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World’s wealthiest expected to bid on Paradise Island Showpiece, $28+ Million Waterfront Home Opens for Bidding on Sotheby’s Concierge Auctions Website March 10

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#TheBahamas, February 27, 2023 – Elisium, a 20,000-square-foot, 9-bedroom, 11-bath show-stopping, jaw-dropping residence in Ocean Club Estates on Paradise Island in The Bahamas, is expected to draw a fiercely competitive field of bidders when the bidding officially opens, without reserve, on March 10 via Sotheby’s Concierge Auctions.

A spokesman for Sotheby’s Concierge Auctions, the world’s largest luxury real estate auction marketplace, said they have already seen interest in the never-before-lived-in estate.

“It’s extremely encouraging to see so much early interest in a property weeks before the auction even opens for bidding,” said Danny Prell, Vice President, Business Development.

“The answer to early interest lies partly in the property itself, but additionally in its premier location,” says Prell, an opinion shared by Christopher ‘CJ’ Ansell, the local cooperating broker for the sale.

“The property known as Elisium is a one-of-a-kind offering,” said Ansell, whose performance earned him Circle of Excellence status at Nassau-based Damianos Sotheby’s International Realty in 2022.

“The estate, not only beautiful in and of itself with exquisite attention to detail around every turn, is also the only residence in the famed Ocean Club Estates that enjoys both a harbour and ocean view and the only property with both marina basin dock and private beach. There is absolutely no other property like it.”

The attention to detail Ansell notes begins from the moment of entry, where individuals step onto perfectly polished and seemingly seamless porcelain floors that appear as is if they are floating. The 28-foot-high arched windows frame crystal blue waters, and sky lighting up the entry living area soaks the space in natural light.

“That light alone and the clean, inviting whites in the furniture paired with dark wood trim adds a touch of contrast,” says Ansell. “It sets the tone for the rest of the experience with the space telling a story that says immediately, ‘You are in The Bahamas, welcome home to a world of light and beauty.”

If Ansell waxes eloquent on the property, it’s hard not to.

“A labor of love, the current owners spent four years constructing what was meant to be their forever home. With a keen eye for fine details and personal touches, the owners’ taste for luxury design is sure to benefit the next buyer.”

Those personal touches are evident from the moment you enter the gated estate. Leading to the front door is a boardwalk over a saltwater pond, stocked with starfish, jellyfish, and other species. Massive double doors open to an entryway with two 11-foot-high aquariums, and from there, the uninterrupted vistas fill your senses.

“The kitchen is so untouched that no one has ever even had a cup of coffee in it,” says Ansell, while opening the doors of two dishwashers, a wall-length concealed Subzero fridge and freezer, a chef’s stove, and microwaves, revealing operations manuals still in their cellophane wrappers.

Twin staircases lead to the second floor joining at a landing with another magazine-worthy view. An intimate dining area for up to eight persons is situated just off the elevator leading to the second floor. Two thickly carpeted, self-sufficient suites are accessible by stairs or elevator.

The third floor is devoted to a full-on breathtaking primary suite as well as a smaller space, poised as a nursery or private office. That attention to detail shines yet again in even in the bathrooms with flowing grains of marble matching to perfection through bends, corners, and rounds, reflecting the master craftsmanship.

“You see that excellence again and again,” says Ansell, “throughout the supersized closets with finely detailed, extensive built-ins. You see it in the bathrooms with his and her dressing spaces, extravagant free-standing tubs, radiant heated towel bars, and the stamped Elisium name.”

Outdoors, the property showcases two swimming pools, one specifically designed with a faux coral climbing area, a private beach, and a separate play area for kids and their parties.

According to Prell, while the estate and its features are in a class of their own, Elisium’s location puts it on the global map.

“From the moment the first lots were sold in the late 1990s to today—almost 25 years later—Ocean Club Estates has not only retained its place in the somewhat rarefied air of the most desirable places on earth to live, the properties have consistently appreciated in value,” said Prell. “Access to Four Seasons Ocean Club, Atlantis resorts, automatic approval for the Ocean Club membership privileges for those who wish to join, and the amenities in the Estates community itself—golf, tennis, restaurants—make it the luxury location of choice.”

The bidding officially opens on March 10 on casotheby’s.com, and, while listed at $28.8 million, the estate is being offered without reserve.

For even more Caribbean luxury, view Sotheby’s Concierge Auctions’ additional offerings, including a 3-bedroom tower villa with 360-degree mountain & Caribbean ocean views in St. Vincent & The Grenadines, a private 186-acre Bahamian island chain with development potential, or an exclusive villa boasting with extensive indoor and outdoor living spaces, set in Sundance Ridge on St. Kitts.

 

Photo Captions: 

Header:  Interest is already being shown well ahead of the opening date of March 10 for online bidding via Sotheby’s Concierge Auctions on the Elisium estate, a 20,000 square foot showpiece of stunning design and master craftsmanship in world-renowned Ocean Club Estates, Paradise Island, Bahamas.

1st insert: The 28-foot high windows fill the entry living area with light, providing a sense of place and an invitation to breathe deeply and unwind. Light fills nearly every space at Elisium, the 20,000 square foot,  9-bedroom, 11-bath estate in Ocean Club Estates, Paradise Island, Bahamas, that goes on auction via Sotheby’s Concierge Auctions March 10.

2nd insert: Elisium baths reflect stunning design tails and master craftsmanship that explain its $28.8 million valuation. Note the perfection in flowing marble around corners, bends and throughout the walls. Interest in the never-lived-in grand estate is already being shown ahead of online bidding that starts  March 10 via Sotheby’s Concierge Auctions.

3rd insert: One of two pools at Elisium, Paradise Island, the lagoon pool with rock and boulder wall overlooks the water and private beach while a second expanded lap pool runs the length of the main house.

Caribbean News

CARICOM pushes need for Reparations Tribunal at Forum in Geneva

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Rashaed Esson
Staff Writer 

Words are in circulation in support for the establishment of an international tribunal, geared towards seeking reparations for centuries long transatlantic slave trade, after a CARICOM official made calls at the third session of the Permanent Forum on People of African Descent (PFPAD) in Geneva, Switzerland.

During day two of the gathering held from April 16 to 19, 2024, David Comissiong, Barbados Ambassador to the Caribbean Community, stated there is a need for the tribunal as there is currently no international court to deal with the issues of reparations.

Commision, like the other members that support his view, according to reports, are aware this won’t be an easy feat, as he expressed that establishing the tribunal would require a “positive decision” by the UN General Assembly, further  calling on the officials at the Forum and the UN, to come together through international collaboration and “make this happen.”

The idea creation of the tribunal was born last year 2023, suggested by the PFPAD, now reiterated by Comissiong.

Antonio Guterres, the UN Secretary General, in a video, addressing the opening of the forum, supported the ongoing calls for respiratory efforts, a sentiment not shared by many.

Mentioning that racism is still an issue in today’s society, Guterres said, “ now we must build on that momentum, to drive meaningful change by ensuring that people of African descent enjoy the full and equal realization of their human rights; by stepping up efforts to eliminate racism and discrimination, including through reparations.”

 

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Caribbean News

CARICOM sends warning as Oil prices creep higher in the Israel v Iran conflict; 14 regional states import energy

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Garfield Ekon
Staff Writer

The recent attack on the Sate of Israel by the Islamic Republic of Iran, has delivered growing uncertainty across the Caribbean region, and the rest of the global economy.

Chief among the many concerns, is the free flow of oil from the Middle East, which stands at 31% of daily production for the global economy. At minimum, shipping costs are likely to increase based on the increased risk of military action in the Persian Gulf.

Pressure is also building on US and European insurance clubs to avoid any transaction, including those with China, that involve Iranian crude and additional rerouting of oil and gas shipments in response to Houthi threats, or Allied responses.

According to the Caribbean Community Council of Foreign and Community Relations (COFCOR), “these developments not only exacerbate the already tense situation but also pose significant threats to regional stability and international peace,” the group warned in a media statement.

It added that the continued cycle of retaliation, including the recent attack on Israel by Hamas, Israel’s “disproportionate response” in Gaza, and the “alarming new dimension of direct confrontations between Israel and Iran, leads to an untenable situation fraught with potential for greater regional conflict and global instability.

“The human toll of this conflict, highlighted by tragic incidents such as deaths and injuries to children, demand an immediate and empathetic response from the global community. It is imperative that there be no further escalation that can lead to more suffering and instability,” it said.

While calling for an immediate cessation of hostilities between Israel and Iran, the regional body underscored that it strongly urges both nations to halt any further military actions that could worsen the situation, endangering not only their own populations but also the broader international community.

“We implore all parties to consider the severe consequences of further conflict and to commit to diplomatic solutions that ensure the safety, sovereignty, and dignity of all people involved,” the CARICOM statement said.

On October 6, 2023, the day before Hamas attacked Israel, the international benchmark Brent crude was trading at $85 per barrel and has been fluctuating at up to $96.

On Thursday, it traded at $91 per barrel. With the exception of gas-rich Trinidad and Tobago, the 14 other countries of CARICOM, are energy importers.

Approximately 93 percent of the region’s energy needs are met by oil imports, which average 13% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

 

 

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Caribbean News

Gov’t Committed to Seeking Reparations for Chattel Slavery – Minister Grange

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KINGSTON, April 16 (JIS):
Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, Hon. Olivia Grange, says the Jamaican Government remains committed to seeking reparations for the prolonged period of chattel enslavement endured by the African forefathers on the country’s plantations.
Minister Grange said that the historical events of the transatlantic slave trade continue to have a lasting impact on Black communities to this day.
She contended that the ongoing struggles to finance education and healthcare, address poverty and housing issues, respond to economic shocks and climate change impacts, and foster peaceful societies are all rooted in the historical legacy of enslavement.
Minister Grange was addressing a church service on Sunday (April 14) at the Webster Memorial United Church in St. Andrew, where an apology was issued on behalf of the United Reform Church (URC) in the United Kingdom (UK) by Moderator of the Assembly of the URC, Reverend Tessa Henry-Robinson, for the church’s  historical involvement in slavery.
“We, the general assembly of the United Reform Church, mindful of our own history and that of our antecedent bodies, wish to confess and apologise for our role in transatlantic slavery and the scars which continue to blight our society, our church and the lives of Black people in our midst and around the globe today,” the apology read.
Minister Grange, in accepting the apology, urged UK churches, particularly those whose representatives were present for the historic apology in Jamaica, to communicate to their government the ethical imperative of admitting culpability through an apology and working with Jamaica to discern the potential avenues for reparations.
She said that the church’s role in the transatlantic slave trade has had significant and enduring effects on Black communities, impacting society, the church itself, and the lives of Black individuals worldwide.
“It is this complicity of the church that gave solace and comfort to the citizens and governments of UK and Europe as they endorsed and defended with their military project, that saw the capture, the torture, the dehumanisation, and devaluation of African people, legacies of which we experience today as racism, white supremacy, and discrimination,” she stated.
“We struggle to build peaceful, stable societies because of the perpetration of violence which was the platform on which enslavement was executed yet, in spite of this, we have been good converts to these same religions. Our people have adopted and adapted the doctrines and rituals of these new religions and in many instances have energised and revitalised them with cultural practices of African spirituality,” the Minister emphasised.
The URC is a community of Christians gathering in local churches across England, Scotland, and Wales, and is part of the global family of Reformed Churches, comprising more than 70 million Christians.
With approximately 42,000 members in around 1,200 congregations, supported by more than 600 ministers, the URC plays a significant role in the spiritual and communal life of its members and the broader community.
CONTACT: BRITNEY STEVENS

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