Marriott St. Kitts to acquire Angelus property
By VonDez Phipps
Reporter-SKNVibes.com
BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – AMIDST what has been described as a “highly controversial legal battle” between the Federation of St. Kitts-Nevis and the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) over the acquisition of the Angelus Resort, Prime Minister
Hon. Dr. Denzil Douglas has declared his confidence in being able to claim the now derelict 15-acre property.
Dr. Douglas, who also serves as Minister of Tourism, made this announcement during a brief ribbon-cutting ceremony of the
Marriott’s St. Kitts Beach Club on January 7, indicating that the property would be used to accommodate the expansion of the Marriott Resort.
“The plans for the Marriott Vacation Club International will include further expansion and will include the site of the former Angelus Hotel which we believe will be soon tackled in the expansion of this complex,” Douglas said.
According to a press release from the Communications Unit in the Office of the Prime Minister dated September 12, 2006, the National Assembly had given its approval to a resolution to acquire the hotel property along with two other nearby properties for “the purpose of a 5-star hotel”.
The report also quotes the Prime Minister as saying, “We are aware of the litigation that is going on with regard to persons who claim that they have invested in The Angelus, but who now feel that something was amiss when they made their investments and are going to the courts of the land in order to have redress and to settle what they claim to be unfair treatment with regard to their investment.”
The Prime Minister also indicated that after consultations with the Governor General, he has received full support as the government proceeds “to acquire The Angelus and the adjacent 6.5 acres in order to continue to realise the government’s public policy with regard to the continued expansion of the tourism plant in St. Kitts and Nevis."
Douglas mentioned that he has also been given the full support of property owners as they are unable to continue developing the project due to the on-going legal dispute. He also said that the owners of the additional pieces of land have already been contacted and have pledged their support to the government in this regard.
In speaking with SKNVibes Attorney General Dennis Merchant did confirm that the case was held in litigation but was unable to give further comment on the matter. To this point, there has been no public statement made as to the progress of the legal dispute or whether the investors had been compensated for finances pumped into the hotel.
