“I would like this application to be struck out as it is just wrong in so many ways. I have included 8 witness statements: 4 from myself; 1 from my wife; 2 from employees re investigation; 1 pair of letters.”
“I believe SJ is unsuitable in any capacity where the family’s welfare is concerned.”
“I disagree with my brother’s objection and request the court to honour my father’s initial recommended deputies, BQ and SJ. BQ and SJ have known my parents for almost their entire lives. Their mother was my mother’s cousin and best friend. SJ was a bridesmaid at my parents’ wedding (BQ was there too). Together they are the named executors of my parents’ wills and were assigned power of attorney by my father. They were always my closest relatives growing up and were completely trusted by my parents and myself. This is why they were recommended as deputies by my father. I am a successful hotelier and have worked for [a leading company in the hotel industry] my entire 28 year career. I left the UK in 1999 and have worked in the USA, the Caribbean and Malaysia. I currently reside in Singapore, where I am regional general manager responsible for seven properties. My parents used to travel to visit myself and my family but, due to their failing health, these visits stopped five years ago. Since then I have visited them twice annually and phone weekly. Unfortunately, due to living abroad, there has been a limit as to what assistance I have been able to offer. I rely on my brother and friends and family to keep me appraised of my parents’ condition. In 2013 my mother’s mental health deteriorated and my father was no longer able to provide adequate care. He decided that she needed to be admitted to a care home. We discussed power of attorney (POA) and at this time my father advised me that, due to me living so far away, it was impractical for me to grant POA or be a deputy for the Court of Protection. I agreed with his decision. My father also advised me that my brother, IW, would not be a deputy or POA. We have always been treated the same by our parents and he could not select one and not the other. Also he recognised that myself and my brother were very different and there would be disagreements on decisions that would negatively impact the family. For this reason he selected BQ and SJ to make impartial, unbiased decisions on behalf of himself and also my mother. I agreed with his decision. My brother and I are very different and do not get along due to our differences. Our communication over the past ten years has been minimal. We only speak to discuss my parents. However, it is extremely difficult to have a sensible conversation with my brother without him becoming very angry. Living close to my parents, he has regularly visited my parents, though he does not keep me adequately informed of their medical condition or status due to our strained relations. My brother for the past twenty years has run his own company with money initially loaned by my parents. Earlier this year this company went into voluntary liquidation with significant debt. This includes money loaned and gifted from my parents. My father advised me that this loan was yet to be repaid. This money potentially can be used to pay for care needed for my mother and father. For the reasons given, my brother should not be named a deputy by the court. My brother objects to SJ being appointed a deputy due to a personal disagreement between them. … This is a personal matter between them and has nothing to do with my mother or father’s affairs. Despite their poor relations, I still believe SJ, as well as BQ, are best placed to make unbiased, sensible decisions regarding my mother’s property, financial and welfare matters. Regarding my father, ARW, regrettably since submitting the request to the court his own health has deteriorated significantly. My father was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in Autumn 2014, though my brother did not inform me until April 2015. Due to his deteriorating health, I do not object to my father not being appointed a deputy by the court. With BQ and SJ already having POA over my father’s affairs, I strongly recommend that the court also appoint them as deputies for my mother, as per my father’s initial request. My parents’ well-being is my only concern.”
“IW has a financial conflict with his parents as managing director of a company that has recently gone into liquidation and owing thousands of pounds of personal loans to his parents. A copy of the statement was included in the original application. I do not consider him to have the business acumen to be able to hold accurate accounts for the court to examine periodically. My brother and I were asked by both PAW and ARW if we would act on their behalf and look after their finances in the event they were not able to do it themselves.”