BVI News

No legal entanglements at Prospect Reef as Fahie suggested

The state-owned Prospect Reef Hotel on Tortola.

Managing Director of Prospect Reef, Allen O’Neal has stated that there was never any legal entanglements preventing the government from moving forward with plans to develop the Prospect Reef Resort on Tortola.

For years, promises have been made by successive administrations to redevelop the property, but successive administrations have cited several problems encountered in trying to restore the hotel to its former glory.

The last reported update was given around January 2022 by former Premier Andrew Fahie, who stated that progress was stalled due to some legal concerns.

“That statement is also an inaccurate statement,” said O’Neal in a recent interview with 284 Media. “There are no legal entanglements on Prospect Reef property per se. The first chairman of the Prospect Reef board was Robert Mactavious… He gave me specific instructions. He said ‘look, until we know what the government wants to do, we have to keep Prospect Reef in a non-committal state’. I think the legal term is vacant possession,” O’Neal explained.

He continued: “We did not issue any contracts or leases that someone could basically hold or bind the property onto. That may be one of the legal entanglements but nothing like that exists,” O’Neal explained.

He also rebuffed claims that there were legal entanglements at the resort because the former operators sold timeshare vacations to tourists who had legal rights to visit the property.

According to O’Neal, the delay in developing Prospect Reef has to do with the government’s inability to decide what they want to do with the property. While they’re doing that, he said the government needs to pay monies that he and three other employees of Prospect Reef are owed.

“There is this situation concerning myself and three other men. It ain’t a lot of money but we need to be settled. I have not been paid for over four years. September of this year will be five years. Me and my men have not been settled at all. Government has not had any communication with us,” O’Neal explained

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21 Comments

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  1. The watchman says:

    We Okneal cat out the bag for why he was running for office.

    Like 6
    Dislike 1
  2. Hmmm says:

    This man needs to bring back taxpayers millions of dollars he was paid by the NDP to manage an empty facility. He needs to also speak the truth.

    Like 19
    Dislike 3
  3. Salty Fish says:

    Something don’t sound right.

    Like 13
    Dislike 1
  4. Timeshare holders says:

    If ayo think ayo could start anything without settling with us first ayo go ahead! Barry say ayo will hear!

    Like 7
    Dislike 3
  5. Vg girl says:

    I love so much how the voters rejected allen oneal and send him a clear message we not voting for any old angry man who has zero track record of anything accomplished and was nasty on the campaign to others

    Now go look for a job at little Dix or scrub island you salty self as you allowed the ndp to use you now they would not even answer your calls

    Like 11
    Dislike 5
  6. Mad Max says:

    I would love to know how much he has been paid for his position as Managing Director of Prospect Reef since 2017 – and what he has been doing in his position during this time.

    Like 25
    Dislike 3
  7. Accidental Candidate - lol says:

    See if the Accidental Premier could help you. First laugh ain’t no laugh.

    Like 7
    Dislike 3
  8. lol says:

    Pump the brakes…how this man was running for election and working for Government same time? Second question…what exactly is he managing besides rubble?

    Like 23
    Dislike 2
  9. Vacant possession? says:

    in the legal world but not in the real world. PR harbor is a busy little port some nights.

    Like 11
    Dislike 0
  10. Swim Center says:

    Turn the relevant parts of it into a swimming centre for people of the BVI.
    Our kids need swim lessons from time they start school!
    We need them to stay safe and be comfortable with there ocean.
    And down the line, let them go grab us some Olympic gold medals to bring back in swimming sports.
    SO BUSY ARGUING OVER POWER AND POLITICS AND AYO IGNORING THE NEEDS OF OUR PEOPLE!

    Like 7
    Dislike 2
  11. vg resident says:

    What about the time share folks who bought into the resort, only to be screwed.

  12. nemr says:

    it took him 15 months to come forward and advise us of this – good timely information, jokers

  13. LOL says:

    What he want to get paid for? He good in his head?

    Like 6
    Dislike 1
  14. PLEASE... says:

    Please, please, please do not let the gov’t develop Prospect Reef. Gov’ts have no business developing property, especially our govt.

    Like 15
  15. Concerned says:

    Dont see any financial statements on the auditor general website.

  16. Eyesore says:

    Shameful how this place with so much potential was allowed to deteriorate to such a deplorable state. What an horrible eyesore!

    Money outstanding for what?

    Please!

  17. HonestTruth says:

    Anywhere else in the world and that wasteland would have been sold off and developed into a productive site providing jobs and boosting the economy. Not in the BVI though. Keep it local, right? Incidentally this is why the islands are in the state that they are in.

    Like 11
    Dislike 1
  18. Accountability says:

    Just out of interest whatever happened to the money collected for the Prospect Reef timeshare and all the subsequent pending lawsuits? Who
    reinbursed the investors when it failed? If it was the taxpayers we deserve to know how much?

  19. Sell it! And fire this guy! says:

    This is an Albatross! Get rid of it!
    The government has no business being in the resort business (they need to get back into the Road/School/Hospital business!!)
    Secondly, how this knucklehead been in a job for 5 years ‘managing’ a wrecked resort. Did nobody notice!? Sounds like he is just a no-show worker. No-show = no pay.

  20. Harvey says:

    Allen you know fully well the workers your talking about did motdo any work if you were yo go there in yhe daythey are never there but shows up in the evening to sign thete time sheet and leave. 8fany one should be paidits the spanish man that live behind the restaurant

  21. Being paid! says:

    As far as he is concerned the taxpayer clock in still running for his salary! I want to know exactly what are the requirements of the MD and what salary is paid and why? Struppes given a monthly stipend i cudda at least kept the pool going for swim lessons and gym for an income. Clear a bit of rubble and it would be a good walking loop/nature reserve seeing as though the track is blocked and QE2 closed for 2 years

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