PM: No land deal “to bail out any prominent lawyer”

BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – PRIME MINISTER Dr. the Hon. Denzil Douglas shot down rumours that his government is pursuing a land deal with foreign investors to bail out any prominent local lawyer.
 
Said Douglas after being questioned by SKNVibes, “That is not so at all. My government is not going to be in any activity engaged with land development to bail out any prominent lawyer.”
 
The PM issued the denial at his monthly press conference on Wednesday (Aug. 26). About a month ago, purported Cabinet documents containing alleged details of a land deal involving a prominent local attorney began circulating on the popular local website, SKNList.com.
 
The website alleged that the first document was a proposal on behalf of the investors. It stated that they would underwrite the lawyer’s liability if the government allowed them to purchase 123 acres of government-owned land at a concessionary rate.
 
The stated rationale was that they could use the sale of those lands, in addition to the money gained from the sale of the lawyer’s assets, to recover their losses, which they claimed was approximately US$9M.
 
The website further stated that the second document was a memo from Douglas explaining that the lawyer had been unable to meet his financial commitments to these investors, as well as revealing that the deal would consist of projects to support the development and expansion of the Rawlins Plantation Inn and Golden Lemon Hotel.
 
“I am not aware of any initiative. There is none. When my government speaks to land development, it is for credible projects or proposals that are brought before it. And I am the Minister of Lands, I am the Prime Minister. I would know. We don’t dwell on rumours here,” Douglas declared.