BEST: “Unable to Support the Revised SDO”
With the Senate expected to debate the Tucker’s Point SDO at around 5pm today [Mar.25], environmental activist group BEST released a statement saying, “We are unable to support the revised SDO and are encouraging those who share our stance to write again to their Senators and join us in a vigil at the Senate Building starting around 5pm.”
Last night Government confirmed there were changes to the SDO. In the revised draft, the total donated land is around 41.12 acres, the total development area removed from the previous draft SDO is 18.421 acres.
BEST has been at the forefront of the objections against the the Tucker’s Point SDO, and was one of the first entities to speak about against it, saying five months ago that a “major development is being negotiated in secret,” and that the issuance of an SDO to Tucker’s Point “may be imminent.”
BEST has provided over 70 reasons why they feel the SDO should not be granted, and also said that approximately 90% of the common shares of Tucker’s Point parent company are owned by non-Bermudians, which “strongly suggests that the SDO is a bailout of non-Bermudians at the expense of the Bermuda public.”
CURB, who also opposes the SDO on historical grounds, released a statement this morning urging CURB supporters to once again honk their horns loudly while driving by the Senate grounds, and if possible attend the Senate grounds wearing black “in support of the original owners and to mourn this continuing travesty.”
The full statement from BEST follows below:
BEST response so far
1. Govt earns credit for bringing this SDO to the legislature
2. They negate that credit by
- a) failing to insure that their designated new deciders, the legislature are fully informed (govt is handing over rights to develop on land worth tens if not hundreds of millions of dollars in amenity value; with that comes a duty to procure and provide full financial information, especially as TPC claims these handovers will enable them to succeed financially)
- b) imposing this complex and convoluted issue onto the legislature in the midst of the Budget debate, arguably the most intense and demanding debate on the legislative calendar
- c) rushing the revised SDO, giving all interested parties, except for TPC, little if any time to examine, digest and give input on the revisions
3. Changes to the SDO should not be viewed as “concessions” by TPC, but rather a clear admission that the original SDO was not as vital as they made it out to be.
4. One of the changes, removing Quarry Hill from the revised SDO, would appear to indicate that TPC won’t be building the hotel rooms (that’s where they were slated to go). This casts further doubt on the credibility of TPC’s claims that the development was about Tourism. IT is doubtful the Bermuda Government would have entertained the original SDO had there not been some actual hotel development. Now that the hotel component has been voluntarily discarded, it reinforces suspicions that the intention was far more about real estate and far less about tourism.
5. Paynter’s Hill is far more valuable, environmentally and economically, if it remains intact. We are unconvinced that any protective zoning should be altered here. Just the act of conducting the environmental studies on this site, requiring roads and heavy equipment, will do irreversible environmental damage.
6. The govt and TPC make much about the amount of land that has been donated. If these donations have been bumped up to make the SDO more attractive, it is difficult to see them as anything more than bribes.
We are unable to support the revised SDO and are encouraging those who share our stance to write again to their Senators (addresses on our website ) and join us in a vigil at the Senate Building starting around 5pm.
Looks like Philip Butterfield is Bermuda’s real Premier. After all, whose door do you think Paula Cox will be knocking on when she plans to borrow an additional $150m this year? Scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours type of thing, huh?
Sorry, no deal, HSBC.
BEST aka Mr. Hayward is unable to support the SDO as he is unable to support any construction or any initiatives undertaken under the PLP government.
Let’s call a spade a spade.
Yeah…. guess he lucked out that he can use solid reasoning and strong arguements against any of these developements, otherwise he would come off looking like an idiot.
PLP and supporters are unable to take any criticism of their decisions maturely. Their couldn’t possibly be any reason to not agree with this government decisions as they are near perfect. And any one who doesn’t agree is part of a white lynch mob or a confused ……
Sigh you are a spade………..
LOL
Beg pardon??? I’m not sure that’s exactly respectful as that’s a racial epithet. Please be careful with language and its interpretations…
I did exactly what Sigh said I called a spade a spade, his saying. You did not even come into this conversation. So beg pardon, it was meant in the same way as he ment it. If you took it as racist well thats on you as I’m sure sigh had a different context in mind but suit yourself says more about how you incorrectly interpert the world and others intentions. Must be that internilized racial hate I’ve heard so much of. So is the problem with me or your interpertation.
LOL ps its an old saying I’m to young to know its original meaning if it was meant as a racist remark I do extend my apologies.
If/when they get the SDO they could bulldoze the site, run out of money again and leave another scar on the landscape. Can’t happen? Sonesta, Holiday Inn, anybody?
Good point. The Unfinished Church, St. George….
Does anyone have the actual text of the changed SDO?
No, not actual text, just the changes and site map listed here: http://bernews.com/2011/03/changes-made-to-tuckers-point-sdo/
Will see if we can get the full text…
Well done Stuart Hayward! I hope all the Senators have been given a copy of BEST’s statement. It tells it like it is……..
So here’s my input BEST and their supporters:
1) I imagine you’ll be happy if the SDO is denied
2)I imagine you’ll be delighted if Bermuda’s only 5 star hotel goes out of business
3) I imagine you’ll elated when the “big spenders” that TP attracts no longer visit and tourism is shot to sh!t
4) I imagine you’ll be ecstatic when your taxes are so high you can’t afford to live any longer.
I kindly ask you to leave the politics out and make arguments based on ENVIRONMENTAL issues as THAT is what you stand for right?
I’m sure BEST and I would hope their supporters know that TC is PROACTIVLY environmentally friendly… They are a registered Green Globe member and have been nominated to receive a Green Globe award.. Google it. They also sit on the Greenrock Green Office panel.
TP’s grounds are PRISTINE and every one of their residents and the hotel recycles…
How many of you do?
Bermudians are so quick to jump on the bandwagon.. Get your facts straight. And if your going to stand for something make sure you know exactly who you are standing with… Because as far as I’m concerned the above BEST response to the SDO is nothing more than accusations and politics hiding behind an environmental group.
You tell em Dr. Brown……….
I was thinking the same as this is taking on all the characteristics of PLP vs White people even though some of the PLP do not support this. It just seems that the mouth peices of the PLP are trying to make the same old arguments to get this through.
LOL
What do taxes have to do with this? Are you indicating that OUR taxes will increase to pay off Tuckers debt? Please explain your statement.
One TPC will continue under receivership and new management will enter if the 5 star and potential of this resort is that good.
Two this is a land deal that only benefits TPC and not Bermuda. There is no expansion of the hotel and we only assume that locals will be used to service the properties when lets be frank this is not the norm as life in nannies and possibly just the TPC landscapers will get in on this. Still small if any contributions to Bermuda.
Three BEST is coming at it as an environmental issue remember the endemic trees, birds and caves with endemic species living in them.
Four after all the hype of foreigners owning property in Bermuda supporters with this are ok with potentially being second class citizens again in this country. Land licensing and proving the spouse did not contribute to property bought means that you have to be rich already the average Bermudian gets screwed again unless people straight up lie about what they have and don’t have on this rock. Not to mention this is a complete about face how can the people who support this Government support this is amazing guess it all depends who come up with idea ehhh..
Sorry but to many twists and turns for me please prove this will make TPC successful and bring them out of debt as I believe the result of this will be TPC being sold out right after this has passed any way so as to recoup the monies spent and profit Mr. Tripp could make and get out while we think everything cool.
So instead of trying to PR your way out of this with TPC environmentally friendly BS understand business do thing to look good regardless of what them might be doing. Was the initial building site and the 1 and 2nd SDO carried out with the environment in mind? Did they do studies and can they be produced to back up your claims?
LOL
Dear That’s All ,
I imagine that TPR will be removed from being nominated for a Green Globe award if this SDO is approved as TPR will be destroying protected environment!
If TPR had attracted the big spenders as you suggest, how come they have had financial problems from the get go, have not sold all their fractionals, developed the SDO properties granted a few years ago & have sunk into debt?
5 star, somehow I don’t think so . . . I checked Tripadvisor last week & visitors rated it 4 star . . . The Reefs is more like 5 star having recieved various awards, including Conde Nast ones, over the years!
As for taxes well, they have been goin up all over the world, and this TPR SDO is not going to prevent them!
What I find most annoying with Bda Properties Ltd & Castle Harbout Ltd. is that they have stated that this TPR SDO is needed for tourism . . . Well what happened to the additional hotel rooms & following Rosewood’s “Do The Right Thing” of which the environment is aconcern?
As I have been saying all along, it has been A REAL ESTATE DEAL in the guise of tourism all along to attempt to bail out predominantly non-Bermudians that live elsewhere where open space is the norm. While WE Bermudians have little open space either to walk through or visually enjoy. Our natural beauty is one of our major assets & for this TPR SDO to be granted , well another nail inthe coffin for tourism & more for HSBC to claim in receivership!
Re:
1. Yes.
2. The hotel will not go out of business. Period. It will go into receivership and be sold. In all odds this will make the hotel more successful.
3. They still will come. In fact, more will probably come as the hotel will be properly managed.
4. Tax rates are higher because we subsidise hotels with millions of dollars of tax concessions every year.
So please, get your facts straight.
Bravo “thatisall” – well-said and spot on. I appreciate that I am not the only one that thinks this has turned from an environmental issue into a political one. Frankly, I am getting sick of hearing about it. Sorry – sad, but true. This political bickering needs to be handled on the playground. ENOUGH!
It is unfortunate that this SDO has been pushed through so quickly and the public has had such little input. The reaction of changing it last minute in order to push it through is regrettable and short-sighted. If we are to move ahead as a country and as a people we have to put a great deal of thought into how we develop the precious little space we still have. The government substantiated the SDO by saying how it was based around a need for tourism and then retracted the one aspect of the SDO that benefitted the hotel. This deal is not about tourism, hotels, employment or Bermudians. It is about writing down debt. We are selling our land and others are benefitting the value of these lands environmentally far exceeds the short term benefit to the local economy. I am hopeful that all parties involved regardless of their political affiliation take into account that truly sustainable development is a process where all parties are consulted and a plan is developed out of real compromise rather than forced change.
So its ok to have Conserved land turned to concrete because those who will use it recycle, and it’ll look ‘PRISTINE’. Sporty…. why didn’t you say so…
To understand what is going on here one need only read Larry Burchall’s article in the Sun on Wednesday. It is the painful truth.Look at the endless amount of political capital this Government is wasting in the name of Tucker’s Point and the shareholders of its parent companies.The revised SDO is a loud rebuke of this Administration’s clout. Having parrotted Ed Trippe’s “its all about tourism and without it in this form we fail” the revised SDO removes anything remotely related to genuine tourism which means my Government is either nieve or dopey. Seems the talent pool that was shallow under Dr. Brown hasn’t gotten any deeper since he left the stage. A total embarrassment.
You tal um Smokes…
Thatisall,
Yes, my husband & I do : – 1. recycle, 2. have a solar panel for hot water, 3. have a solar dryer (clothes line) & 4. a vegetable garden with a composte bin. So what do you do at home?
Incidentally, I’m not political and am not a member of any political party or BEST, but right now I support BEST, CURB & The Tucker’s Town Historical Society in being against this TPR SDO.
Good on you Margaretta…….. You got the money. Some people still piss on their lawn or take a dump at KFC. You make me laugh with your hippopotaymasee……………….
But Mr. Trippe indicated on numerous occasions that Rosewood would ONLY take on the job of running TPR if these 70+ hotel beds were added (which this revised SDO now seems to exclude).
I guess this now means Rosewood are off the table unless The PLP and Ed Trippe haven’t been entirely truthful with the electorate since this matter first entered the public domain?
Lies to again when will the public be tieried of getting shafted by their own as it has been put numerous times.
LOL
32/64…Did you tell your Senator to bring this up or your MP? Whats your point.