Businessman Bartlett ordered to pay back $1M advanced from CEMA after a failed $7M deal for Hammock Beach
SELF-MADE businessman, Alex Bartlett has been ordered to pay back $1 million he advanced from the Commodities Export Marketing Authority (CEMA) earlier this year.
The CEMA Board decided two weeks ago to give Mr Bartlett, the founder of Hatanga Family business, two options, according to a CEMA Board member.
The first is that Mr Bartlett reimburses the $1 million he had advanced. Option 2 is that he gives CEMA land valued at $1 million in exchange for the debt. It is unclear whether the CEMA Board decision has been conveyed to Mr Bartlett.
The money was allegedly taken without the knowledge, let alone the approval by the CEMA Board, according to initial published reports on the matter.
Published reports suggest that it was in August this year that Mr Bartlett was negotiating the sale of Hammock Beach in West Honiara to CEMA for $7 million. Initial reports suggest CEMA entered a Sales and purchase Agreement with Hatanga Ltd on the deal.
CEMA and Hatanga Ltd allegedly agreed on a downpayment of $1 million to secure the Hammock Beach site for storage of cocoa and copra from the provinces.
Under the deal, Hatanga Ltd had six months to vacate the land by which time CEMA would pay up the balance of $6 million, according to a report published by Solomon Star on 17th August 2024.
But the CEMA Board later denied having approved the deal. It demanded the $1 million down payment be repaid in full immediately. The demand allegedly triggered threat that CEMA would not be allowed to buy copra and cocoa produce from the Russell Islands, claiming he owned land parcels on Russell Islands.
The Court has since dismissed his claim, leaving the businessman nowhere to vouch for the ownership of both the Hammock Beach, West Honiara and land parcels in Russell Islands.
Mr Bartlett’s effort came unstuck when the High Court threw out his application to transfer the titles of 10 land parcels of land in Russell Islands to his own name, according to court documents.
Mr Barlett could not be contacted for comments.
Civil Case No. 165 of 2023 was between the Sevev Land Trust Board, John Holosango, Steven Taroniara and Justin Venevii as co-claimants on one side and businessman Bartlett, the Commissioner of Lands and Registrar of Title as co-defendants.
According to court documents, Mr Bartlett had applied to the High Court to have the titles of 10 perpetual estates transferred to his name.
These titles cover PN 177-006-4, PN 177-006-3. PN 177-006-1, PN 178-001-1, PN 177-003-2, PN 177-004-3, PN 165-002-121, PN 177-004-2, PN 177-007-1 and PN 177-002-1.
The titles were initially held by the Sevev Land Trust Board, which Mr Bartlett helped to obtain them.
Puisine Judge Justice Lawry handed down the judgement against Mr Bartlett on 6th September – fifteen days after the case was heard in the High Court on 23rd August this year.
The court heard Mr Bartlett had failed to contest a default judgement registered against him in the matter.
By Alfred Sasako
