by Julia Rawlins-Bentham

GODDARD ENTERPRISES LIMITED (GEL) is refuting claims that its St Vincent subsidiary was ever obligated to reactivate the fruit-juice production formerly done by Diamond Dairy, whose property it acquired.

However, managing director Martin Pritchard has confirmed that GEL intended to develop the property into a commercial centre that could cost millions.

Reports carried in the May 25 edition of The Vincentian newspaper stated that GEL, trading as Coreas Hazells Inc., and the Vincentian government appeared to be at loggerheads.

The report indicated that the St Vincent government was seeking to reacquire Diamond Dairy, which it sold to the Goddard Group six years ago, because the company had failed to keep its part of the deal.

However, Pritchard refuted these claims when contacted on Friday, stating it was a sealed bid and there were no conditions attached.

Instead, he said, GEL was currently attempting to resolve the impasse regarding utilisation of the Diamond Dairy tax losses. In the process, he added, they received a letter two weeks ago from the Land and Survey Department in St Vincent stating that the government there wanted to reacquire the property.

"We only recently received a letter, so our next move is to reply to the chief surveyor. A letter is already drafted and one will be sent out early this week," Pritchard said.

As a result, proposed plans to develop a commercial centre that would include hardware and retail outlets, a bank, gas station and supermarket, have been
put on hold.

Pritchard also said it was wrongly reported in The Vincentian that GEL top brass from Barbados had gone to the neighbouring island to resolve
the matter. Instead, he explained, management teams of the companies in Barbados and St Vincent met regularly. (JR-B)