Businessman Nelson Hunt told a radio show yesterday that Government was trying to destroy the reputations of himself and his Southlands Ltd. partners.

A Government spokesman said on Tuesday that Mr. Hunt, Brian Duperreault and Craig Christensen were "running around pretending to be hotel developers" but their inexperience meant they had failed to come up with a viable plan for a five-star resort at Morgan's Point.

Mr. Hunt, owner of Hunt's Food and Supplies, told Everest DaCosta's radio talk show: "They have gone and tried to destroy our reputations. I have been mad as hell ever since I read the morning paper at five thirty. Absolutely unnecessary, the way this thing is going."

During an angry on-air outburst lasting about 40 minutes, he accused the spokesman of talking "bullc***" and suggested it could have a serious effect on his livelihood if the Southlands/Morgan's Point land swap with Government fell through.

"We have got people on this full-time, millions of dollars," he said. "You would not believe what we have spent."

He added: "It's not the money. We are not land grabbers. All we wanted to do was do a development that Bermuda could be proud of and we wanted it to be a destination. That's what they asked for; that's what we said we would do. We are trying to get tourism back up and running."

Mr. Hunt said trying to strike a deal with Government was "extremely stressful". "This is like going fishing in shark-infested waters with no boat, if you understand what I mean."

And referring to Dr. Brown's proposal that Southlands work with overseas developer Patrick Ellis, rather than their chosen partners John Ryan and Egbert Perry, he said: "I'm not letting someone else come here and take this deal from us. It's not going to happen.

"It stays in Bermudian hands under our stewardship because I have nowhere else to go."

Shadow Tourism Minister Michael Dunkley backed Southlands Ltd. yesterday, as did Bermuda Environmental and Sustainability Taskforce (BEST).

Senator Dunkley, in a guest column which appears on page four today, writes: "The 'inexperienced' Morgan's Point group had Dr. Brown's full support more than two-and-a-half years ago.

"At the time, the Premier blessed their project — then at Southlands — as 'the centrepiece of a nationwide tourism revitalisation'. The group, he said, was made up of 'dedicated Bermudians' who dreamed up the Southlands project and, in partnering with Jumeirah International hotels, would 'usher in the tourism comeback'.

Dr. Brown was so committed to the group he got his Government to give it a special development order to expedite their project's timely success."

The UBP politician argues: "The truth, like most things involving this Premier, is hard to pin down, calling into question in this instance whether he is an honest broker."

BEST said in a statement that the Government spokesman's comments were demeaning and had painted the Southlands directors as caricatures.

"It is extremely difficult for us not to believe that there is more to this than meets the eye. It seems rather extraordinary that the Premier could come to a conclusion that the Southlands Ltd. outfit 'didn't have a clue'.

"After all, didn't these same developers have the confidence of the Jumeirah hotel group? Surely they didn't become less competent over the intervening years."

The group added: "What does it say for the Premier and his team that it took them two-and-a-half years or more to come to such a conclusion. Was he really in serious negotiations with a 'clueless' outfit for 2.5 years? This just doesn't ring true."

Mr. Hunt clashed with BEST in July 2007 before the land swap was agreed. After campaigners staged a protest against proposals to develop the Southlands estate, he described them as "like a bunch of beggars".

l OP-ED – see Page 4