NewsFrank Khoie freezes La Hoya Bay
Frank Khoie, the jailed developer behind the US$800 million (Dh2.93 billion) La Hoya Bay project in Ras al Khaimah, has withdrawn his consent to let the Government of the emirate develop part of the project. Speaking from his cell, Khoie told The National that he now requires dismissal of charges as a condition of changing his mind.
About 800 foreign property buyers, half of whom are based in the UK, are worried about the future of their investment. Two months ago, a local court appointed Rakeen, the development arm of the Ras al Khaimah Investment Authority (RAKIA), as receiver of the development on Marjan Island, which is the emirate’s largest development. This would allow work on the project to continue and followed the jailing in June of Khoie, the developer’s chief executive. He was sentenced to three years for bouncing a Dh57m cheque written to RAKIA.
The court needed Khoie’s consent to declare receivership. He first vetoed this option last May.
“In British law, receivership is for companies that are insolvent or bankrupt,” said Khoie. “Our company is not bankrupt. We have Dh500m in assets. I am in jail for only the criminal aspect of the cheque.”
RAKIA appealed and Khoie said he finally agreed on certain conditions. “They agreed to drop the cases, and I agreed that they will become only a project manager. Ownership is mine. It is my money, it is my project, I created it.”
The chief executive said he had 60 days to change his mind. “I waited 57 days and I withdrew my consent because they failed to honour their side of the agreement to dismiss my cases and release me,” Khoie claimed. “It was our moral agreement.” RAKIA officials denied any agreement of that sort.
Khoie yesterday posted “settlement proposals” to RAKIA on his website, including an extension on land payment and the dismissal of cheque cases. La Hoya’s investors had hoped the appointment of Rakeen would speed up the development, which is still only in the early stages of construction.
“The situation now returns to its original status, to square one,”
said Neil Pattison, a British investor in the project. Other investors agreed.
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