Clarifying Sandals Whitehouse

Without prejudice to whatever Contractor General Greg Christie's may find in his investigation of the government's planned sale to Gordon 'Butch' Stewart of the Sandals Whitehouse property, this newspaper believed that Prime Minister Bruce Golding made a prima facie case for the deal.

We still do.

However, we had an important caveat to any sale: that it be preceded by Mr Stewart's withdrawal of his US$28.8-million claim for damages against the government and, ultimately, the taxpayers of Jamaica for alleged damage to his Sandals hotel brand.

That now appears to be happening.

Prime Minister Golding said this week that Mr Stewart had agreed to "discontinue all claims against the government". These relate to the argument that Sandals suffered because the Whitehouse's completion was delayed and was not of the quality marketed by the Sandals chain.

We look forward to this undertaking being committed to writing.

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