Wars for richlister
taste in the mouths of some locals.
Lyndon says locals paid almost $600 to have water delivered by truck when their tanks turned dry every summer. irrigation request was the community’s first run in with him and it took most by surprise. ‘‘Will this become a big brother relationship? The have and the have nots?’’
Lyndon believes a divide has been created in the community between the 50 or so farmers, landscapers and wait staff who work at the lodge, and those who don’t.
Seel says Abramov and his family loved New Zealand but would not comment on whether he was considering becoming a citizen.
But he agreed that Abramov’s contribution to the local economy was ‘‘enormous’’, and the lodge was the ‘‘golden goose’’ that would continue to benefit the community by employing locals and bringing in rich tourists willing to spend upwards of $50,000 a visit.
‘‘We can go away with a clear conscious knowing that we have really delivered substantially to the whole community. I think it is just overwhelmingly obvious that we have done that.’’
But Seve, who eats watercress from the muddy creek an arm’s length from Abramov’s automatic gates, was not convinced.
‘‘Life is not fair… money talks. It is no different when someone comes in and just waves money around. We are not as open in this country about people who can come in here and buy their way. It is probably our worst kept secret.’’