Marico Thomas ‘Incredibly Disappointed’
[Updated] “Because of all the nonsense, the Pub On The Square location in St George’s is one year late to open,” businessman Marico Thomas said, adding that “this has been a painful experience”, he is “incredibly disappointed” and he also indicated that he may put the building up for sale.
Mr Thomas said, “We’ve had enough. What would you do if you had a mortgage having to pay $20-25k per month and were laid off for over a year? Maybe you would have to sell your home. Because of all the nonsense, the Pub On The Square location in St George’s is one year late to open. That’s 25k x 12 = $300k in additional costs just from not being open.”
“It’s almost like certain people in Planning and in the Government are trying to force us out of business. There have been words, but we have not seen deeds. I don’t care what you say, show me what you will do. We have had enough. We tried to help the Government [who asked for help with jobs] and tried to do something for the Town and people of St Georges.
“This has been a painful experience – physically, financially and mentally. And it did not need to be so. The place is just about finished. The upstairs is stunning. My plan now is to convert upstairs to a beautiful 3-4 bedroom house and the lower floor to 3 1-bedroom apartments.”
The businessman alleged, “So, the one technical officer in Planning wins. The board members at Planning who denied us wins, and the Minister who has not yet responded to our appeal wins. In the latter part of last year, I told everyone – the money is gone. Why then would people drag their feet if the project had the kind of importance or significance that they speak of publicly?
“Economic development? Jobs for Bermudians? Support for Entrepreneurship? Respect for foreign investment? An advantage by being Black during a Black government? None of that, at least not for me. I guess that is my fault,” he added. “I’m not friend nor family. Just an idiot who thought he could make a difference.”
“Well, I’m done. As an organization we have other opportunities. As a person, I need a vacation. As an approaching senior, I’m looking for a country to retire to. It’s a shame when stupid enters a room, speaks and sensible people let it win. I am incredibly disappointed,” he added.
In response, a Government spokesperson told Bernews, “We have seen the release from Mr. Thomas and take his accusations seriously. It is not true that the Department has not been responsive to Mr Thomas. Considerable work was done by the Ministry and Department of Planning to assist Mr. Thomas with his various projects. The Ministry will provide a further detailed response tomorrow [Friday].”
Minister of Home Affairs Walter Roban said, “I can confirm that the appeal for retroactive approval of the fan was successful, and I personally signed the approval letter in January. I am not sure how this was not relayed to Mr Thomas, but we will get the full facts tomorrow morning.”
Update Feb 10, 9.58am: Marico Thomas said, “Last evening, Premier Burt contacted me after becoming aware of the situation and our intention. I received a resounding ear of support from his direction which included surprise that the matter had not been resolved.
“Over the course of the evening, communications with multiple persons occurred with me gaining the understanding that the matter had been approved by the Minister several weeks prior.
“For reasons yet to be determined, notice of the approval had not been received by myself or anyone in our organization. Being only able to act on information within my purview to be known, and due to extensive and continued losses, a decision was reached to shut it all down. Yesterday persons in the St George Town Square, would have observed that I was leading a team of persons starting to dismantle the intended restaurant.
“I am grateful to receive knowledge of the approval and equally grateful for the concern expressed by the Premier, both previously and in particular, last evening. I must also note the support from the Mayor of St Georges and the St Georges Preservation Authority.
“To say this has been extremely difficult is an understatement. I have lost friends and the trust of business partners who were in support of this.
“We have experienced incredible financial losses from delays. We will evaluate our position over the coming days to determine whether we can achieve the financial capacity to continue as a restaurant, or will proceed with our current path to sell.”
Help me to understand how a fan on a roof, 100′s of Jobs, an addition to the old town, a new dining experience is not priority, but carving out Shark Hole and Defacing the cliff front for someones vanity project is of “National Importance.” You are a troubled man Minister Roban, I can’t wait to see you out the door.
You hit the nail on the head, “someones vanity project”
Yes, the sooner he is out of the door, the better! Such a waste of people’s time for voting for these people.
This is just another example of this government attempting to sabotage St.Georges what should have been another fine dining experience that would have employed Bermudians and attracted business into the town will now be apartments.A large investment has been poured into this project .This government is responsible for closing the Volunteer Fire Station and closing the Police Station and trying to bankrupt the Corporation by taking away the tax they received giving them a grant that was then cut. The OBA at least granted the Corp a life line with a piece of the gas tax . The OBA attracted St.Regis only to have the plp stage protests against the construction of the hotel.I am not sure how much more they can do before we send them a resounding message but we continue to be the punching bag for the plp
Yet the voters of the St Georges vote solid PLP every time. Go find some logic behind that. The wisdom of the voters is astounding.
It’s because no party is better than the next! One party make a decision the other objects*but would make same decision if “they” were in power.its just 2 sides off the same coin
That’s all this man talk’s about, he swears the UBP/oba are heaven sent….probably for people who look like him…. THEY ARE NO Better!!!
The UBP/oba are no better than the PLP. It’s the PLPs turn to be the 40 thieves, and we are much better at it than the UBP/oba.
People who look like them area all alike.
Keep up the big lie. Never give up on the big lie.
In their wisdom, if you can call it that, the people of St Georges threw the most dedicated, hardest working MP that they ever had, out.
Look what they voted in multiple times as a replacement!
Very astutely put! This island could be so much more than it is if we didn’t have this constant tug of war. None of the opponents seem more capable than the other and the real beast is the operation of government itself.
The wisdom of the obaUBP is more astounding as it continues the old destructive path fronting a black leader to try and sway black votes. Jarrion is up next! As a former UBP aka OBA member I can promise you the votes/people you need are never returning.
Keep up the big lie. Never give up on the big lie.
” As a former UBP aka OBA member…”
Hilariously, this describes your current government. A bunch of two faced hypocrites. LMFAO
That is not a nice way to describe former UBP leader Wayne Furbert!
The OBA is the UBP and everyone knows that the party changed its name because black voters departed. Cole is being used for the color of his skin and Jarrion will be next. All in the great attempt to attract voters to return.Trying the same political stunt will cost you every election.
Keep up the big lie. Never give up on the big lie.
BINGO BINGO BINGO. If they can’t even be honest about why they continue this trickery why trust them at all……
Instead ‘we’ trust a party who has major problems with the truth and has ruined the island and placed a debt of over $140,000 around neck of every person resident here.
Does that make sense ?
Why trust the racist PLP?
Because most Bermudians are racist.
You need to be beaten with the obvious stick.
Thank you for branding the majority of us with that label (“racist”).
I am here to say you are wrong.
The difference between the the PLP and the OBA/UBP is that PLP members vote for the person that they believe best capable of leading the party, whereas the OBA/UPB insist that their members choose between two black men. It is obvious to me, and I’m sure to most Bermudians who have an ounce of brain, that the OBA/UBP believe that they may stand a chance at convincing the Bermuda electorate that they are best able to govern if they have a black man at the helm instead of a white man to get more black votes. Now that clearly is a racist move.
So having a black leader of a party is ‘clearly a racist move’.
Up is down, down is up.
No, it is not necessarily racist, but playing the “Uncle Tom” card has worked for the PLP for most of the last 25 years so why change tactics now?
I remember sitting with other OBA members trying to decide who should lead the new party when it was formed from the BDA + UBP. A large number of the membership desire Dunkley because he was a successful businessman and only a few wanted Craig. However at the end of the day we selected Craig because he was the party’s best chance to win the election because of the color of his skin.with making the party appear diverse. We knew many voters would look at Dunkley as a former UBP white man.
“We knew many voters would look at Dunkley as a former UBP white man”
Because the majority of Bermudians are racists.
No, not because the majority of us are racist.
It is simply reality in Bermuda.
The first mistake was the BDA linking back up with the UBP in the first place. The BDA had every opportunity to avoid the racially-tinged baggage by being patient and building grassroots support.
Instead you got a candle that burned bright but burned short, and a party still occupied with optics over substance.
“linking back up” is not the way I remember the events.
Admittedly I was not not there when the BDA became the OBA, but my recollection is that the BDA allowed so many UBP members to join that the original BDA members were overwhelmed. I saw the take-over coming so I left before the end.
Bad choice of words on my part, Joe Bloggs. ‘Linking back up’ is really more for the former UBP guys who helped formed the BDA, not the BDA guys who had no prior political association.
Your analysis is more spot on, and probably reflects what many BDA founders felt
Keep up the BIG Denial never give up the BiG Denial. This is why the party will forever remain the opposition.
It is unfortunate that you think the truth is a “BiG Denial”
I cannot tell if you are a PLP troll or just someone who believes the propaganda
That’s sad. PLP don’t give a toss.
Snap election time. FOF will realise who is suffering
“Snap election time.”
And give the Premier Burt another 5 years in office
A snap election now or any election called later will make Curtis the next leader of the PLP. Being intelligent is definitely not your strong point.
PLP supporters (members, maybe MP’s) on here are invariably rude. It’s the one constant thing you all share.
Your racism is why black the black population departed from your precious UBPOBA party. By you stating that all PLP supporters are rude is the same as saying all black people are rude!
“By you stating that all PLP supporters are rude is the same as saying all black people are rude!”
Your comment assumes that only black people support the PLP, but that is not true.
Exactly. And the statement by “Youth” also assumes all black people support the PLP, which is also obviously not true.
PLP supporters seem to express their views very often in a deliberately rude way. They seem to take pride in it. But it’s divisive, and is not an effective way of having an adult discussion.
The white folks that support or have supported the PLP are actually look down on by their own. Say it’s not true? Black voters are the only ones that flip flop back and forth.
That may be true of some (or many) but not all of us “white folks”
And what about the blacks who don’t support the plp ?
Do you think they’re treated any differently by their own ?
And its patently untrue that only black voters ‘swing’.
But the psychology BS they play says that anytime someone perceived as non plp says anything unpleasant , no matter how truthful , they’re somehow driving people towards the plp .
They hate the observable reality of PLP stupidity , incompetence and failure. It’s a record untarnished by success.
That’s why they’re angry and rude.
Ah, so this is what “Bermuda for Bermudians” looks like.
Brothers cant stand to see another brother succeed
I agree with Mr. Thomas wholeheartedly. As someone who has experienced planning and how they operate I know this is the truth. It sickening and disgraceful. Wasting people’s money and time! PLP count your DAYS!
almost everyone who has had to deal with Planning has a horror story to tell about Planning.
This is nothing new. It goes back many decades. The rot has been from the bottom all the way up the food chain there.
I live in a house that was refused one course of block higher so that it could have decent head clearance in it’s basement. Nope, too high for surrounding neighbourhood.
This was the early 60s.
Since then a neighbouring house has been put up a whole floor above mine.
Planning does not change.
“The rot has been from the bottom all the way up the food chain there.”
Personally, I have always thought that the rot trickles down from the top to the bottom.
1. The Health Department says you must have this fan to operate as a restaurant.
2. The Department of Planning says you cannot have the fan.
3. The owner says fine, it will be apartments instead and I will not create 45 jobs in the hospitality industry.
4. The Minister says “I approved the fan last month, but no one told you”.
It all sounds contrived to me.
If he’d told them he needed to set up a recording studio for youtube influencers Burt would have paid a lot more attention.
At what point does it become a monopoly when you own more than 50% of the restaurants on the island. He owns terrible restaurant after terrible restaurant. The government shouldn’t allow him any planning and allow someone else to have a chance for once. But no it’s the rich helping out the rich, then when the rich can’t get their way they become one of the people. Wake up bermuda seriously before you leave nothing for the next generation
“The government shouldn’t allow him any planning and allow someone else to have a chance for once”
Really? And who else do you suggest the PLP Government prevent from succeeding?
And who do you suggest will take the business risks that Marico Thomas takes?
Finally, what other rights do you suggest be taken away from Marico Thomas?
How many of the 45 jobs will be occupied by Bermudians.
His restaurants are trash foods that promote unhealthy eating and obesity and diabetes and death. Don’t get me started on the cost to food portion ratio. Should have stuck with Pizza. At least knowing that the one food choice isn’t the best is not as bad as the all the rest.
If you want to open a healthy restaurant there is nothing stopping you. It might mean you have less time for whining though.
“allow someone else” – like who? What other currently-disenfranchised entrepreneurs are there champing at the bit to open these kinds of restaurants?
Who else is trying to open a restaurant in St. George’s?
It’s called ‘filling the pockets of what you have influence in.
An exhaust fan.
Bet you cannot find one anywhere in Bermuda.
Ever walk outside an Italian Restaurant in hamilton or elsewhere.
Get your Green Cards folks.
This just shows how hard it is working in a heritage site with a lot of you can’t. You can not keep the ‘old look’ and have modern fixtures for modern kitchens.
Who walks around looking for exhaust fans?
Ever been to Williamsburg, VA. One of the worlds best known heritage sites I would imagine. Plenty restaurants along Main St there. You can be sure that every one of them has a commercial kitchen which has an exhaust fan.
Who is looking up?
Bermudians prefer their insurance company buildings, designed by foreign architects, to have white stepped roofs, that aren’t used for collecting water.
It looks like Disney.
That statement is wrong on almost every level.