Devon Evans, Sunday Gleaner Writer

A view of the Bahía Príncipe hotel under construction at Pear Tree Bottom, Runaway Bay. - Claudine Housen/Claudine Housen

Ocho Rios:

The Bahia Príncipe hotel now under construction at Pear Tree Bottom in St. Ann is facing a major legal challenge.

A group which identifies itself as the Pear Tree Bottom Land Owners' Association (PTBLOA) is challenging the Spanish-based Piñero Group, developers of the hotel, over the ownership of the property. Members of the PTBLOA who are claiming ownership of the land, are demanding that the Piñero Group prove that it has legally purchased the land or relinquish possesion.

Maybe the end

If the application which was filed in the Supreme Court on June 13 this year is successful, it will effectively put an end to plans for the development of Jamaica's largest hotel complex on the 200-acre beach front property.

Attorney-at-law Humphrey McPherson, who represents the association said, the Piñero Group has no legal ownership of the land and that the action brought against the company will clearly prove this fact. In a recent letter to The Sunday Gleaner, Mr. McPherson said members of the association also intended to file a recovery of possession action in court to evict the Piñero Group from the land, shut down the construction project and demolish the buildings already constructed.

However, lead attorney for the Piñero Group, Milton Samuda, said there was no truth to Mr. McPherson's allegations, pointing out that the Spanish developers have legal documents showing ownership of the property.