The UPP is extremely concerned about the ABLP administration’s repeated false announcements of over 26 development projects that have failed to deliver over 3,000 new hotel rooms, 6,000 construction jobs, 7,000 permanent jobs and should have pumped over US $5 billion (over EC $13 billion) into the local economy.
Since being elected in 2014, the ABLP administration has raised the hopes and dreams of many Antiguans and Barbudans with the announcement of an extensive list of development projects.
However, the ABLP has amassed the highest number of failed projects under any government in the history of Antigua and Barbuda – likely the poorest track record in the world.
In addition to dashed hopes and dreams of long-term prosperity for many Antiguans and Barbudans, the country now suffers from an unemployment and an underemployment crisis, with insufficient good paying jobs to meet the needs of our people. Having made these headline announcements the ABLP, has not provided any updates or progress reports.
The UPP considers this irresponsible and calls on the ABLP administration to explain the reasons for the apparent failure of these 26 major projects which were announced during budget presentations and by senior ABLP officials over the past 8 years.
The list of projects are:
- Sunny Hill Project (Resort in Falmouth/Bethesda area)
- Beaches Resort by Sandals Resorts
- Half Moon Bay Hotel
- Morris Bay / Callaloo Cay Project
- Hotel Resort on Pelican Island and Residences on Maiden Island
- Labahia Hotel Resort & Condominiums (Marble Hill Business Hotel) by WIOC
- Long Bay Hotel Resort by WIOC
- Valley Church Hotel Resort by WIOC/PDVSA, later Calvin Ayre Wellness Resort
- Amazon Call Center at Five Islands
- Marriott Autograph Hotel at Yeptons
- Beach Club at Fort James by Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines
- One and Only Hotel and Luxury Villas at Pearns Point
- Port Oasis Project at Side Hill
- NAMCO acquisition of Jolly Beach Hotel
- Best Western Hotel at Jolly Harbour
- Marriott Courtyard Airport Hotel
- Cedar Valley Golf Course Hotel
- Mike Tyson Hotel
- Bau Panel/UNOPS Project
- The Yida Project
- Willoughby Bay Project
- Western Imperial Special Economic Zone (WISEZ)
- Brova Idea Pearl Hotel – Partly Underwater Hotel
- USD $300 Million Hotel from Investors in Holland
- Paradise Found (Barbuda)
- Armand Hotel (Barbuda)
UPP Political Leader Harold Lovell states, “It is clear from the large list of stalled or failed ABLP projects that the administration is either failing to attract the right kind of investors or failing to properly nurture investments which have the potential for success.” He further comments, “It is clear that the ABLP’s refusal to cooperate with the experts at the Antigua Barbuda Investment Authority has contributed to this litany of failures. If even a quarter of these projects found success, we would have been more resilient in our post pandemic recovery.”
Prime Minister Browne himself acknowledges that we are in an unemployment crisis. In the Budget Presentation for the year 2021, he stated on page 9 that, “Figures from the Social Security Scheme indicate a decline of nearly 40 per cent in the number of contributors. This translates to about 11,000 fewer employed persons than when we started the year in 2020.”
The rapidly growing list of failed projects confirms that the ABLP Administration is incapable of reducing unemployment and providing adequate jobs for the thousands of school-leavers and returning graduates.
The full details on all 26 projects can be viewed at this link:
https://voteupp.com/upp-publishes-list-of-failed-ablp-projects/
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Wow. We know about the failures, but to see it in print is just mind blowing. 26 failures. A list as long as the alphabet. I am curious as to how many of these announcements were made up by Gaston just to create sensationalism and give us false hope. The powerhouse is out of fuel.
Corruption at the highest level.
The deception from politrickians.
The people need to banish these legalized criminals from holding any public office in Antigua & Barbuda ever again.
The idea of just voting the present administration out of office is definitely not a sufficient act. The people should demand that none of them are allowed to ever be permitted to seek election to any public office again. Even further, to ever sit on any statuary board.
Drastic actions are needed to rid the nation of such dangerous and criminal elements.
The country needs to breathe without the even a mere shadow of these vagabonds hovering in the background.
Time to vacuum the parliament. Send the slave drivers off into the dust bin of no return.
In fact, all who continue to follow the cruelty and evil should go packing with them. Bunch of criminals and fools.
WAKE UP ANTIGUA.
Wow. We know about the failures, but to see it in print is just mind blowing. 26 failures. A list as long as the alphabet. I am curious as to how many of these announcements were made up by Gaston just to create sensationalism and give us false hope. The powerhouse is out of gas.
#NextLevelBluffers
#NextLevelFailures
#NextLevelUnemployment
Don’t allow ABLP to take us to the next level of suffering! Vote dem out!
MY GOD!
The full details shared on the link at the end of the release….
https://voteupp.com/upp-publishes-list-of-failed-ablp-projects/
Gaston… just end it now. Gwarn go home! You are the biggest failure in the history of politics!
What excuses will he be making on Saturday to justify this level of failure?
The full project details as announced in budget presentations and by senior ABLP officials are as follows:
1. Sunny Hill Project
This project was announced in the 2015 budget, page 42: “The Sunny Hill Group has announced a $200 million investment project in Antigua and Barbuda. The 400-unit project will be located on a 100-acre site in the Falmouth/Bethesda area of Antigua, on land owned by CO Williams Property Development Company Limited. This project will create over one thousand new jobs for Antiguans and Barbudans with five hundred in the construction sector and over five hundred in operation and management positions.”
2. Beaches Resort
This project was announced in the 2015 budget, page 42: “The new US$150 million Beaches Resort by Sandals Resorts International at Long Bay will finally become a reality and not a mere promise. It will provide up to 400 rooms, 1,000 construction jobs and 850 permanent hotel positions when completed.”
3. Half Moon Bay Hotel
This project was announced in the 2015 budget, page 42: “The Replay Group out of Canada, which had sought for over three years to take over the defunct Half Moon Bay Hotel is finally moving forward with the project.”
In the 2018 budget on page 26, the Prime Minsiter says: “By the fourth quarter of 2018, construction on this US$150 million to US$200 million property will begin. The new Half Moon Bay resort will comprise of 47 ultra-luxury villas. In creating the new Half Moon Bay hotel, the developers intend to engage the surrounding community and its artisans to craft a resort that befits the natural beauty of the area. There are to be about 400 construction jobs and approximately 500 permanent jobs created because of this investment.”
4. Morris Bay / Callaloo Cay Project
This project was announced in the 2015 budget, page 43: “A Memorandum of Agreement for the Morris Bay Project was signed last July with His Excellency Sheik Tariq Faisal Alqassemi of Dubai. This is a five-star luxury hotel project valued at US$120M which will be developed in partnership with the Government. It will include a Public National Park for residents.”
In budget 2018, page 25: “This will be a 120 room property, that will generate jobs for 500 persons during construction and 500 jobs once the hotel is operational.”
5. Hotel Resort on Pelican Island and Residences on Maiden Island
These projects were announced in the 2016 budget, page 56: “Development of high-end residential properties on Maiden Island and a hotel resort on Pelican Island, by a private investor who intends to spend US$100 million in development.”
6. Labahia Hotel Resort & Condominiums (Marble Hill Business Hotel) by WIOC
This project was announced in the 2016 budget, page 9: “In addition, there are several other projects emanating from the acquisition of WIOC, which include a Commercial Business Park to be located on Friars Hill Road; two hotel resorts; and a business hotel.”
On 30th March, 2016 a press release published on the government website says:
“Antigua and Barbuda has announced the launch of new hotel development, Labahia Hotel Resorts & Condominiums.”
“The US$52 million investment project between the Adams Investment Management (Antigua) Ltd., and the Government of Antigua and Barbuda will bring job opportunities and economic benefits to the people of Antigua and Barbuda.”
“The multi-storied investment by Trinidad and Tobago project developers, Imtiyaz Adam and Farman Ramjohn, will boast 120 one and two bedroom fully furnished self-contained luxury condominiums and several penthouse suites. In addition, the resort will include a 24,000 square ft. futuristic conference facility, a 300 capacity car park area, restaurants, a gym, tennis courts, gardens with walking paths, essential shops and an Olympic size swimming pool.”
Source:
Major Labahia Hotel Investment announced for Antigua
https://ab.gov.ag/media_page.php?page=84
7. Long Bay Hotel Resort by WIOC
This project was announced in the 2016 budget, page 56: “Construction of a new hotel resort at Long Bay, which is a spin-off from the WIOC acquisition transaction. This project will commence by the fourth quarter of this year.”
8. Valley Church Hotel Resort by WIOC/PDVSA, later Calvin Ayre Wellness Resort
This project was announced in the 2016 budget, page 57: “The Government of Antigua and Barbuda in partnership with PDVSA will develop a hotel resort at Valley Church valued in excess of US$30 million. This, too, is a result of the WIOC acquisition transaction.”
In budget 2018 on pages 25 and 26, the project was announced to now be in the hands of Calvin Ayre: “The Valley Church Beach Hotel will be a 250 room resort constructed at a cost of US$100 million. Calvin Ayre, who is already investing US$25 million in the construction of an Informatics Centre at Woods, will take the lead in transforming Valley Church Beach into a high-end resort. Construction on this site is expected to start in the fourth quarter of this year.”
9. Amazon Call Center at Five Islands
This project was announced in the 2017 budget, page 26: “Our Government will partner with Amazon and the Alorica Call Centre, located at Coolidge to construct a call center facility at the Five Islands Campus. This will provide a further 500 jobs in 2017.”
10. Marriott Autograph Hotel at Yeptons
This project was announced in the 2018 budget, page 25 “The Marriott Autograph Hotel will be a 100 room resort, built on the site where the Yeptons Villas once stood. This will be a US$50 million project that is expected to create 250 jobs.”
11. Beach Club at Fort James by Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines
This project was announced in the 2020 budget, page 29 which refers to: “the development of a $270 million beach club at Fort James by Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines”
12. One and Only Hotel and Luxury Villas at Pearns Point
This project was announced in the 2020 budget, page 29: “$540 million One and Only Hotel and Luxury Villas at Pearns Point”
13. Port Oasis Project at Side Hill
This project was announced in the 2020 budget, page 29: “$540 million Port Oasis project at Side Hill. This project will be undertaken by the Hadeed Group of Companies in conjunction with international partners. Once completed, this has the potential to receive calls from Virgin Voyages and other vessels”
14. NAMCO acquisition of Jolly Beach Hotel
This project was announced in the 2020 budget, page 29: “NAMCO will assume 65% ownership of the Jolly Beach Hotel and will spend $150 million to expand and refurbish the property. This will make it one of the largest and most beautiful hotels in the OECS sub-region.”
Subsequent to this announcement, multiple failed attempts had been made to refurbish the Jolly Beach Hotel. The public has a right to know why this plan of action, announced in 2020, failed.
15. Best Western Hotel at Jolly Harbour
This project was announced in the 2020 budget, page 30: “In addition to these projects, work will continue, or commence, on several other properties, including a Best Western Hotel, a Marriott Courtyard Hotel at the Airport, the Ayre Wellness Centre and Spa at Valley Church, Replay Halfmoon Bay project, and the YIDA projects”
16. Marriott Courtyard Airport Hotel
This project was announced in the 2020 budget, page 30 in the same block of text previously quoted.
17. Cedar Valley Golf Course Hotel
This project was announced in the 2020 budget, page 31: “The Cedar Valley Golf Course was voted among the best in the Caribbean and is ripe for development. This is why my Government will make 10 acres of land available to locals, at $3 per square foot, for development of a 50-room Marriott Courtyard-type hotel within the golf course.Individuals, or a consortium of local investors, are invited to make their proposals for consideration by the Cabinet.”
Later, in an ABS News story aired on 24 February 2022,
“Cabinet says that a group of investors has agreed to deposit $50 million into an escrow account as part of a deal with the government to upgrade the Cedar Valley Golf Course. Planned upgrades include luxury housing, hotels and roadways. Government will contribute land as its part of the deal. Work will begin in June and last 24 to 30 months. Project will be valued at $180 million USD when completed.”
Youtube link to ABS story:
18. Mike Tyson Hotel
This project was announced in the 2020 budget, page 53 “One such prospect is the possible acquisition by former World Heavyweight Champion, Mike Tyson, of a hotel property that would be converted into a wellness centre for treatment of diseases, using hemp and other natural products.”
19. Bau Panel – UNOPS
This project was announced in the 2020 budget, page 46: “The United Nations Office of Project Services (UNOPS) and Bau Panel, have recently acquired funding to construct a factory in Antigua to manufacture 10,000 affordable and sustainable homes.”
20. The Yida Project
This project has been mentioned in virtually every budget presentation, initially announced to be delivering US $2 billion of investment over 10 years.
In an ABS TV project update, the Project Manager Johan Hesse and the Minister of Tourism Max Fernandez announced 850 new hotel rooms across 3 hotel properties – Regent Bay, Ritz-Carlton Reserve and Margaritaville.
Sources:
ABS TV, Eye on New Hotel Properties PGM#2
21. Willoughby Bay Project
This project was announced by the Economic Recovery Committee (ERC) in 2020.
The ERC claimed the Willoughby Bay project could boost GDP by 5 to 10% through a plethora of developments to include: several housing developments, a new marina, a new hotel development, a scenic railway tour, and an agro-industrial park to include food crop farming and cannabis farming.
22. Western Imperial Special Economic Zone (WISEZ)
WISEZ, announced in 2021, was billed as a US $750 investment comprising, among other things a 7-Star Uber-Luxury Marina, Wellness Resort with private SPA & Concierge Services, Casino Hub, world class Conference facilities and an Ayurvedic & Yoga based Alternate Therapy Recovery & Rejuvenation Resort.
Based on the magnitude of the investment as laid out on wisezab.com it would be reasonable to expect it to create at least 500 construction jobs, 500 permanent jobs and add at least 250 rooms to our current stock.
23. Brova Idea Pearl Hotel – Partly Underwater Hotel
This project was announced by MP Melford Nicholas during a Post Cabinet Briefing. Media reports state:
“The Government of Antigua and Barbuda has given approval to a Norwegian engineering and construction group to build a green-energy hotel in the waters off the island.
The Brova Idea Pearl Hotel is expected to adopt a design style that pushes the boundaries of the world of architectural design – partial submersion in water!”
“According to notes from the Cabinet, the Brova Idea Pearl Hotel will contain 170 rooms and cost an estimated 130 million Euros to construct and equip. The construction group assured the Cabinet that it has already acquired funding through Duetsche Bank.”
Source:
Partly underwater hotel approved for Antigua and Barbuda
2 March 2019
24. USD $300 Million Hotel from Investors in Holland
Cabinet spokesman Max Hurst reported in his weekly Cabinet Notes:
“The Cabinet held a Google meeting with an investment team in Holland joined by their lawyer in Antigua. The team is planning to spend US$300,000,000.00 in Antigua constructing a new hotel which will open in 2023 and a convention center which will be completed in the year following, or in 2024.”
“The developers/investors anticipate creating as many as 400 jobs during the construction phase and an equal number when the new hotel and convention center are operational.”
Source:
Holland investors planning to spend 300 million dollars in Antigua and Barbuda
December 11, 2021
https://antiguanewsroom.com/holland-investors-planning-to-spend-300-million-dollars-in-antigua-and-barbuda/
We are also curious as to the status of two major projects in Barbuda:
25. Paradise Found (Barbuda)
First announced in the 2015, the project was last mentioned in budget 2018 on page 25: “In Barbuda, the Paradise Found project by Robert De Nero will be a property developed at a cost of US$250 million.”
26. Armand Hotel (Barbuda)
In the 2020 budget on page 29 this was announced to be a “$100 million Armand Hotel Project in Barbuda.”
Please add lack of water to this list. To me that is the biggest failure. Because what’s the point of having all of these hotels if hotel workers can’t bathe or keep their uniforms clean. Too much advantage in this country.
Lovell, just give the list to Pringle to ask questions of the PM when he is in office. Cause you will get no respond from the PM. You’re not an elected member of parliament. You are a nonentity.
What a foolish statement. If by Lovell not being a member of Parliament makes him a nonentity, then so are you. I am a voter and my vote counts. These are all valid questions that LOVEll is raising. Gaston Browne has fooled the people into thinking he will bring home the bacon and all we got was a piece of stale bread. Repeating the same lies year in year out.
By 2016, it was clear that YIDA was a fraud. But Gaston stuck to his lies. And in some sense I don’t blame him, because some useful idiots believe him.
@From… so if Lovell is a non-entity, what are you. So foolish. It should concern every Antiguan about the failures of this government as well as past governments because in the end is the ordinary people who suffer.
Well, You know Peter Wickham called him a “Spent Force”. So, calling him a non-entity is not far from others’ opinion. Sorry if that hurts. But that is what the truth does. I guess the rest of my comment you cannot criticize constructively.
Who the hell is Peter Wickman? He has been dead wrong in his last 4 predictions in Caribbean elections. Where is all the momentum that he predicted Timothy Harris would have in St. Kitts? Wickman is the spent force. He is as reliable as an obeah man!
@ From The Sideline
A SHAME A YA DEY SHAME 😊🤣😂🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
How can one be ashamed if your rate of performance is about 80%. You can focus on the 20%. That’s all you have. Will not even mention the UPP failure.
FROM THE SIDELINE this is your comment to such a serious indictment of non-performance and incompetence of your icon Gaston Browne and his government. Lord, if that is the best you can do you are a hopeless case. Gaston needs to fire you as one of the Party’s leading apologist and propagandists. I am sure BEEF and TENMAN could do better.
You have nerves but no heart. Dishonesty must be your soul.
This list is so sad. What next?
Some people really do not learn from their mistakes. And some don’t even learn from their past experience. Harold Lovell would be able to answer the questions easily form his past experience. Having himself had many ground breakings. Albeit with good intention. Take for example the Sandals Beeches that was to be at Long Bay. Lovell also announced that project to start under the UPP. Yet it never came to fruition. Governments are not responsible for the action or non-action of the Investors. Take the Paradise Found Project. Protested by the UPP and the BPM. Frustrated the investor to such a state that one of the investors decided to pull out. Yet Lovell has the gall to ask the government for an update about this project. I mean you cannot get worse than that. Pure deceitfulness. Look, Harold, you focus on the projects that have not yet come off the ground, while we are focusing on those that have come off the ground and those presently on the table about to start. Antigua Airways coming or not? We will see. Let’s hope and pray so. It’s not our money at stake. And, by the way, Sandals looking at Jolly Beach to start Beaches. Who knows if that will work out?
The Beaches project was sabotaged by ABLP and Robin Yearwood’s baseless accusations, designed to make beach vendors and others paranoid. They MARCHED against the project. MARCHED against hundreds of construction and permanent jobs. Next thing, ALP is elected. Boom. All of a sudden its the best project in the world. But by then the ABLP lies made the investor look to another island. Hundreds more jobs lost by the failed ABLP and wicked Grabston “$20,000 US per month rent from failed WISEZ investor” Browne #NextLevelFailure #RedDead
Truth
I went to the person that is runing in my constituency 4 years ago for him to help me out with a government job and if you here the amount of excuses i get you would not believe up untill this day am still getting excuses. That person is from ABLP.
You are too damn lazy. Why you need a government job. Government cannot provide jobs for everyone. And that is not the duty of the government. Be creative and help yourself. Get of your lazy behind. God help those who help themselves.
I went to the person that is runing in my constituency 4 years ago for him to help me get a job within the government and if you here the amount of excuses i get you would not believe up untill this day am still getting excuses. This government is full of excuses.
A desperate man knows no boundary when it comes to his survival and his attempts to stay relevant. Wonder what they will come up with tomorrow.
MR. IMF ROMANTIC RHYTHMS WADADLI POWER CAN’T ABST HOTEL RIPOFF ABIB COLLAPSER BANKING-SECTOR COLLAPSER ANTI-UWI FIVE ISLANDS CAMPUS BAICO COLLAPSER ETC …..
🥱
I would like to bet that no credible investor will come to Antigua with the present leadership in government. The bullying tactics and the know all approach and talking down to people will not be conducive to attracting investors. The latest problem with the bank and the individual trying to withdraw his deposits certainly won’t help. Will any investor want to deposit money in certain banks in Antigua when the leader of the present government seems to have so much influence on the operations of these banks?
If Antigua is to attract legitimate investors, then Antigua must have new leadership and honest government, and not the egotistic leader we now have.
It is also illegal in many countries for businesses to pay bribes to do business. When demands are made of potential investors to contribute to the Labour Party, isn’t this a bribe?
@Observation so to your mind the following (just a few) are not credible investors?
John Paul DeJoria (Peace Love & happiness)
J.B. Turbidy (Peace Love & happiness)
S. Meldman (Peace Love & happiness)
Calvin Aire (Canada Place)
Adam Stewart (Sandals group)
Rob Barrett
robert johnson (Former owner of BET, invested here in the Lottery)
Stephen Hunter (Sunwing — owns royalton here)
It’s an investment finders fee.
No arguably response necessary. Failed development projects speak for themselves. I will add though. The Hard Rock Hotel brand. One of my favorites has not materialize. Whata a session in Cabinet next week!
@Observation
I totally agree with everything you said, but the bullying tactics work simply because we are too polarized. I don’t care whether blue or red, every politician needs to be held accountable. They are the highest paid and least productive, they only work before election, like students who cram for an exam. We need to unite not take the side of politicians but issues and the best interest for our country. All a dem bread done butter. However, the ABLP members are draconian, vagabonds, they use the police force to victimize and abject failures. No vision just bribes.
For all the naysayers I have some questions for fact checking purposes. Is this list accurate? Were these projects announced by Gaston Browne? How many projects on this list actually materialized? Were these projects real or imagined?
This doesn’t look good. Looks like we were hood winked.
@ Party POLICE: I was very impressed by the thoroughness of the research.
Go through the list. You will see that each point is supported by the date on which it was said and where it can be found
In all honesty, For Me, having the University of the West Indies, Saving LIAT, Getting my Vaccine quickly enough, House roof repairs after the Hurricane and rescuing ABIB trumps all that.
Having these things listed is the most important.
Not saying these others are not important but…..
VOTER are you a sensible adult or just a very young child? Was LIAT saved by Gaston Browne?
@ VOTER
May I give you an up-date
One
LIAT is going into liquidation. No more LIAT, MEANWHILE the workers are suffering
Two
The UWI Campus is housed in the FIVE ISLANDS SCHOOL. The facility built by the upp
Three
I would like to visit ABIB. Where is it located? Friend it does not exist. Just like MOLWYN’S GHOST CEMETERY.
Four
LUCKY YOU, you got your house roof fixed. Such benefits are reserved for comrades. People in Barbuda are still living in tents
The typical ABLP NARRATIVE THAT IS SO EASY TO DISPROVE
Where liat dey now. Chuppz
@Observation. You and Baldwin “ASHE LIED” Spencer must be bosom buddies. He said a BOAT LOAD of investors were offshore on SANDY ISLAND just waiting to row inland!
“October the MAGIC MONTH”
No wonder the people OVERWHELMINGLY REJECTED THE UPP and told them GET YA POKE GOING!!!!!!!!!
2014
2018
2023
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