Lantana crosses major hurdle

The first phase of a multimillion dollar redevelopment of the Lantana resort in Sandys has been given planning permission.

American developer Don Burkett was "thrilled" about the news but said a confidentiality agreement with site owners John Young and Paul Leseur prevented him saying much more until negotiations are complete.

He plans to transform it into a spa, marina, hotel and conference site. Work on the $2 million phase one "A" could start sometime next month and last a year to build four large two-bed homes plus two smaller one-bed homes plus 14 tourist suites.

The Development Applications Board approved the plan to renovate two hotel blocks, transform six buildings into living units, install parking for eight cars and carry out landscaping.

Also planned under phase one but yet to get approval are a new beach and spa, four yacht club villas overlooking the planned new marina and four beach front villas all of which will be sold off but leased back to the hotel when the owners are not using them.

The Lantana property has been closed since 1998.

Stiff fine for sleepover

An intoxicated guest was fined $500 for an overnight stay in the home of a woman who didn't invite him.

Jermaine Jackson, 31, pleaded guilty to unlawfully entering the home of the woman - who was known to him - and spending the night on her couch.

But it was not the woman who reported Jackson to the Police, but the woman's work colleague who called Police later the next morning. According the Police report, the woman woke up to find Jackson at the end of her bed. She asked him what he was doing there and he informed her that he was going to sleep on her couch.

He spent the rest of the evening in another room where the police found him the next morning. According to his lawyer, Richard Horseman, Jackson had been drinking with the woman earlier on that night and assumed he could spend the night at her house. On previous occasions Jackson had visited the woman's home where he had drinks with his rugby teammates.

"No harm was done," Mr. Horseman said, who emphasised to Senior Acting Magistrate Will Francis that the woman had known Jackson, and that she in fact had not called the Police.

He also promised that Jackson, who he said was fully employed, would never commit the crime again. Mr. Francis said he had taken these factors into consideration as he handed Jackson a $500 fine.

Government PR head named

The Royal Gazette's advertising manager Beverley Lottimore is set to take over as head of the Government's Department of Communication and Information (DCI).

Her new colleague Honey Adams welcomed the move and said Ms. Lottimore's appointment was one of the best things that could have happened. "She's got a lot of experience behind her, a long history in advertising overseas and working with a few PR firms," said Ms Adams.

The $106,995 post has been vacant for more than 18 months since the last director Gavin Shorto retired. A succession of civil servants have temporarily held the post since.

Thieves busy

Thieves have been busy over the past few days, targeting resident and visitor alike. Yesterday morning a homeowner returned at 3 a.m. to find a culprit at his Clarence Street, St. George's residence. The culprit managed to take $200 in cash and was able to get away without being caught.

And on Monday a visitor was driving a cycle with her daughter on the back around 3 p.m. on Barracks Hill, St. George's, when a man wearing a white t-shirt rode up to the rear of the cycle and snatched a black beach bag.

The man sped off with the bag that contained cash and other personal items. And sometime overnight Sunday, 60 snorkels, two anchors and a toolbox were taken from the MV Consort. Investigations into all these incidents are underway.

Smith's Parish home flooded

A private residence on Harrington Sound Road experienced flooding after a pipe burst from a swimming pool, the Bermuda Fire Service reported.

The residence's basement, near a Bermuda Electric Light Company substation that measured 25 by 15 feet was flooded with a foot of water around 6.30 Monday evening. The water was removed by a portable pump.