Ocean Pew

The interior of Barbados's Nidhe Israel synagogue.

"Consider the irony: A foreign visitor celebrates his bar mitzvah on Shabbat Shekalim in a synagogue that was itself saved from the wrecking ball by a massive round of shekel-collecting; a synagogue, moreover, that is perched on an island at the easternmost edge of the Caribbean (no desert, but no Jerusalem, either) where the mere act of enumerating the Jewish population—800 Sephardim in 1750, 40 Ashkenazim in 2010, no Jews at all in 1930—reminds us of just how convoluted the history of our wandering people can be..."

Click here for entire Tablet Magazine article.

See also:  Speightstown’s Jewish Past

Yet Another Reason To Ditch The Barbados Tourism Authority

 There is growing dissatisfaction with the way in which tourism in Barbados is being run.  Other Caribbean destinations are already eating our lunch as our marketing efforts continue to fall short, and failure to address forthrightly some the glaring problems in the sector such as a lack of affordable hotels and beach erosion.  It has not helped also that a promised "Tourism Master Plan" is still more than two years in the making.  Join the discussion on our forum by clicking on the link below.

Barbados TravelAdvisor • View topic - Yet Another Reason To Ditch The Barbados Tourism Authority

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Pierhead Project Back From The Dead - In News Again

"FOUR MEMBERS of the board have parted company with the Barbados Tourism Investment Inc. (BTII).
Reports reaching THE NATION yesterday were that chairman Jerry Thorne, deputy chairman Mark Prescott, and members Paul Bernstein and Decourcey Headley have left the BTII. All of them have been on the board since 2008.

New appointments

It is understood that new appointments were made last month, and chartered accountant Andrew Marryshow was installed as the new chairman while businessman Chris deCaires is his deputy.
Several telephone calls to Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance, Darcy Boyce, and Minister of Tourism Richard Sealy for confirmation about this situation were not immediately returned. THE NATION was informed that both were attending meetings.

When contacted, Thorne, an orthopaedic surgeon, declined to comment, but deCaires confirmed that he was now on the BTII's board.
Reports indicated that the separation follows a disagreement over the $130 million Pierhead Development Project, which was switched from the Ministry of Tourism to the BTII in 2009.
That project, which has been in the works since 1988, includes plans for a marina, hotel, three blocks of condominiums, a retail and restaurant complex and a high-rise car park, as well as other services.
It was to transform the Pierhead and Lower Bay Street into a sophisticated shopping, entertainment and upscale accommodation area, and represent a partnership between Government, the private sector and foreign investors, with Government and the Barbados Shipping and Trading conglomerate as major landowners.
Last October, when asked about the project, chief executive officer of the BTII, Stuart Layne, said it was before Cabinet and he could not speak on the matter.
It is understood that a significant sum of money had already been spent by the former administration to conduct a study into the feasibility of this much-mooted project."

Source: http://www.nationnews.com/news/local/LEADbtii-resignations-FRONT-PAGE-LEAD

The Merricks :: "Recession 2010: When hotspots turn cold"

Palmetto Bay, Barbados (proposed site for The Merricks Resort)

"Some investors who bought off-plan units at The Merricks, Las Canas and other schemes believe that their money may have been used to complete Buccament Bay, in which they have no stake.

Harlequin instructs agents to make it clear to potential investors that revenues are used to market and develop all the resorts in the Caribbean. Harlequin says it is treating investors seeking refunds on uncompleted properties in The Merricks and Las Canas "sympathetically" but that often involves re-negotiating terms.

One woman was offered the chance to swap her unbuilt villas at Merricks for similar properties at Buccament Bay but she declined because she thought they were of lesser value. Others have been offered "discounts" of 10 per cent on their unstarted properties at Merricks..."

...continue reading - click link below:

Express.co.uk - Home of the Daily and Sunday Express | Property :: Recession 2010: When hotspots turn cold

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