The arrival of Jeff Bezos‘ $500million super yacht has stirred up controversy for the tiny Caribbean nation of Montserrat, Knewz.com can reveal.
Bezos and his fiancée Lauren Sánchez, 55, were spotted soaking up the sun after the mammoth yacht, dubbed “Koru,” docked.
Now, locals are worried the Amazon founder’s presence means he’s visiting the island “on business.”
The 61-year-old and his fiancée are believed to be sailing the Koru around the Caribbean on vacation after being spotted stopping at Saint Kitts and Nevis, as well as Saint Barts, in early January.
But Bezos’ stop in Montserrat prompted fears from locals he was actually scoping out some of their precious land to purchase.
Locals acted swiftly and held a United Alliance town hall meeting, during which the billionaire’s presence on the island was heavily discussed.
Panic spreading through the community prompted Prime Minister Reuben Meade to address concerns and “clarify matters” regarding Bezos’ arrival.
Meade assured the community: “He came here as a tourist. We leave his private business, private.”
He then went on to address the most pressing question among locals’ minds: Can and will Bezos be able to scoop up their land?
As it turns out, a land grab would not be as easy for Bezos to pull off, despite his billions in the bank, thanks to specific restrictions governing real estate.
Meade explained: “He cannot buy property in Montserrat, for example, unless government gives an alien land holding license. So, we will know when business is being done.
“They can’t do anything unless they register a business or seek a license to do business. We will know what is happening when the time is right, so just bear with us.”
The prime minister then doubled-down on Bezos simply being a visitor to the island and asked the community to be “thankful” the business mogul was “spending money” in the nation.
The prime minister continued: “We’re not going to nosy in a person’s business. He comes here. He comes here as a tourist. He spends money in Montserrat. Thank God he’s spending some money in Montserrat.”
Video and photos of Bezos’ arrival on the island quickly spread online from locals. While some were apprehensive of his visit, others welcomed the businessman with open arms.
One person commented on a video of Bezos: “Ask him to help with the port project!”
Another chimed in: “Maybe I could of ask him to help us with the hospital project.”
While the couple’s Caribbean vacation gave off honeymoon vibes, Bezos denied wedding rumors in a fiery X post.
He wrote: “Furthermore, this whole thing is completely false — none of this is happening. The old adage “don’t believe everything you read” is even more true today than it ever has been. Now lies can get ALL the way around the world before the truth can get its pants on. So be careful out there folks and don’t be gullible.”
