July 15, 2014

Dear Sir,

Nobody seems to have addressed the matter of finding out the facts needed for a Commission to work.

Firstly the title deeds and Parish Records would have to be researched to see who lived on the lands that were “grabbed:

That in itself would be a a serious undertaking

As a conveyancing lawyer I did some complex searches during my busy years (one in fact re the title of a roadway outside of a house owned by a close relative of Walton Brown and on that persons behalf). After that is done and presumably the property values at that time have to be determined.

Was there negotiation or compulsory purchase?

After that anyone claiming compensation would have to show their family tree which would involve the register of births deaths and marriages

That would be the initial stage — a prima facie case.

For a hundred thousand dollars the PLP could do that; they could get donations from rich PLP like Ewart Brown and Zane Desilva; surely they would want to kick into the fund. This appears to be a burning issue with W Brown and Marc Bean but it may be political play acting; if it is not the latter then they should do what they consider to be the right thing and put your money on it.

Once there is a prima facie case even if it was not for compensation but just for the historical record, a further attempt to get a commission going would be be far more likely to succeed.

Just one more paragraph on property values.

If my memory serves me correctly I think that the price paid by Mid Ocean Club to the Bermuda Development company was 151 thousand pound sterling; that included the golf course and the building land surrounding it.

I do not know what state the parish records are in (remember there was no Land Tax then — the parish overseers collected ten shilling a year from some and say 2 pounds for the larger properties).

The parish records are poorly kept on a shelf in the registry and the metes and bounds of the properties will be vague at best without further evidence.

JOE WAKEFIELD