The alleged threats were strongly refuted yesterday in a press statement from the Grand Bahama Port Authority (GBPA).
The daughter of the late chairman of the GBBA, Edward St. George, reportedly made the startling allegation in a statement to Grand Bahama police.
The Freeport News was unable to confirm this with police, but the Port Authority shed some light on the matter in its statement.
The GBPA statement confirmed that a conference call took place between several parties on Friday, September 15, from 1 Chester Square, London. Included in the conversation were GBPA Chairman Hannes Babak, Patti Bloom, Derek Harrington, Lady Henrietta St. George and Lord Euston.
“All were privy to the entire conference call between Sir Jack Hayward, at 1 Chester Square, London, and Caroline St. George, Freeport, Grand Bahama,” the statement noted. “Everyone present at 1 Chester Square, who witnessed the conversation, confirms that there was no threat made to the life of Ms. Caroline St. George by Sir Jack Hayward at any time during this conversation.
“Sir Jack was very calm during the conference call and never shouted or lost his composure. During the conversation, Sir Jack expressed extreme concern about Caroline’s remarks to the media and the impact that it could have on the Grand Bahama Port Authority, our licensees, Grand Bahama Island, and his and her father’s life-long work.”
Caroline St. George’s allegations were made public yesterday in an article in the Bahama Journal.
She maintained that during the Friday afternoon call Sir Jack shouted that he was furious at her attempts to undermine everything that he and his late partner had created.
This is the latest turn in a battle which began several weeks ago when Mary St. George, second wife of the deceased GBPA chairman, filed a suit in a U.S. court for entitlement to his estate.
Edward St. George, who died in December of 2004, became chairman of the GBPA in 1976 after he and Sir Jack took over the management of the company that was created to spearhead the growth and development of Freeport following the signing in August of 1955 of the Hawksbill Creek Agreement that created Freeport. The pair became co-owners of the GBPA in 1978 after purchasing all of the outstanding shares held by Freeport’s founder Wallace Groves.
Mary St. George was reported to be seeking legal confirmation that she is entitled to 50 percent of her ex-husband’s estate.
Further, she is claiming 25 percent of the 50 percent interest Edward St. George had in the GBPA.
As a result of that claim noted Attorney Damien Gomez, who has been retained by Caroline St. George, addressed the matter.
Gomez said that with the assets of the estate, which are in The Bahamas under the purview of the Supreme Court of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, it would be very unlikely that a New York order would be recognized, let alone enforced in this jurisdiction, particularly where the effect of it would be to deprive a citizen of The Bahamas, Caroline St. George, of her property rights.
Because the of publicized battle between the two women, last week Sir Jack issued a hard-hitting statement.
“As I understand it, there are claims against the estate of my late colleague, Edward St. George, which may or may not have any validity,” Sir Jack noted. “The Hayward family owns 50 percent of the shares of the Port Group and has no knowledge or involvement in the above claims. In my opinion it is quite intolerable that Mary and Caroline St. George or any other persons should seek to damage the reputation of The Grand Bahama Port Authority by making irresponsible remarks about its operations.”
Sir Jack also emphatically stated that he was instrumental in bringing in Babak as chairman of the Port Group and “fully endorse everything that he has done since he was installed as chairman.”
By BARBARA WALKIN, Senior Freeport News Reporter
