TCI takes back over 1000 crown acres in settlement
(CNS): Following a settlement with the developer Mario Hoffmann, the TCI government has said that it has taken back around 1,506 acres at his Salt Cay Development. Although Hoffmann and his development companies have not admitted any wrongdoing or liability, Hoffman, who is a native Czech, has given up his ‘Belongership’, the TCI term for Status, and has made a contribution to the TCI government’s legal costs. According to the governor’s office, the details of the settlement remain confidential but all claims and counterclaims between the parties have now been settled.
TCI Attorney General Huw Shepheard said government was pleased the disputes were settled and that the position of Salt Cay was secured with the transfer of all the respective lands to the government. “The government will be undertaking a broad consultation as to the future of Salt Cay," he added.
Meanwhile, Hoffmann denied allegations of misconduct and corruption but said it was “convenient and expedient” to settle rather than carry on the disputes over Salt Cay. “We have maintained our innocence at all times and continue to think that our project for Salt Cay was a good one for the people of Salt Cay and the Turks and Caicos Islands," Hoffmann stated.
“After litigating these issues for several years, in light of all mutual claims we felt it best to settle these disputes now and move forward with our other businesses,” he added.
The developer had been attempting to develop a resort on the small island since 2000 and had acquired the majority of land on Salt Cay. A UK commission of enquiry in 2009 found that the former TCI premier, Michael Misick, and his government had given Hoffmann’s company a 99-year lease on 239 acres of Crown land for $1 per acre. The TCI interim government has since been trying to get the land back via a protracted courtroom battle over allegations of corrupt transactions.
Category: World News
Sounds like some one got a Royal settlement ! and your free to go
LOL. I looking forward to the day when the same thing happens here. So let those of our esteemed, illustrious politicians continue to negotiate real hard with our esteemed, illustrious big shot developers. They might all soon get a rude awakening. But this time, not only the developer(s) should lose the status, those politicians should lose their birthright too and be shipped off elsewhere to anywhere else willing to take them all.
I truely hope the same happens here with you know who, and please leave your status at the airport when you leave.
Also those who agree with this type of developer should leave with him, we dont want you here.
These crown land deals are something else… a word of caution it has happened in TCI it can also happen in GCM. Our leaders need to be very careful how they attempt to enter into land negotations with crown lands. The UK government is not to be taken lightly, they will give one just enought rope to swing and then the noose will tighten. Cayman becareful very careful how you give away crown lands. We have been "British" since 1503 and don't want to be anything else…… so leave HM lands alone.
Too late – this has already happened in the Cayman Islands and there are now $millions-worth of condos and other developments on Crown land. Not only does this involve very long leases but leases that appear to be indefinitely re-negotiable with no restrictions or public consulation.
I hope we can get our land back ofter the UK takeover
Curious as to what land you are hoping to get back. Are you referring to the lands that Dart legally purchased or are you speaking about the land the he is looking to trade us for. So let me ask, if the UK takes over as you seem to wish, do you think they should take ownership of Camana Bay as well as any Dart owned land and give it to the Caymanian people then revoke his status and force him off the island.? And should this be the same for all non cayamanian people own land in Cayman…
No one is talking about lands that dart legally bought and you know it,you may be part of the problem too, cake soon finish.
We all have had enough of corruption and greed,the well soon empty where are you going next to rape and steal.
Can anyone give me an example of these Crown lands that were givin away, I am not aware of any…
Stop your cheekiness. Obviously this article is about crown lands given away in highly questionable deals and transactions, to high-networth developers and which transactions "smell" of something fishy, to put it mildly. This is what the posters here are commenting on No one is talking about other land transactions that DO actually stand up to the sniff test. You are simply trying to divert attention by introducing this nonsense about whether this would apply to all other land transactions.
Yes, Yes, Yes, most certainly yes I don't care if today all the people who came here with their dirty money and tricks to corrupt our leaders and change our way of life would all leave. It would be a very wonderful day when the UK take over and clean up the mess before we drown in it. Time for some people to run and some to go to jail. Time to see the mighty fallen, Sir Alan Stanford and Bernier Madoff are two prime examples.
How on earth can the terms be kept confidential? That would not happen in England, how does it happen in TCI?
It happen in TCI just lak it happen in Cayman.
It was happening in secret in the Cayman Islands until the media blew the whistle on it in 2007.