The Southlands saga takes another step as the Southlands team makes its presentation to Cabinet today. I don’t buy the official explanation that there was “too much concrete” in the proposal to explain Government’s foot dragging. I do think we need to plan Morgan’s Point carefully – but I don’t think that’s what’s going on [...]
Entries Tagged as 'Development'
Save Our City
February 12th, 2010 · No Comments · Development
The PLP has budgeted $800,000 for consultants to drive its hostile takeover of the Corporations of Hamilton and St. George. In my view, a good chunk of that is a “fighting fund” against the broad public disapproval of the takeovers. This will cost a lot of money and goodwill during a period when Bermuda has [...]
Tags:CofH
Public Meeting on City Takeover
January 26th, 2010 · 1 Comment · Bermuda Politics, Development
The Corporation of Hamilton will hold an open Town Hall meeting on the PLP government’s “hostile takeover” of the local governments of Hamilton and St George on Tuesday, January 26th at 5:30pm in the City Hall Theatre. From the Mayor: Since taking office six months ago, Hamilton´s leadership has made major progress. We´ve made the [...]
Tags:CofH
The Doc-Yard
November 18th, 2009 · 1 Comment · Development, Tourism
Next time you go up to Dockyard, lie down on that big ole dock and give it a hug. Why, you say? Why should I kiss that wharf that’s bigger than Warwick? Because at its $60 million pricetag, it cost every single Bermudian about $1,250 in long term debt. You better kiss that dock ‘cuz [...]
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Imprudent
November 12th, 2009 · No Comments · Development
The Royal Gazette has been excerpting sections from a new book by Don Grearson about the closure of the US bases in Bermuda. Mr. Grearson worked for the Bermuda Land Development Company, the Bermuda Government entity that assumed responsibility for the old baselands. One of the book sections talks about a meeting held with The [...]
Tags:Morgan's Point
Grand Atlantic Questions
April 21st, 2009 · Comments Off · Development, Tourism
So far we’ve heard that: Government has provided an SDO for the development of the Grand Atlantic Resort to develop a 220-room hotel with nearly 70 residential units for international buyers as well as a two story retail centre. That Government will amend that to build a scaled down 100-room hotel with 125 low-cost homes [...]
Tags:Grand Atlantic·SDO
Government to Invest in Hotel
April 15th, 2009 · Comments Off · Development, Tourism
Embarrassed by the years of promised new hotel developments that cannot find external funding, Dr. Brown has announced that Government will invest in at least one project using our tax dollars. “I was telling a colleague this morning that such is the challenge of our times that a capitalist problem may require a socialist solution…” [...]
Tags:Grand Atlantic·SDO
Checks and Balances
March 27th, 2009 · Comments Off · Accountability, Bermuda Politics, Business, Development, Media, Transparency
The Bermuda Sun picks up on one of Bermuda’s biggest vulnerabilities: the ability of politicians to override at will any regulations or decisions made by the civil service. This unchecked power was originally provided for in Bermuda law, to be used with great discretion, to maintain the island’s flexibility. The problem is that political overrides [...]
Tags:corruption·good governance·meddling·political interference
Wacky Stats
March 24th, 2009 · Comments Off · Accountability, Development, Tourism, Transport
We were treated to a funny show on Friday, when the Premier dragged out a Government Computer Guy to explain why the Tourism stats were wrong. Why him? Was the Rat Control Guy unavailable? Did all the Cabinet Office sycophants get out of the room first? The Tourism stats have been unreliable for many years. [...]
Tags:Statistics
Waterfront Dreams
March 10th, 2009 · Comments Off · Development
Some quick thoughts on the Corporation of Hamilton’s new ‘n improved waterfront presentation last night: It is essentially the same proposal as they gave in 2006 with – landfilling 8 acres of Hamilton Harbour, and adding 500,000 square feet of new buildings on the land as well as two parks. More than 1000 underground car [...]
Tags:CofH