The Tribune

By NEIL HARTNELL

Tribune Business Editor

nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

Deputy Prime Minister Philip Davis will host this Friday’s meeting between the feuding developers and homeowners at Exuma’s Oceania Heights development, a sign that the Government may be moving seriously to broker a resolution to the dispute.

An e-mail sent to both sides from Pedro Rolle, president of the Exuma Chamber of Commerce, which has been seeking to facilitate a meeting between the Oceania parties, said: “The meeting originally scheduled for this Friday at the Chamber’s office has been changed and will now be held this Friday, January 25, at the office of the Deputy Prime Minister at 9.30 am.”

The long-running, increasingly bitter dispute has threatened to undermine the Bahamas’ reputation as an attractive destination for foreign direct investment (FDI) and second homeowners.

However, the Oceania Heights developers, Howard Obront and Anthony Thompson, had consistently denied all allegations levelled against them.

Mr Thompson is due to appear before the Bar Association’s Disciplinary Tribunal today to answer a complaint brought against him by Oceania homeowners, Chris and Jane Bain.

The main complaints of Oceania Heights homeowners are that they have been unable to obtain title/conveyancing documents to the properties they have bought; there are questions whether more than $880,000 in Stamp Tax they paid has been passed on to the Treasury; Mr Thompson failed to disclose he was also a beneficial owner of Oceania Heights when acting for the buyers in their purchases; the same lots have been sold to different buyers; and the hotel and other promised amenities have not been constructed.