Harlequin to report BBC bribery matter to police

Following the resignation, last week, of Matthew Chapman from the BBC, Harlequin Hotels and Resorts says it intends to report the producer to the police.{{more}}

Neil Outram, Communications Manager for Harlequin Hotels & Resorts, told SEARCHLIGHT on Saturday that although they have not been updated by the BBC, “we have been advised by our lawyers that we should now take the next step and report Matthew Chapman to the police, which we intend to do.”

Online news sources reported on April 5 that the BBC had accepted the resignation of Chapman, who had been on suspension since Harlequin lodged a complaint that he had offered a security consultant a bribe for information.

“We have accepted the resignation of a member of staff who had recently been suspended following a complaint made to Panorama,” a spokesperson for the BBC told the Guardian.

A spokesperson for the BBC told SEARCHLIGHT last week that the facts in the matter were currently being reviewed. The spokesperson, however, declined to answer our question about if and when the episode of Panorama, which Chapman had been producing, would be broadcast.

That episode, which was billed “The Great Savings Wipe Out,” was supposed to have been broadcast on March 25.

Reporters from Panorama visited St Vincent in February, while gathering information for their programme. Harlequin are the developers of the Buccament Bay Resort located here.

On February 17, the BBC reporters had an encounter on a LIAT flight with Prime Minister

Dr Ralph Gonsalves, during which they asked him about bribery allegations involving David Ames, chairman of Harlequin.

Gonsalves did not respond then, but later answered, in writing, nine questions asked of him by Chapman, in an email.