STAFF from troubled Caribbean investment firm Harlequin Property are collectively owed £1million in unpaid commissions.

Around 40 staff worked at the head office in Honywood Road, Basildon, before it called in administrators in April.

Many were involved in commission based sales of its investments in off-plan properties at planned luxury Caribbean holiday resorts.

The Harlequin Group - made up of the Basildon sales business and several offshore development companies - sold around 6,000 investments, but has so far built just 300 of them at Buccament Bay in St Vincent.

An adminsitrator's report released today by accountants Shipleys LLP said some staff were laid off before the firm was brought in.

It also revealed the overseas development companies owe a total of £86million to the Basildon sales company and the administrators said there was no certainty of recovering the debts and are still making enquiries as to how they occurred.

The adminsitration came after the Serious Fraud Office and Essex Police announced they were investigating the business.