The Tribune

By NEIL HARTNELL

Tribune Business Editor

nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

The Exuma Chamber of Commerce’s president yesterday pledged he would “not give up” his efforts to resolve the Oceania Heights dispute, as one of the development’s former owners renewed the verbal battle with his former clients.

Pedro Rolle, who is also Oceania Heights’ chief executive, told Tribune Business he would not cease for the good of both the Exuma and Bahamian economy, and the island’s reputation.

However, he admitted to “frustration”, adding that Oceania Heights as a development remained “in limbo”, with the Government yet to take undefined action against its former principals, Canadian citizen Howard Obront, and Bahamian attorney, Anthony Thompson.

“Everything is still in limbo, what’s happening with the project and what action the Government may be taking [against Messrs Obront and Thompson],” Mr Rolle told Tribune Business.

“That’s where we are. Oceania is still in limbo. It’s very frustrating. I had hoped that by this time we would have been further along than we are, but we are not.

“I won’t give up,” Mr Rolle reaffirmed. “I’ve got to do it for the good of our local economy, and for our reputation. I’ve got to do this until there’s a resolution.”

Mr Thompson, meanwhile, responded to Tribune Business’s revelations that he was part of a new business venture offering to cure land title defects - the very same problems he has left behind at Oceania Heights.

This newspaper revealed that Mr Thompson, and his law chambers, are involved with the Commercial Services Group and its subsidiary, Land Database, with their advertising urging persons to ‘stop letting land title issues get you down’.

The venture, and Mr Thompson’s involvement in it, provoked howls of derision from his former Oceania Heights clients, who told this newspaper: “You can’t make this up. Only in the Bahamas.”

Yet Mr Thompson responded by saying the new venture had nothing to do with Oceania Heights or the investors there.

“This has absolutely nothing to do with Oceania. Zero,” he told Tribune Business. “This has nothing to do with the investors in Oceania.

“This has absolutely nothing to do with Oceania. This has absolutely nothing to do with rectifying titles in Oceania (something that may or may not be comforting to his former clients),” Mr Thompson reiterated. “This is a totally different ball game.”

Tribune Business repeatedly attempted to drive home to Mr Thompson that he was ‘missing the point’ from its article, namely that he had launched a service offering to cure problems similar to those he had created at Oceania, but to no avail.

The attorney did admit that the new venture would be dealing with land title defects “in general terms”, and suggested Commercial Services Group would make a statement yesterday.

Nothing was received up until press time, with e-mail ‘blast’ advertising by the company continuing to be sent out - although this time, Mr Thompson’s name was removed.

Not giving up, Mr Thompson sent a written letter to Tribune Business, questioning the motivation behind the actions of Chris Fleming, head of Oceania’s homeowners association.

The attorney questioned why Mr Fleming was not taking his issues up with Mr Rolle, and why he sought to resolve property disputes through the media - rather than the resolution process outlined in his sales agreement.

And, referring to solution devised for Oceania Heights by Deputy Prime Minister, Philip Davis, and the six-month practice suspension imposed on him by the Bahamas Bar Association, Mr Thompson said: “Why does Chris Fleming believe the Deputy Prime Minister, the Bahamas Bar Association and the justice system in the Bahamas are all wrong, but he is right? His way or no way?”

Mr Thompson alleged that his firm was still owed $1.045 million by property buyers at Oceania Heights, and the company itself, and said he sent Mr Fleming his title deeds despite the latter allegedly telling him to retain them.

In response, Mr Fleming said Mr Thompson had still failed to explain why he left most Oceania Heights investors without good title to their properties, either failing to complete or pass on their conveyancing documents. And, at least twice, he sold the same lot to two different buyers.

And he noted that Mr Thompson had said nothing about, despite admitting in his own writing, to receiving just over $400,000 in Stamp Duty monies from around 10 clients but failing to pass this on to the Treasury - again creating title problems for purchasers.

“The facts can’t be disputed. The facts are stubborn things,” Mr Fleming told Tribune Business, adding that Mr Davis’s intervention and the homeowners’ actions had been an attempt to “try to get him to do what is right”.

And Mr Fleming said he was “totally at a loss” over Mr Thompson’s $1.045 million claim. He told Tribune Business: “I’d like to understand what he’s talking about. I have no idea.

“Over 100 people paid $32 million for property at that resort of which, as the primary owner, surely he is fabulously wealthy? He needs to be more specific as to why he’s owed $1.045 million, because he’s owed nothing.”

Mr Fleming said he paid Mr Thompson $64,000 to perform his conveyancing work, something he claimed would have cost $1,000 to do.

“All we’re looking for Mr Thompson to do is perform the work he was contracted for, it’s as simple as that,” Mr Fleming added, “and that he gives the Stamp Duty money to the people of the Bahamas, and people who bought the property actually own it, and Mrs Bowe [at the Ministry of Finance] could send out tax bills that are correct, rather than to people who don’t own property.”