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 Peter’s Hope  in the background with Mt. Wynne in the foreground.
Peter’s Hope in the background with Mt. Wynne in the foreground.
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The Unity Labour Party administration has sold 31 acres of land in Mt Wynne-Peters Hope for EC$7 million for hotel development, Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves has announced.

He told the media last week that the lands have been sold to Canadian investors, but did not disclose their identities.

“The land is being sold to them [by] National properties for seven million dollars. They have paid down, I think, three million dollars already,” Gonsalves said.

The investors have applied for an alien land holding licence, which, Gonsalves said, is expected to be granted soon.

The Canadians are doing two projects — about 40 villas and a small hotel of about 200 rooms, the prime minister told the media.

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“All told, you’re gonna get numbers close to 400, 350-370 between both of those investments…”

Gonsalves said that the investment comes as the construction work on the Argyle International Airport is “winding down”.

He said Karisma Hotels & Resorts is interested in part of Mt Wynne-Peters Hope and Minister of Economic Development, Camillo Gonsalves, was able to secure a visit to St. Vincent by representatives of Sandals Resorts.

The Prime Minister said that the Sandals team went to see the Argyle International Airport and is very enthused.

He also told the press briefing that construction of the EC$729 million airport — which has been delayed since 2011 –is now in the “winding down” stage

“We will see what happens. … Karisma, Sandals, you have to appreciate St. Vincent is not the only place they want to build hotels,” Gonsalves said.

He noted that Karisma is building several hotels in Jamaica and Sandals is interested in building a hotel in Tobago.

“They built one not too long ago in Grenada, but the footprint they have in some of those countries are fairly small. They have a big footprint in Jamaica in terms of large tracts of land. We have a significantly large tract of land here, which they could get a sizeable portion to do what they want to do.

“But we have to compete with other people for investment monies, you know. There’re some people who believe that St. Vincent is just there and because we love it, everybody would just love it and come and put their money in it. You have to actually go and hunt and look for the money and get people interested in the investment,” Gonsalves said.

He further said that there is “a wealthy investor who has a home in Mustique, who owns hotels in Europe and is involved in other businesses” that is interested in doing development work in Union Island.

“… he has visited and we have been in touch. His engineers are coming down with respect of the marina in Union Island — I think the first week in October. They are interested also in Chatham Bay but the first project they would like to do would be the marina. Other people are interested in Chatham Bay also,” Gonsalves said.

6 replies on “Gov’t sells Canadian investors 31 acres of land at Mt Wynne”

  1. The only believable part about all this is the tourist interest in Union Island.

    Why the rest is not credible is that developers and airlines nearly always pursue holiday sites, not the other way round.

    When they find one, they shout about it to the world while the destination country usually remains fairly close-mouthed.

    In the meanwhile, we will regularly hear updates about these “projects” — which, if they ever get off the ground, will be some Buccament, Chapter II, until after the next election.

  2. The leader of the NDP has just proclaimed that his party is opposed to this sale. Too bad Eustace et al flip-flopped on their opposition to building Argle airport in 2010, a decision that long haunt them as the truth about the project keeps being revealed.

  3. What I find incredible is the price, hotel land is worth about US$50 a square foot, this land was sold for EC$5.18cents a square foot. What is going on?

    What is wrong with you readers that you cannot see the discrepancy and remain quiet are you all stupid?

    You cannot buy farmland today at EC$5. Building land at Ratho Mill and prospect is between EC$30 and EC$40 a square foot.

    Remember this is on the beach property within a secluded bay. The rest of the land is slightly sloping so as wherever you build there will be a view. It is on a main road and is already planted with spectacular trees and shrubs. This is so different to Buccament which is built on flat [some swamp] land in a flood plain.

    I am sorry to say that something is radically wrong with this deal even if it only means it has been undersold.

  4. I met a Canadian at Jackson Bay who is involved. He told me then the project would start in a few days. I am now back in Canada for over 3 months now, so I still have doubts. I have also been looking at the type of investments. Many British are involved, especially in Dubai and other countries in that area of the world. Dubai is now one of the hottest tourist destinations in the world. I wasn’t impressed when I visited it some years ago. They use slave labour heavily in that country.
    It appears that many investors start using a scheme to get folks to invest in properties in foreign countries. It works like the foreign bank system where people believe they are avoiding paying taxes in their home countries. Ironically, some of the funds are stolen and people have been losing money, like the Buccament resort issue. Which brings me to the question: why would investors want to invest in SVG where one outfit has failed terribly? Canada and Canadians are having problems with their dollar and economy, so who are these Canadian investors. Criminals groups like the Mafia are glad to invest in these schemes, where their money is hidden from governments and other legal entities.
    I won’t be surprise that’s where the money is coming from, especially since my friend at Jackson Bay had an Italian accent.

  5. According to Ralph Gonsalves before the 2015 elections these Canadian developers had agreed to construct a tourism development at Mt Wynne/Peter’s Hope.

    Yet the new declaration by Gonsalves doesn’t mention half the things he boasted about prior to the 2015 elections.

    He said he had done all the appropriate due diligence on the group. They will be doing a hotel and villa development at Mount Wynne, also a golf course with a clubhouse.
    “The Government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines will retain ownership of the golf course and the club house facilities. Gonsalves further said the developer group will manage the hotel.
    “The developers also, as part of the deal agreed to do a creative arts centre and convention centre near to the Financial Complex and a boardwalk and shops, where you have Chinatown.

    “All that is part of the fourth term work. Imagine a magnificent boardwalk in front of the city and we give them an option as to whether they will want to build a 40-50 room hotel nearby here in the city,” Gonsalves said.

    Gonsalves boasted these investments will only come about because the Argyle International Airport is nearing completion.

    See
    https://www.iwnsvg.com/2015/07/21/canadian-investors-to-build-tourism-developments-in-mt-wynne-chinatown/

    Compare it with
    https://www.iwnsvg.com/2016/09/26/govt-sells-canadian-investors-31-acres-of-land-at-mt-wynne/
    Which is now embroidered with the carrot and stick names “Karisma Resorts” and “Sandles Resorts” but no hint of the current buyers name, isn’t that rather odd?

    Gonsalves said at the time Argyle airport will be complete by the end of 2015.

    This sounds so different to the latest deal that either the first boasting prior to the 2015 elections contained untruths or this is a different group.

    It will be interesting to discover which, but I suppose either scenario would not surprise any of us.

    1. Just a thought Ralph you haven’t sold it by chance to Julian for the odd change he carries in his right hand trouser pocket?

      Julian you have got to stop flashing the cash people are watching.

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