Sarah Kavanagh was excited, she had every reason to be: that morning she was about to give a tour of the Emerald Pool development to Smeaton’s new associate, Francis Wang, who spent his life shuttling to and from Hong Kong, promoting business between China and the Caribbean. Smeaton picked up Wang and his friends from Canefield Airport where they had flown in from Caracas. In all they were four visitors including Wang; the other were also Chinese, two middle-aged men and a young woman of about Sarah’s age.
The two men appeared to speak little else but Chinese, and Jenny, the young woman, acted as translator, speaking with an excellent English whenever Wang was not doing the talking. They looked very prosperous, Jenny with all the fashion accoutrements appreciated in China: a Louis Vuiton handbag, a Cartier watch, diamond earrings, wearing a practical Burberry summer outfit with matching shoes. The men wore slacks, designer polos and sported diamond studded Rolexes.
Malcolm beamed with his new found confidence, welcoming his visitors to Pondok Indah, his magnificent home, for refreshments and a moment of respite after their flight. The Emerald Pool had been untouched by the arrangements relating to the bailout of his bank. Smeaton’s interest in the development, thanks to Michael Fitzwilliams insistence, had been set up as an entirely separate affair, backed by the Irish Netherlands and Fitzwilliams’ personal wealth.
The Emerald Pool, planned prior to the crisis, was a highly exclusive property development consisting of a number of luxury villas and a hotel. At that point only six villas had been completed; the hotel, as an upshot of the crisis, was still in the starting blocks.
Wang had been behind China’s sudden interest in Dominica. He had carefully studied the Caribbean and concluded that the small, but independent, island of Dominica, which lay between the French Islands of Guadeloupe and Martinique, was the perfect springboard for his, and by extension China’s, interests in the region. Beijing nurtured certain suspicions in their dealings with the French and British island territories in the Caribbean, shirking many of the other island nations of the regions: Jamaica, Cuba, Haiti and the Dominican Republic, viewed as poor, overpopulated, dangerous and politically unstable.
Malcolm led the visitors downhill face to the sea. After the first bend they turned into a side road that led to one of the villas; it looked every bit as splendid as that of Smeaton’s, surrounded by immaculate gardens and original tropical trees.
‘Each villa has a sea view and a pool. The hotel will be built over there behind that rise,’ he said pointing to the west. ‘We look after the maintenance and upkeep, we also look after the leasing.’
‘How many rooms?’ asked Wang.
‘Thirty suites.’
‘That’s not many.’
‘No, it’s not a tourist hotel, it’s highly exclusive, top end of the market. Each suites is in fact an independent villa, overlooking the sea, complete with a fully equipped kitchen, though the hotel will include a restaurant and provide services for guests.’
He walked them around the villa to the pool side. Sarah opened the doors that led into the spacious main reception room. It was furnished in a mixture of Oriental and Caribbean styles with panoramic windows looking out onto the lush tropical garden.
‘What’s the price of a villa like this?’
‘Around three million dollars. The most expensive we’ve built so far is eight million. For a Russian who lives in London.’
Wang translated for his friends and they nodded in approval.
‘Dominica is an almost private island, a friendly population, off the beaten tourist track, but with easy access to the French Antilles. It’s a tropical paradise, no taxes, no crime, a place for the wealthy to invest, those who want to get away from the crowd, a haven of peace. The same thing in the Bahamas, part of the British Commonwealth, would cost more than twice that.’
The Chinese were ambivalent about the British, they admired them, but history had taught them a few painful lessons.
They paused to admire the extraordinarily beautiful site. Facing them was the Caribbean Sea and several small islands, the nearest of which was connected to the beach by a narrow neck of land. The future site of the hotel had been cleared of low lying vegetation leaving the original palms and tropical hardwoods standing on neatly maintained grass lawns.
The group stopped before Barton’s villa, with Smeaton presenting Tom as its wealthy owner.
‘Welcome to my modest home,’ said Barton, leading them to a table set out with cool drinks.
‘Very beautiful,’ said Wang.
His friends nodded in agreement.
‘Let me present my friends. Charles Song and Benny Zhou.’
‘So you are planning to invest in property in Dominica?’
‘Yes. We are planning to help Malcolm build his hotel,’ said Wang turning to Smeaton.
‘A good move, I’m sure it would attract a lot of wealthy tourists,’ remarked Barton.
‘Yes, Chinese tourists,’ said Song in good English
‘From China,’ added Zhou.
Malcolm offered a knowing smile. There was more to the visit than he had let on.
Chapter 23 A MEETING OF CHIEFS