer the open air – woof woof 🙂 you should try it – 10 pm on the goggle box tonight – you may find a new hobby 😉
@FDNRM just for you:
http://www.onthebox.com/tv/episode/353257/dogging-tales.aspx
@Short legs, ill be down the pub at 10. Try Swinging Heaven, that’s good for open air.
@FDNRM
Now you’re talking xxxxx 🙂 should I invite EL2
@Short legs. No he’s told me on another thread he’s not speaking to me. Anyway his “patch” is Barbados I think.
Maybe you 2 have met without knowing 🙂
LOL
@Sid, he would remember cos of the steps!
Another news item about Tailor Made and Harlequin.
http://www.citywire.co.uk/new-model-adviser/tailormade-reviews-harlequin-property-advice/a670278
if they were a dog they would be euthanized
Gobsmacked at the Tailormade statement!
“TailorMade wasn’t putting out bad advice, it just didn’t understand the level of due diligence it should be doing [with] Harlequin”
What exactly were they being paid commission for? Professional advice? There were literally thousands of people who chose not to ‘invest’ in Harlequin after just a little DD.
Are Tailormade just freelance Harlequin sales people?
They are just con merchants – google Cyprus and Tailormade….. not the first time they have been in deep S**t hope they all go bust, especially that Burns faggot
Utterly negligent at best, but more likely deceitful.
If they aren’t made accountable for that statement alone, then we may as well abolish the FSA (now FCA) and stop wasting taxpayers’ money.
@Anon-reason unknown We invested through Tailormade and when we asked about how safe the pension was we were told that the FSA would not let you put your pension into anything that was not “safe”
Below is a email quote from our FA
To bring you up to date with the FSA approval on the Brazil resort, we’ve received an email over the weekend that it may take up to 6 – 9 months for the approval to go through, there’s no problem with your reservation, all it will mean to you is that the balance of your deposit will stay in Johns pension until then (we can invest it in the mean time so it’s getting some growth) and the price will be honoured that you’ve already purchased at, if in the extremely unlikely event that the FSA don’t grant authorisation you would receive your £1000 deposit back or you could purchase a property at another resort if you wish.
So maybe we have nothing to worry about.
Erica@9.47 pm
Is that an actual quote from an email from your then adviser? If so I am genuinely staggered. As I’m sure your new IFA has informed you, the FSA would never “approve” an investment of this nature. It is simply not in their remit to do so. To suggest otherwise entirely misrepresents not only the nature of the investment but also the role of the FSA.
I am sure that the FSA would be very interested to hear about advisers, regulated or otherwise, misleading investors in this way.
Yes I can send you the full email if you want to see it either through the gmail or investor group I know you are right but Tailormade now say they did not sell me Harlequin, In another email she offered to lend me a grand for the deposit. I should of known then………….shouldnt I?
I hope Tailor Made don’t get out of this scott free. There is also one of their introducers Total Wealth Management where one of the directors by the name of pope was involved with one of the companies with tailor made.
Tailor made also had a company selling overseas villas in the carribbean ( see below) I think the FCA and the SFO should be taking a look at these companies.
Tailor Made are now back in business with their bronze , sliver and gold packages charging clients upfront. What a joke!!
The following are companies that Alistair Burns of Tailor Made was or is a director of. Interestingly, I think the FCA and the SFO and every other regulatory body should know about Tailor Made overseas property ( carribbean ) Ltd
Wonder what the tie up there is?
http://wck2.companieshouse.gov.uk//wcprodorder?ft=1
http://wck2.companieshouse.gov.uk//compdetails
http://company-director-check.co.uk/director/909868752#current-appointments
http://wck2.companieshouse.gov.uk//wcprodorder?ft=1
http://wck2.companieshouse.gov.uk//wcprodorder?ft=1
And another of TM’s investments gone belly up taking over £24million of peoples pensions
http://greenoilplantations.com/notice.html
Well if the Reg Legal meeting were anything to go off these guys are stuffed.
The FSA have clipped their wings and they have let staff go.
The SFO will be looking at them for sure. Lots of IFA’s must be very worried because if you want you can chase the personal assets.
PI insurance first, then the directors, they the poor IFA’s who took a nice big chunk of your investment
Justice its called…. 😉
Harlequin files for administration
http://www.echo-news.co.uk/news/local_news/10373004.UPDATED__Harlequin_Property_applies_to_go_into_administration/?ref=nt
Pingback: Harlequin Properties stunner! “No agent confirmed Harlequin’s land holdings or company information” SIPP-Pension investors advised to act immediately | Friends of St Lucia's UNESCO World Heritage Site
Pingback: Harlequin Properties news | CPC Worldwide Ltd
Erica, I think your watching too much TV, apart from lies being posted what is there to fear about you???
Erica is close to the irish builder