TCI News Now!

Reports of a hostile takeover of the well known Conch Farm operation in Providenciales attracted the attention of islanders by means of a notice published in the TCI Weekly News some two weeks ago.

The notice indicated that the board of directors of the corporation had all been fired and replaced. Also dismissed was the 25-year general manager of the operation, Chuck Hesse.

Local sources reported that two individuals were behind the takeover, Shaun Malcolm and Richard Berke. Both Malcolm and Berke were former contributors to the online blog TCI Journal. Malcolm is a former chairman of Peoples Democratic Party (PDM) and lost a bid for leadership of the party against former leader Floyd Seymour. Malcolm has not been seen or reported to be active at any party functions since his unsuccessful bid for leadership.

The sources also claimed that the purpose of the Conch Farm takeover was to tear down the farm and build another resort and marina on the Leeward Going Through channel, not far from Nikki Beach. The Niki Beach development and marina, which encroached on the channel, was strongly criticized by Berke in articles posted by him.

TCI News Now contacted Berke, who provided an entirely different scenario of the Conch Farm situation.

According to Berke, he and others, who now form the five-member board of directors, were contacted by the stockholders of the corporation who were concerned about an outstanding loan that was not being serviced and employee complaints of unpaid wages.

“The stockholders have never sought to make a profit but to promote the operations of the farm, which are environmentally friendly. These operations were seriously at risk due to what can only be described as mismanagement,” Berke told TCI News Now.

Three of the new board members include Richard Berke, Shaun Malcolm and John Hartley, an economist and former columnist for the TCI Weekly News.

“At first we sought to retain the general manager (Chuck Hesse) but he fought the takeover and ignored its reality,” said Berke, who went on to describe the conditions he found after the takeover.

“The premises were run down and employees have been receiving only a portion of their pay. We had to research and seek out former employees with the Labour Department so we could settle with them to make arrangements to pay the wages owed. Since the takeover, employees currently working have been receiving their full pay,” he said.

Berke related his belief that the former general manager is responsible for spreading the rumours of a resort and marina.

“We have no such plans,” Berke said

He indicated that the board members are not receiving any compensation.

“I have visited the NIB, NHIP and Labour Board and discovered that taxes and fees due were never paid and in fact employees of record were never registered with the health plan,” Berke told TCI News Now.

He went on to report that future plans are to incorporate fish farming along with conch farming at both facilities. This is hoped to improve the financial prospects of the operations to a break-even position.

Berke refused to identify the stockholders or the lender. However, another source told TCI News Now that the line of credit, now in arrears, was furnished by the TCI Bank, which itself is now in liquidation. This has not been confirmed.

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HANDFIELD:
chuck hess been disrespetin ti's and the land and sea since he been here. He owe many people and does not speak the truth.