Billionaire Calvin Ayre Dismisses Claims Of Victimisation By Vendors

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Ayre

Calvin Ayre, a billionaire philanthropist, has dismissed claims of victimisation by vendors saying they are spreading a lot of misinformation.

He further addded, ” I think the appropriate people to talk to about the vendors would most likely be the Tourism [department].”

“We aren’t doing anything on the beach,” he rebutted. “All we’re doing is fixing the club up.”

Ayre recently bought Castaways, the beach club, and announced that he will be renaming it to Bodog Beach.

A number of vendors, who have been plying their trade on the beach for many years, have accused Ayre and Prime Minister Gaston Browne of using their considerable wealth and influence to force them off the beach.

The DCA had given the vendors the option of operating on the beach with the condition that all of the beach equipment must be cleared from the beach at the end of the working day.

However, for many vendors this would mean that they would have to incur significant additional costs as they would have to use trucks to transport the over 50 beach chairs and other equipment they use on a daily basis to ply their trade.

Ayre added, “Gaston and the government are working … and has given them some new facilities that’s slightly down the beach.”

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26 COMMENTS

  1. Mr. Ayer, you live in Antigua far too long to know you should not respond to them.
    They want this type of publicity
    And the Media loves the melee.
    In the end all they want is some money.
    Please keep doing what you have been doing. You are a model citizen. You put your money where your heart is. Not like many calling themselves Antiguan just because they were born here. In the end they don’t give a dam about their fellow men
    I respect and thank you for all your generous contributions to the poor and needy. May blessings keep coming your way

    • @Sidelines:
      What are you hoping to get from Calvin Ayre? I remembered the days when you were kissing Alan Stanford’s
      derriere.I thought you would have gone up to Florida and served his time for him.Nothing but a set of kiss asses in Antigua,for sale to the highest bidder.

    • U a chat f*ck …. they are lying on the vendors.. they were being called in meeting and try to be bought with money they dont want money so u shut t by e fu%k up d$ck head …. them a try run the vendors…. yall live to sell yall mother sc**t to much….retarded fking dunce..

      • Watch your language boss. You’ve got a problem. No wonder our young people are looking for real mentors, men and women quality and principle. Watch the language. You’ll be a better person if you do. Thanks. Otherwise, people will wonder who brought you up, and we don’t want that.

    • Notes From A Native Son Of The Rock! “Whenever a person delineates a cultural boundary around a particular cultural space in human time, this is called MARKING. It might be done with the announcement of a certain symbol, the creation of a special bonding, or the citing of personal heroes of African history and culture. Beyond citing the revolutionary thinkers in our history, (that is, beyond Price Klass, VC Bird, Novelle Richards, George Weston, Tim Hector and Gaston Browne) we must be prepared to act upon our interpretation of what is in the best interest of black people, that is, black people as an historically oppressed population. This is the fundamental necessity for advancing the political ( social, financial and environmental)process.” – Dr. Molefi Asante on Theory of Social Change!

      Where are Mi Gud Frens: The Haitian Hero; The Falcon and The Snowman, Skye and Tenman! More than sixty years later we are still fighting a battle with creating and embracing a strategic imperative! Why have we not been able to send a clear message that not only is Antigua and Barbuda proactively investing in workforce development to support a vital and sustainable economic climate attractive to new business, entrepreneurial and social ventures to enhance The Tourism and Hospitality Industry as one of its key drivers of a Sustainable Social, Financial and Ecological Future! Who will send a straightforward message that pursuing a continuous improvement program of education, credential or license is a necessity in the Global economy and Tourism and Hospitality Industry, especially to those who might not otherwise consider it or think such a possibility within reach while creating a new trajectory forward and upward as we build a new Caribbean Civilization!

      From Jolly Beach to Long Bay The Vendors Cry: From Short Shirt “Nobody Go Run Me” to Gabby “The Beach in Mine!” From The Lucayan Archipelago and all along the off ramps of the Caribbean Highway, the New Caribbean Buccaneers and Privateers masquerading as the Titans of the Caribbean Cruise and Land base Hospitality Industry lay claim to this huge Extraction Industry and brook no petty Inclusion. LEST WE REMEMBER! People of African Descent Resident on Antigua lay claim to the Beach – ALL 365 – People of African Descent Resident on Barbuda Lay claim to the Land – ALL 62 square miles and its 200 Mile Economic Zone! Irony of Ironies!

      68 Years from Adult Suffrage! 62 Years from Statehood and Self-Governance of Internal Affairs! 38 Years of Independence! Why this huge Cultural and Institutional Divergence! In 1973, from his superb pictorial and historic scholarly Work: “Antigua Black” Dr. Gregson Davis and his wife Margo warned of the future Divergence as the peasants moved from agriculture and the villages to the city and tourism and hospitality! Over 65% of the population now lives in St. Johns and its environs as ribbon and scatter shot development continues apace! Thirty years later, Edgar O Lake with his masquerading, migration and ghosts of history, in delightful prose, island language and sinister symbolism reminds us all in 2004 as Bilay stated, “you don’t have to breed the country to rule it” with no thought that “we could kill for a dream we never understood” in entrepreneurial socialism never fully clothed in philosophical and cultural psychology or its social pathology!

      This mere voice in the wilderness suggests that while our culture, attitudes and values from plantation enslavement have driven the functions of our political society, the main source of this Institutional Divergence can be laid at the logic of our social arrangements, a neglected education, absence of policies and rules that govern economic and political behaviour in the hospitality and tourism industry, and a historical referent point of ethnic and institutional differences and logic that have not unleashed financial capital growth of, for and by the people of African Descent!

      Notwithstanding that these Titans of the Cruise and Land base Tourism and Hospitality Industry have been from the outset signalling and are progressively claiming Space in both the Extractive Economic and Political Institutions with numerous examples in the Lucayan Archipelago and some off ramps along the Caribbean Highway, we like sheep have gone astray! To be successful we must develop Inclusive Economic and Political Institutions: state support for relatively free entry of new and innovative business, access to education and opportunity for people of African descent with political institutions that allow broad participation! We have been unable to data mine some 60 years of Strategic Knowledge since we have no Core Guiding Principles for the Cruise and Land base Tourism and Hospitality Industry! Every schoolchild knows we have 365 days “where the beach is just the beginning!” Why has the Leadership and Governance Structures in concert with stakeholders, Taxi Drivers, Street and Beach Vendors and other Publics not developed the enabling policies, strategy, partnerships and resources, communities of people, core business processes, quality tourism and hospitality products and services to produce trust in governments and the titans of the industry while ensuring a sustainable social, financial and environmental Space for Citizens not only of Antigua and Barbuda but all along the Caribbean and Lucayan Highways!

      Clearly The New Buccaneers and Privateers ( This mere voice in the wilderness is not including Ayre in that category)in the Cruise and Land base Tourism and Hospitality Industry, just like, Pirate Cap’n Morgan and Governor of Jamaica, their kin of yesteryear are totally extractive — bent on grabbing wealth and resources away from one part of Caribbean society to benefit shareholders in another society! Their local partners, Governments of these SIDS, even knowing and leading the historical currents and critical junctures that created their recent polities have been overcome by institutional drift and socio-economic bankruptcy! Mi good Fren Tenman would call for Creative Destruction! GoAB and the Street and Beach Vendors need to become more innovative and should embrace development of building more solid inclusive Institutions focused on power-sharing, productivity, education, technological advances and the well-being of the nation as a whole!

  2. They want to keep the Beach like a RUBBISH heap . Who in Their right mind would support this STUPIDNESS.
    The Prime Minister is correct …Let Them organize Themselves properly to PLY their trade.

    When I heard People like CLEON ATHILL , KNIGHT ,SERPENT, SPENCE and other members of the Observer Team supporting the Vendors to keep Antigua NASTY it bothers me. Something is definitely wrong with the OBSERVER MEDIA , MOVEMENT People.

    • MISS Cleon Athill ought to do some real work. There was a march held over the weekend calling for an end to Domestic Violence. Where were the “faithful nationals” to support this crucial initiative. They paint themselves as patriots, but when it comes to standing up for the vulnerable in society, if there is no POLITICAL GAIN, they are silent.

    • Insensitive much?Bet you if it was one of your family members you would be singing a different tune. Especially if that person is clean , doesn’t litter and trying to make a honest days work. Anyway, when our PM build them something they can try push pull all of those chairs there.

      Also.. a Rubbish heap? When last did you go to (that) beach? I used to go to that beach regularly..and i never saw any rubbish lying around and especially not from the vendors..blame the other locals who go an litter all around the island…and since when is the beach chairs neatly lined up on the sand considered rubbish?

      • Another thing; you all are some big hypocrites…one time you all na want foreigners in your land and you cuss about them, another time you jump on the bandwagon and want them once they have money and can do something for Antigua but at the same time if they come down with managers from their country that’s a problem cause all spots must be covered by locals! There is no pleasing all ya!

  3. I believed everything that the vendors said …I was made abundant from my previous job of 4yrs because of this same Calvin Ayers lol am not gonna out lined the things he did to me at this appointed time..#Bornantiguan

  4. It’s always about politics with observer they will side with anyone who claims to have an issue with this government or PM brown no matter what the case is they’ll take it until they party UPP in power then they make excuses for them

    • oh yes that is Observer’s M.O. to undermine ALP at all costs. Given their history, I can see why. But don’t tout yourself as “THE ONLY INDEPENDENT MEDIA HOUSE” in the country when nothing tarl go so. CENSORING DNA because that party opted not to be a part of the PAPPYSHOW politics and apparently fabricating stories about antennae at McNish in a FLOPPED, LAME attempt to elicit sympathy.

  5. on the move November 24, 2019 at 9:40 am
    BLACK-MAN

    Did you listen to the HON. Gaston Browne on Pointe FM 99.1 yesterday ? The Observer Radio antenna is very very old . The breakdown is due to WEAR and TEAR . Observer need to raise money to repair Their ANCIENT equipment and stop blaming the General Public. SHAME SHAME on Serpent and Dave Lester Payne for Blaming Persons when They know the real cause of the problem.

    BLACK- MAN
    I will advise you to listen to Pointe FM 99.1 on Saturday afternoons from 4pm onwards to hear the truth . Saturday afternoons all Antiguans and Barbudans are tuned to Pointe fm 99.1 to hear our ESTEEM Prime Minister Hon. Gaston Browne.

    Reply

    • @On The Move… I am an Antiguan by birth and I don’t listen to Pointe FM 99.1 and I will never will. My time is very important and I cannot waste it on Pointe FM 99.1.
      Lower Market Street to need cleaning up with the nastiness from the vendors just like Jolly Beach. That section of Market Street is very stink and ghetto style attitude something I have never seen before growing up during my younger years. The entire island of Antigua need a serious cleanup.

      • To say its a CAPITAL…

        HOW THE HELL A CAPITAL SO NASTY & RUN DUMG

        ST.JOHNS LOOK SO GRIMMY ….

        I wish i could drive and run over EVERYTHING & EVERYONE from cmc to high st.

  6. The government always seem to need a white godfather. First Rapaport, then Stanford and Calvin Ayre. We now know that the first two were not always about benevolence.
    Was wondering whether you had to be in partnership with a government minister to gain access. Not surprised that GB is a neighbour of Castaways.

  7. If thou art rich,thou art poor.For like an ass whose backs with ingots bows.Thou bearest thy heavy riches but a journey and death unloads thee.Regardless of your financial and or material status in life.Death unloads all of us of our worldly goods.You cannot take anything with you into the box.

    On the Move:
    Why the heck would I listen to Gaston Browne on Pointe FM on Saturdays.Do you think I have time to waste.

  8. BLACK-MAN

    I promise that if you listen to POINTE FM 99.1 on SATURDAYS . Your IQ will be developed .

    So do yourself a fAVOUR. Please STOP listen to OBSERVER RADIO.

    • Look, man, he bright BUT jus don’t know how to use his intelligence, so he come across kind of weird. It would do him good if he listen to FM 99.1

  9. MARY-JANE

    I AM ALSO AN ANTIGUAN BY BIRTH. BORN AND STILL LIVE IN THE PARISH OF ST.GEORGE. A PATTA ME COM FRAM.JUST TAKE NOTE OF DAT MARY-JANE.YOU ARE NOT MORE ANTIGUAN THAN ME.

  10. Why can’t Mr. Ayre and the vendors share the beach. I recently stayed at Jolly Harbour and went to the area in question and was happy to enjoy the best of both worlds…. Castaways and the local vendors. I often wonder why the Government thinks tourists only want north american style food and service when in reality they enjoy local food, culture and hospitality. With both on the beach they have a choice.

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