Expat Caribbean News

14 May at 6 PM 2013

Survey data highlights effects of immigration in Canada

Data culled from the newly released 2011 National Household Survey points to major changes in Canadian society as a result of mass immigration. The national survey revealed that modern-day Canada holds 200 separate ethnicities and 100 diverse religions, and one in every five residents is foreign-born, the highest proportion of all the G8 countries. The greater Toronto region is becoming increasingly multi-national and is now home to many unfamiliar religious practices and languages. According to Tina Chui, Statistics Canada’s...

29 Apr at 6 PM 2013

Expat investors hit hard as Harlequin Properties calls in receivers

After several months of uncertainty and a class action or two, beleaguered Harlequin Properties has thrown in the towel and gone into receivership. After failing to keep up with regular contracted payments to their investors and an ongoing investigation by the UK’s Serious Fraud Office and Essex Police, the action by the Essex-based overseas property sales company has now put its investors in an even worse position. An interim moratorium is now in place freezing all legal action against it at the present time. Hundreds of...

15 Mar at 6 PM 2013

Harlequin Properties settle substantial sums out of court

The FSA unregulated overseas property sales agent firm being investigated by the Serious fraud squad has agreed a substantial out of court settlement to end a class action by disgruntled investors. Thousands of investors are believed to have put money into the scheme, which involved a 30 per cent deposit on off-plan luxury properties in developments in St Lucia, Barbados, St Vincent and the Dominican Republic. The remaining 70 per cent of the purchase price was invested in a SIPPs (self-investing pension plan) scheme which breached...

11 Mar at 6 PM 2013

Ensuring your expat dream home avoids the dodgy deals trap

One of the most exciting aspects of emigrating is the thought of a new home in attractive surroundings at a bargain price compared with property in the home country. However, with dodgy property deals everywhere from Europe to the Caribbean and Asia hitting the headlines, how are you to avoid your dream becoming a nightmare? Mis-selling scandals, scams and downright poor management of condo blocks can all result in financial disasters for expat owners or investors. Spain, Cyprus, Barbados and Thailand are all in the news right...

7 Mar at 6 PM 2013

Serious Fraud Office and FSA now investigating Harlequin

Britain’s Serious Fraud Office is now investigating Essex-based Harlequin Group regarding its marketing of high-end Caribbean villas linked with a self-investing personal pension product. Harlequin’s business was not regulated by the Financial Services Authority, which is now writing to all UK FAs requesting the details of any client who has invested in the scheme. At the same time, the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) and Essex Police are also requesting full details of the transactions involved from anyone who has invested in the...

25 Feb at 6 PM 2013

Thousands of Brit victims hit by holiday home scam

Around 3,000 British investors are faced with financial disaster after pension advisors recommended the off-plan purchase of Caribbean villas. Essex-based Harlequin Properties promised would-be expats and investors a luxury life in one of 6,000 upscale villas to be built on Barbados and other Caribbean paradise islands. At the present time, only 300 have been built, the FSA has issued a warning and the Serious Fraud Squad are investigating. Total losses by those who purchased off-plan are likely to be around £250 million, and...

26 Oct at 6 PM 2012

Hedge fund havens fight widening deficits with tax demand

Hedge fund havens from the Bahamas to the Cayman Islands are mooting a surprising cure for their ever-widening deficits – the initiation of higher taxes. In the Cayman Islands, at present the home of the Caribbean’s highest number of hedge find companies, Prime Minister McKeeva Bush is planning an evowed increase in registration fees for new companies following expat workers’ anger ar a proposed tax on earnings. The Bahamas is setting up a debate to discuss an overhaul of the existing tax system which may include the...

19 Jun at 6 PM 2012

UK sailor may be stranded after Pacific shipwreck

A British yachtsman could be stranded on an uninhabited, faraway Pacific island now that his 50 foot yacht was destroyed in the sea near Tonga. Ian Thompson, an experienced yachtsman in his 60s, along with an unnamed yachtsman from Australia, have been declared missing since an urgent call was placed from their yacht (Navillus) to a relative, on Thursday night. Search teams discovered the wreckage of the boat, including an un-used life raft as well as the hull, close to the island of Late, which is west of Vava'u island. The vessel...