I had considered doing this piece as an update to the one I put out on Tuesday, but there’s too much I want to say, so it has to be done as a second posting. And that wasn’t the only problem.
For I’d also intended including a reminder about the generosity to Coleg Soros that I reported on in ‘Green Man, Red Herring‘, in May 2022.
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THE BENEFITRIX
I’m referring now to Troed-yr-Harn, the farm that was bought for Coleg Soros back in January 2021. I couldn’t identify the buyer beyond her name, ‘Jenny Mathilde Daneels Watt’, and so I signed off with a request for information.
Here’s a link to the Land Registry title document (no plan, unfortunately), and here’s the link to the title document for a smaller purchase on the same site (with plan).
I’d assumed that Daneels was a Dutch name, and because Watt is usually Scottish, that she’d married a Scotsman.
The Daneels name is in fact, Flemish, so I wasn’t far off. Though she is a French citizen with an English mother. (Here’s what Linkedin tells us.) While her Scottish husband’s name is David Crichton-Watt.
I now have more information on them and it’s fascinating. It takes us out East again to Hong Kong, then Kuala Lumpur, and various other locations.
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HOW THE OTHER HALF LIVES
But let’s start in Herefordshire, with this article from Country Life. It tells us:
David, a successful hedge-fund manager based in Kuala Lumpur, his wife, Jenny . . . were living at the time in Malaysia and looking to buy a house in England.
Which they did, and they seemed so happy at Newport House. Their fourth daughter was born there.
Yet in 2018 David and Jenny Crichton-Watt moved to Switzerland and put the property on the market for £10m.
The money from selling Newport House could have covered the £1m splashed out on Troed-yr-Harn. But I suspect that’s a drop in the ocean to a family like Crichton-Watt.
The main vehicle for Crichton-Watt’s business activities might be Asian Investment Management Services (AIMS) which he set up in 1982. But he seems to have fingers in a number of pies.
Among them, Steppe Cement Ltd of Kazakhstan. This piece from the Financial Times in October 2022 tells us that the family had just increased its holding in the company.
You’ve probably seen their trucks delivering to builders in your area. Or maybe not.
And as I say, Crichton-Watt has been involved in Hong Kong and China for a long time. Which is where we find Andrew James Kadoorie McAulay of Rewilding Wealth Ltd and who, as we read in the piece earlier this week, is also investing in Coleg Soros.
Another pie in which Crichton-Watt has a finger in is Phoenix Gold Fund Ltd.
David Crichton-Watt is a busy man, on the global stage, and yet . . . I couldn’t find a photo of him. Even this piece (scroll down) has pictures of most investors interviewed, but not him.
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MONEY, MONEY, MONEY
In the previous piece, when I looked at Kadoorie-McAulay and his company, Rewilding Wealth Ltd, I wrote.
Like me when I first saw it, you’re wondering about Rewilding Wealth Ltd. So here’s what I found. It’s registered with Companies House as an Overseas Entity. Located in that bastion of probity and openness, the British Virgin Islands.
I re-visit this because BVI probably could be termed a ‘bastion of probity and openness’ when compared to Kazakhstan.
For while Kazakhstan is, theoretically, independent of Russia, links are strong, not least because Kazakh President Kassym-Zhomart Tokayev, is kept in power by Putin.
On top of which, 15% of the population is ethnic Russian, and concentrated in the north, close to the Russian border. If he so wished, I’m sure Vlad could engineer a Sudetenland situation.
Kazakhstan acts as a Russian gateway and conduit to the rest of the world, and is something close to being a Russian satellite.
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ALL PART OF A BIGGER PICTURE
The so-called ‘Welsh Government’ has sold us and our country down the river to the Globalist climate scammers, and those who’ve been encouraged to use the scam to enrich themselves.
Part of the acceptance, a show of commitment by politicians and others, sees Wales playing a disproportionate role in the farce. In practice, it means waging war on motorists, farmers, and just about anybody else the fanatics claim is part of the threat.
Blind acceptance that results in Welsh politicians pimping Wales out to renewable energy companies. And obeying the diktats of the green-haired and the swivel-eyed in various pressure groups.
As if that wasn’t bad enough . . . I’m told there are 873 environmental gangs operating in Wales, and there’ll be more by the time you read this. All demanding public funding . . . and privately-owned land.
Also corporations, hedge funds, and other investors seeking to buy farms in order to plant trees and make huge profits from ‘carbon sequestration’. A scam within a scam. Or even, as now seems to be the case with Coleg Soros, for rewilding.
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JUDGED BY THE COMPANY WE KEEP
Let me make it clear that just because someone does business in exotic locales, where the application of rules may be ‘lax’, does not imply wrongdoing.
That said, I did turn up something that might cause concern, when I ran across this document, from which I’ve extracted the entry below. It links David Crichton-Watt, or his Asian Investment Management Services Ltd, with Lutea Trustees.
The document is produced by:
‘The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority is a private American corporation that acts as a self-regulatory organization that regulates member brokerage firms and exchange markets‘, based in Washington, DC.
Naturally, I got to wondering about Lutea. So I did another search. And turned up this document from the Jersey Financial Services Commission from 2022.
This is quite serious. ‘ML’ is money laundering, and ‘TF’ is terrorist financing.
The finger is firmly pointed at Andrew Mark Hicks. Who the Jersey Financial Services Commission has now barred from working in finance.
For at the end of the day, and as the Lutea website reminds us – ‘It’s all about trust‘.
I’m not for one minute suggesting that David Crichton-Watt and his wife are involved in money laundering or terrorist financing, but a connection with an outfit like Lutea doesn’t help anybody’s reputation.
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QUESTIONS
So, does Coleg Soros, or ‘Welsh Government’, Powys county council, or any other bugger, care where the money arriving in Talgarth originates? Or how it’s made?
If not, then it’s up to the rest of us, who do care, to keep asking questions.
♦ end ♦
© Royston Jones 2024
Slightly off topic but I discovered your blog recently and while your work is brilliant it’s has made me lose all hope. As a 17 year old it seemed to me that Welsh culture was bigger than ever , the language revived etc. Your blog has brought to my attention the massive issues Wales faces. The lack of a real nationalist party, only 60% of Wales identifying as Welsh, the hordes of English settlers and the destruction of the y fro gymraeg. So my question to you is. How bad is the state we are in ? Is it too late to fix this ? Should I as a young nationalist give up ? or are we in a better state than we were in the 60s ? If there’s still a chance what do you hope to see from the youth ? A return to radical action of the past or a move to a political movement? Once again fantastic work but it has made me feel as if wales is doomed and will be unrecognisable in my lifetime.
It sounds to me like you should be on some GCHQ list.
Please tell me what irks you so around:
“The lack of a real nationalist party, only 60% of Wales identifying as Welsh, the hordes of English settlers”
It worries me you mention “A return to radical action of the past”
When my wife was subjected to a letter bomb simply because her Father added English words to an advertising board.
If I met you, I’d tell you to grow TF up. Assuming I managed to do that before punching you
I don’t know you, or your family history, but please don’t come on this blog threatening physical violence against others commenting. The concerns expressed, against a people becoming a minority in its own country, is perfectly legitimate.
He may be bigger and harder than you though, mush!
To Enstumar. Can you not offer an intelligent answer to an intelligent question from Harry. You have managed to make a fool of yourself on this blog with your stupid comments. I hope Jac decides to block any further rude comments from you especially as you do not have the courage to provide your name as Harry has done.
Wales was much better in the 1960s. More jobs in a country that was recognisably more Welsh.
Don’t give up, and don’t think of ‘a return to radical action’. Back in the 60s’s if you were in the game you were physically followed, your mail was intercepted, you had to worry about agents provocateurs. But it was all physical, visible, on a fairly level playing field. With today’s technology the state has a massive advantage. So stay clear. Especially of anybody trying to sucker you in.
Wales is not doomed, but devolution has been a disaster. Too many have been prepared to accept the decline out of fear that to condemn it would be to attack devolution itself. We are now passing that point. The biggest defenders of devolution are the ones who’ve benefited most from the decline in the rest of the country.
My strongest advice would be to focus on Wales. Don’t get dragged off-course with socialism and it’s 1001 anti-West ishoos. And join Gwlad.
Further to my point above, I’ve been told by a big wheel in the party that there are a few English members of Gwlad. This is more heartening to my mind than there being equivalents in Plaid, as of course there’s every chance it’s wokeism that’s drawn them there rather than a love for their adopted homeland.
The problem there is in attempting to ‘broaden its base’, to ‘reach out’ to those who have moved to Wales, Plaid was prepared to abandon its core principles. For example, Plaid’s commitment to the language avoids the geographic dimension, you’ll never hear the term ‘Fro Gymraeg’ used. It also meant stressing socialism, and green issues, above specifically Welsh concerns.
Gwlad should appeal to those who’ve moved to Wales, believe independence is the best, long-term option, but have no time for Plaid’s juvenile socialism.
Why the avoidance of mentioning Y Fro? And it is a tricky line to walk in a way, as whatever anyone feels about it, our English-born population is here, and here to stay, unless anyone is seeking to create some sort of homogenised ethnostate. It therefore makes sense to reach out, but not in a pleading, simpering sort of way either.
I believe independence and full statehood will be good medicine for the English amongst us who sneer and look down their noses. Would they try such antics in Ireland, for instance? Knowing they are now living in a ‘proper’ country should temper such bigoted impulses. I would like to think such sorts are a minority, as I’ve never actually encountered anyone like that in my travels, though I don’t doubt such sentiments exist, whether overt or through unconscious biases.
I’m torn between gwlad and propel. I align more with gwlad but see more of a future for propel under the charismatic leadership of Mcevoy
Another unrelated comment but I think I and many others would love a book from you recounting your days in the height of the nationalist movement.
My role was minor, but I was there, and I knew most of the main players. Even those I didn’t know in the ’60s, like John Jenkins, I got to know in later years.
I’ve got three observations which may cheer you up a bit:
Independence is being taken more seriously as a prospect than at any time I can remember in my 40 years. Whatever YesCymru might be, they have undoubtedly had a big hand in it no longer being perceived as a fringe movement.
Welsh-only identity is, if I recall correctly from the census, a majority position, at 55%. I’m not sure of the makeup of the varying Welsh/British responses (equally/less than/more than) but of those there will still be people who are in favour of, or amenable to Independence. I wouldn’t give the census-takers the satisfaction of saying so myself, but I’m a Welsh Republican who will always retain a British (and European) identity also, absent of any concurrent desire to continue with a British state.
I know a good few English people who live in Bangor and every one I’ve spoken to on the matter is for independence. So yes they are obviously our largest minority and it stands to reason geographically, but their numbers need not be an insurmountable hurdle with a welcoming approach and the case being made that a better run country benefits all of us.
That had made me more hopeful diolch
It’s interesting how breakaway states still end up intertwined with their erstwhile rulers. Belarus is still very much in bed with Russia, with the Union State. The 26 counties retained full reciprocal citizenship rights with the UK through the Common Travel Area. I wonder seeing that 20% of our population is ‘ethnic English’ what sort of hold would be retained over us post-independence. Obviously I’d like ties to be retained in kinship and trade, etc, but if the soft power of the larger state solidifies to a point where we’re back where we started, what’s the point?
I’m afraid that it reached the stage that it’s become self perpetuating. With all the funny money for green energy sloshing about, people are realising that if they don’t agree to it on their land, next door will have it instead so the area and landscape is still ruined but someone else has taken the cash. Therefore they reluctantly agree. I think things are likely to get considerably worse.
Dividing the farming community is obviously part of the strategy. And as you point out, how can anybody say no?
There is a new documentary film out called Grab. Its about the buying up of global resources by corporations and state in the fight for food and resources. Ad we face setious soil degredation and food scarcity ad a result of over population and climate change. I know you wfft wfft it Jac but it is occuring.
I believe you. Someone else recommended that. I found the trailer but I can’t find the film itself. Can you help?
From what I have found it’s available on Prime Video US or Apple TV
Thanks. Will check them out.
Not available on Apple. I’m with Prime, and I tried to buy it from the US site but it wouldn’t accept my payment because i’m outside the US.
VPN and Google Pay/PayPal?
Might give it a try. My VPN is set to Glasgow, so I’ll try changing it to Chicago and see if those that’ve rejected me accept it. Or I might even wait ’til it’s released over here.
There’s always that *other* Pirate Bay (i.e. not the one that’s a frequent ‘star’ on here) 😉
The route which Putin can by-pass western sanctions is by proxy.
The proxy can be by two means (a) satellite countries like China and Kazakstan, and (b) enablers of extreme wealth to channel the cash, usually via dealings in ‘tax havens’, institutions of opacity. It’s very energy intensive to make cement and have no doubt they have a Russian deal of cheap supply, and of course China is a gobbler of construction materials both at home and mega-projects abroad. This is where the money comes from.
Another feature for such a tenure is a local (often corrupt in the third world) patsy with government connections. You will see Sophie Howe becoming a trustee of Black Mountains College Project. She is a Labour golden girl and former Future Generations Commissioner, worked for an MP and special advisor to the Welsh Government.
It’s not only the £1m cash that’s landed, but also the influence that come with it. The ‘rewilding’ gambit is just the wrapping paper.
The £1m I referred to was not cash, but was paid for a farm that was virtually gifted to Coleg Soros.
Perhaps of more interest is the piece from earlier in the week about another Caledonian gent making money out in the Orient. The one involved with Rewilding Wealth Ltd, another offshore company. I’d love to know what justified a share issue to the value of £4.5m for Black Mountains College Operations Ltd.
There’s a lot of interest in Coleg Soros from people with no obvious connection to Wales and so I wonder what’s going on.
P.S. And don’t forget that Sophie Howe was also deputy PCC under Alun Michael.
I don’t know anything about the individuals you mentioned but dodgy investment portfolios are common globally and, apparently, especially so in the UK.
According to the UK’s deputy foreign secretary, Andrew Mitchell, the City of London and its crown dependencies handle close to 40% of the world’s dirty money.
There have been persistent rumours that this, for the rich people who financed it, was one of the primary reasons for Brexit. Lots of the financial elite were afraid of the increasingly tight financial rules being imposed upon them by the EU.
Led by newspapers owned by billionaires, the terminally guillible English voter was tempted by promises of blue passports and bendy cucumbers to destroy their personal standard of living and freedoms so that the rich might thrive.
The only bit of good news is that ,apparently, the masses have arise from their stupour and the Brexit promoting Tories are about to be be destroyed and humiliated in the next UK General Election.
Looks like the much exaggerated concept of the rise of the right is about to to crash headlong into the concrete ceiling of reality.
Dear me, what a pity, never mind.
I’m not sure the impending defeat for Sunak and his gang has anything to do with Brexit. Those like you, still in mourning, wouldn’t have voted Tory anyway. There are other reasons in play.
There will undoubtedly be a contingent voting Reform because the Brexit delivered wasn’t ‘hard’ enough for their liking, with a (misplaced?) sense that if only it were would the full economic gains promised have been realised.
In the piece I’m working on I’ll explain why I’m voting Reform. Brexit hardly gets a mention. Brexit may still be a cause for Remainers, but most people have moved on. Now it’s net zero, the ‘climate crisis’, and of course immigration.
I’ve never bought Nige’s “I’m yer mate”, pints-N-fags schtick, he’s as establishment as all of them, but Reform are undoubtedly presently best placed to upset the two party apple cart. Or, put more colourfully, to fuck shit up.
And civil rights, Jac. Covid/Canada and media manipulation scared me and put a Bill of Rights ar the heart of everything. Protections against the ability of the State to do things to us. Wales needs one. Yes the following are floating around: UK Bill of Rights 1689 (eh?!), ECHR, first 10 Amendments to the US Constitution. Nothing would beat Wales drawing up its own, because I can’t rely on any of the others. Another sparkling piece btw, Jac
The political establishment in Wales has persuaded itself that with hate speech laws, enforced diversity, accepting women with penises, and of course vilifying opponents, it is creating the perfect society in which the kind of legislation you suggest is unnecessary. A more cynical view might be that an illiberal woke-green-left dictatorship doesn’t want to debate issues like a Bill of Rights because they’d have to make concessions.