DePeiza warned

Local investor and construction magnate Mark Maloney has hinted at possible legal action against Democratic Labour Party (DLP) president Verla DePeiza over statements she made from the political platform in the recent by-election in St George North.

Maloney, a co-owner of the multi-million-dollar planned Hyatt Ziva Hotel Resort on Bay Street, The City, has hit back at DePeiza crying shame on her for certain “non-factual” comments she made at the recent political mass meeting when she also showed a photo of a state-of-the art luxury passenger lounge taken from a story published by Barbados TODAY. That story related to the opening of a $3 million M Jet facility at Grantley Adams International Airport to provide a comprehensive range of private jet services on a 24-hour basis.

The new facility, the second of its kind to be built at the airport by Maloney, also includes 3,200 terminal, crew suites with private shower facilities and kitchenette, a 12-seat conference room, business centre, concierge and a pet relief area.

But DePeiza told the crowd of supporters the facility is a reflection of who gets to advance under the Barbados Labour Party (BLP) administration “and it is not you, St George North” she added.

“What you are about to see is a new hanger wing that has been built to accommodate private jets. Is that for you, St George North?” queried the DLP president, whose candidate Floyd Reifer lost yesterday’s by-election to the Barbados Labour Party’s Toni Moore.

“Is that for you, St George North? That’s millions of dollars at a time when people are juggling whether to pay their bills or feed their children. Is that how you spend our money? Is that, in the case of a public-private sector partner, how you dish out the public purse? Are these the kinds of projects that you endorse at a time when unemployment is at an all-time high and people are desperate for work?” DePeiza asked while pointing to the photo on a wide screen showing the luxury lounge.

She told the supporters that it is images like that which ought to make them stop and think it is time to change the Mia Mottley Administration.

But in an equally strong response, Maloney, while “categorically” denying any government involvement in the construction of the M Jet project, took the opportunity to put DePeiza on notice to prepare for a possible legal backlash.

“What a shame on the leader of the DLP to cast aspersions and seek to damage my character. I am sure she will well know what such non-factual accusations will lead to. One must always know the implications of such allegations when making them so carelessly,” the owner of construction company Preconco Limited cautioned.

He said it is unfortunate that an established attorney such as DePeiza is, would not take the time to find out the facts about something that she is trying to use to prove “whatever she is after and only she can explain to the people of Barbados why she did that.”

“My company leased land in 2016 at above commercial rates and at rates higher than anyone has ever paid in the history of the airport’s operations… and I have built an FBO to world-class standards that has absolutely no government involvement whatsoever,” Maloney declared.

The wealthy businessman explained that the only connection government had with this Fixed Based Operation (FBO) was the facilitation of permissions from all regulatory authorities to build and operate.

For that, he said he was grateful for all the authorities have done to allow for business facilitation which would allow for enterprises to succeed and keep being entrepreneurial and wanting to invest, hire people and build businesses that will assist Barbados in all of the industries we seek to operate in .”

(emmanueljoseph@barbadostoday.bb)