The Tribune

By NATARIO McKENZIE

Tribune Business Reporter

nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net

A confirmed date for a meeting between the developers and homeowner group over the long-running Oceania Heights dispute should be locked down today, according to the Exuma Chamber of Commerce’s president.

Pedro Rolle told Tribune Business that while January 10 had been proposed as the date for the meeting, it might not happen this Thursday.

“A meeting was proposed for January 10. It was simply a proposal from one side,” he explained. “I have a tentative meeting on Monday with the other side to determine when is a good day, because it appears that maybe the 10th is not the best day, and maybe we won’t have a confirmed date until Monday [today]. We knew it would have been tight because it was so close after the holidays, but at least we were trying.”

Mr Rolle said he was set to meet with the developers, Canadian citizen Howard Obront and Bahamian attorney Anthony Thompson, today to determine the best alternative date. “It will be some time this month; I just can’t say which day that will be,” he added.

The Chamber will serve as mediator in the dispute between the homeowners and developers.

Tribune Business had reported previously that Oceania Heights resident, Dr Terry Swaine, in a letter sent to Royal Bahamas Police Force (RBPF) Sergeant Jennifer Bowe, indicated that the homeowners would be prepared to meet the Oceania Heights developers with the Exuma Chamber of Commerce acting as mediator.

Applauding the offer by Mr Rolle to help resolve the dispute as “encouraging and appreciated”, Dr Swaine wrote: “Now we are faced with a potential opportunity to physically sit in a room together and, hopefully, have an adult conversation.

“Our goal in the discussions would be to produce a global resolution which would allow all parties the ability to move forward.”

Among the complaints previously advanced by several Oceania Heights homeowners are difficulties with obtaining title documents to their properties, and that Stamp Duty payments due to the Treasury on lot sales have not been made.

Other alleged grievances are that Mr Thompson, while representing both purchaser and vendor (the Oceania Group of Companies) in the real estate transaction, did not pre-disclose that he had a beneficial ownership interest in the development. This, as with all other claims, has been vehemently denied by Mr Thompson and the Obronts.