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SECURITIES COMMISSION OF THE BAHAMAS
PRESS RELEASE - FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
RE:
THE COMMISSION APPROVES RELEASE OF KERZNER
INTERNATIONAL BAHAMIAN DEPOSITORY RECEIPTS (BDRs)
TO THE PUBLIC
June 17,
2004
Office of the Securities Commission Charlotte House, Charlotte Street
Nassau, Bahamas, June 16, 2004 – The Securities Commission of The
Bahamas (“the Commission”) advises that effective June 16, 2004 it has
exempted the Offering Memorandum (“the Offering Memorandum”) dated June
14, 2004 for the issue of 10,000,000 Bahamian Depositary Receipts (“BDRs”)
in Kerzner International Limited from registration with the Commission
pursuant to Section 54(7)(c) of the Securities Industry Act, 1999.
This
exemption from registration was granted based on various considerations by
the Commission including the following:
-
the
offer is being made by an internationally listed company with a
significant nexus to the Bahamas through its substantial physical
presence;
-
the
shares of Kerzner International Limited are listed and regulated by The
US Securities and Exchange Commission and The New York Stock Exchange
and thus there is a significant level of regulation being conducted
internationally; and
-
the
BDRs will be listed on the Bahamas International Securities Exchange (“BISX”).
The
Commission emphasizes however, that in spite of the exemption granted, the
BDRs will nonetheless be subject to regulation by both BISX and the
Commission. The Commission has responsibility for approving BISX rules.
A part of its consideration of the appropriateness of the exemption was
made subject to inter alia the Commission being satisfied that the
offering memorandum complied with the approved BISX BDR rules. Thus the
Commission was substantially involved from a regulatory perspective in
ensuring that the Offering Memorandum was regulatory compliant. Further,
under the approved BISX rules the depository for the BDRs are subject to
various ongoing regulatory requirements, which although administered by
BISX are over sighted by the Commission.
Further, the Commission notes that this exemption is not a precedent
setting initiative and any future applications would be considered on its
own merits. This exemption is therefore being granted for this offer only,
and future issues of BDRs may be required to register their offering
Memorandum with the Commission pursuant to Section 54(1) of The Securities
Industry Act, 1999 unless the Commission deems it appropriate to exempt
such issues in the future.
The
Commission advises that as a result of this approval the issuer is now
authorized to distribute its Offering Memorandum dated June 14, 2004 for
the issue of 10,000,000 Bahamian Depositary Receipts (“BDRs”) in Kerzner
International Limited (KZL) to the public.
The
Commission further advises the public that the required Government
approvals of the categories of investors eligible to participate in the
offering were received only in respect of some of the categories of
“eligible investors” as defined in the Offering Memorandum. Thus the
offer is ONLY available to the following categories of persons:
-
Citizens of The Bahamas;
-
Permanent Residents of The Bahamas with the unrestricted right to work
endorsed on their certificates of Permanent Residence; and
-
Companies or other investment vehicles (e.g. Trusts or Settlements)
wholly-owned by, or whose beneficiaries are wholly comprised of,
individuals included in categories (i) and (ii) above.
The
offer is NOT available to the following categories of persons:
-
Persons treated as Temporary Residents of The Bahamas for Exchange
Control purposes (i.e., holders of a work permit) and Permanent
Residents with a restricted right to work; and
-
Companies designated “Resident” for Exchange Control purposes in The
Bahamas with some degree of non-Bahamian ownership and that in the
normal course of their business activities invest in securities, i.e.,
insurance companies and other financial services providers.
In
this regard, the Commission has directed the issuer to publish notices of
these changes in the eligibility of investors as stipulated in the
Offering Memorandum in both the print and electronic media throughout the
period of the offer.
The
Securities Commission of The Bahamas
3rd
Floor, Charlotte House
Charlotte Street
P.O.
Box N-8347
By
fax to: (242) 356-7530
By email to:
info@scb.gov.bs
Website:
www.scb.gov.bs

For more information please contact:
Mechelle Martinborough
Telephone: (242)
356-6291/2
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