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Swan reaffirms commitment to UBP

Kim Swan has reaffirmed his commitment to the UBP.

United Bermuda Party leader Kim Swan last night reaffirmed his determination to serve out the rest of his term as a UBP member and “continue to guage how people in the community feel about the UBP”.Turnout was only a dozen at a United Bermuda Party special general meeting last night in St George's, with Mr Swan conceding afterward: “You never know what you'll get.” However, he added: “I was pleased that people took the time to come out to express how they feel about the party and their community.”The meeting of St George's West and St George's North constituents was attended by the party's other remaining MP, Charlie Swan, and mediated by former UBP branch chairman Robert Lewis. Mr Swan told the gathering in the Edith Clair Spencer room at St Peter's Church: “There are issues in the community now that I have more time to focus on, now that I am no longer the Opposition Leader.”There was a notable absence of political feedback from the group of residents, who were most concerned about plans to develop the Park Hyatt resort.They were addressed by former mayor E Michael Jones, representing developer Carl Bazarian, who assured St George's residents: “This will be the flagship of all the Park Hyatt resorts, and the first of its kind that they will build. Park Hyatt are putting their own money into this project because they want to go ahead.”Although he could not guarantee that work on the resort would start this year, Mr Jones said that since the lease had been signed, developers had “one year to start building — by the end of this year, we will need to be digging”.He said a small hotel was envisaged, with roughly 100 rooms, plus about 15 houses, 79 villas, and “a little bit of a high-rise for condos, not dissimilar in design to Grotto Bay”. Mr Jones described the planned development as “a bedroom community” with limited negative impact on St George's life.Asked by resident Michael Paynter how much it might cost to stay there, Mr Jones said: “I'm assuming rates will be around $400 a night, about the same as at the Fairmont Southampton.”The group was also addressed by Pc Simon Joseph on the increasing popularity of neighbourhood watch groups on the area.Mr Swan said afterwards that he had requested Pc Joseph to reassure residents, particularly in light of the seizing by police of drugs, plus a firearm and ammunition, in the Wellington Slip area of St George's on Sunday.“People have two big concerns in this community: crime and the economy,” Mr Swan said. “I invited Mr Jones on behalf of Mr Bazarian because we need successful business in this community, and Park Hyatt is one of the companies that will make St George's successful again.”Mr Swan promised to hold more “regional grassroots meetings” in Pembroke, Smith's and Southampton in the coming days.