January 20, 2015

Dear Sir,

For too many years we have watched so much of Bermuda fall victim to change wrought by tough financial times. Retailers like Triminghams and Smiths are fading memories for some and completely unknown to the youngest among us. Hotels have fallen like dominoes. Bermuda’s graveyard for hotels is filled with great names like Bermudiana, Ariel Sands, Waterloo House, Belmont, Sonesta Beach, Club Med/Holiday Inn, Horizons and Harmony Hall. There are many more to include guest houses and smaller hotels. And then there are the “Zombie Hotels” that are holding on hoping for better times.

One of the more recent to fail is the iconic Pink Beach Club. It fell into bankruptcy and then vanished falling to demolition to make way for a small hotel, condos and a private residence for a non-Bermudian.

The Pink Beach Club occupied about 13 acres.

The proposed condos and “hotel” will occupy about 7 acres. The private residence for the non-Bermudian will include about 5.5 acres. The so called hotel will have rooms for about 70 guests. However it seems the proposal keeps changing with more condos being added. Most recently the non-Bermudian developer altered plans and proposed construction of condos on an agricultural plot. There have been numerous changes to the original proposal. The one part of the plan that does not change is the 5.5 acres for the non Bermudian’s private residence.

In addition to the residence, the non-Bermudian has negotiated with Government a private beach known as East Beach. Previously East Beach was the primary beach used by guests of the Pink Beach Club. Its length is approximately 200 metres and is pristine. His proposal calls for it to be PRIVATE; to be used only by him. The plan includes a wall to prevent its use by all except for the non-Bermudian developer.

The questions are many and the answers are nil.

Let’s begin by asking: why would the OBA seriously consider the proposal? Is our country in such bad shape that we must sacrifice so much to gain so little?

Second, why would the opposition PLP let them get away with it?

Does Bermuda really gain anything with a deal like this?

THE PEOPLE