New reports say Ames may have fled Tuesday

David ‘Dave’ Ames, the founder of Harlequin Hotels and Resorts, parent company of Buccament Bay Resort Ltd and Harlequin Property SVG Ltd, is now believed to have fled the country as recently as last Tuesday.{{more}}

It had been said that Ames, for whom an arrest warrant had been issued on June 23, had left the country via a go-fast boat on June 22, but reports coming out of Chateaubelair claim that the British investor and entrepreneur left the country this Tuesday, in the company of two Caucasian males, aboard a pirogue. Reports are that the men were carrying luggage when they left.

Ames is being sought by local law enforcement authorities, as he failed to turn up in court twice last week and once earlier this week, to answer charges of theft and tax evasion.

He is charged with theft under the Criminal Code, tax evasion pursuant to Section 81 of the Value Added Tax (VAT) Act and failure to pay the Comptroller of Inland Revenue pursuant to Section 134 of the Income Tax Act amounts totalling almost EC$7 million.

Ames’ co-defendant in four of the eight charges, lawyer Samuel Commissiong, was present in court last Monday.

Commissiong is charged with tax evasion pursuant to Section 81 of the Value Added Tax (VAT) Act and failure to pay the Comptroller of Inland Revenue pursuant to Section 134 of the Income Tax Act.

Commissiong is the solicitor and secretary for Buccament Bay Resort and Harlequin Property SVG.

August 15 is the next court date.

Commissioner of Police (COP) Michael Charles said on Wednesday that there is no record of Ames leaving the country and they are investigating whether or not the slippery investor left via a pirogue.

On Wednesday, Buccament Bay Resort Ltd employees protested outside the five-star establishment over non-payment of salaries. This is not the first time that the resort has experienced industrial action. (LC)