DEAR News Of The Area,

MY name is Michelle Shetab and I am one of the owners of the Fisherman’s Village (FV) holiday facility at Swan Bay.

In the past two and a half years, many owners and holidaymakers could not come to Swan Bay due to Covid, which resulted in more cabins being made available to Connect Global (CG). During this time, CG expanded and grew in numbers.

It is important to point out that CG does not own any properties in our holiday village.

Mr Pene’s “business partner”, Mr Hilton Grugeon, and his son are directors of a company that owns the properties at FV that CG is using for their clients.

I believe Mr Grugeon’s properties are leased to CG.

I am unaware of CG, which is a registered charity, taking a defamation action against any owners in the village as Mr Pene has mentioned, however I can confirm that Mr Ross Pene personally has started defamation action against me which I am fighting.

About 25 people (families with children) that are hit hard by this terrible rental crisis reside in the village alongside the clients of CG.

Some of the clients are there on drug dealing charges, kidnapping, violence toward women, and other serious charges.

Some are under house arrest and walk around with ankle bracelets in the holiday village.

I am confused about Mr Pene’s comment that “we are not in a third world country”.

Is Mr Pene implying that FV should not be a tourist facility because it is substandard?

Many of the clients of CG are paying this charity a fee of $35,000 plus weekly rent of $350 to share one of the cabins in FV. “

The fees seem to me to be for a luxury high-end facility and not one in a third world country.

We have obtained photos of bikie gang members visiting and staying at the village and attending the C3 church with Mr Pene in their colours.

Some of these were taken directly from Mr Pene’s Facebook page.

There are various dates that indicate to me that they attended regularly.

Alcohol can be seen in some photos and in the fridge of the CG where they hold their meetings.

I will leave it to the Longriders Christian Motorcycle Group to confirm if Mr Pene is the president of any chapters as to my knowledge, that is no longer the case.

In my opinion, the reason there is intense scrutiny from the charities board against CG (according to the article) may have nothing to do with rumours but with the fact that Connect Global Charities’ financial reports for 2021 were due by 31 January 2022 and are about thirteen months overdue.

I firmly believe that everyone deserves a second chance.

The clients of any rehab deserve to have a place where they are not tempted by others drinking within metres around them, which in my opinion can jeopardise their recovery.

All my concerns above make FV an inappropriate site for CG.

Council has received over 70 objections and some serious concerns have been raised against the DA.

I believe there is a need for a proper investigation.

It also shows that Council has a duty of care towards the people of Swan Bay and the clients of CG.

Kind regards,
Michelle SHETAB.

 

READ THE STORY HERE

Council to make determination on use of Fisherman’s Village at Swan Bay as rehabilitation facility