Purvis loved Cuba.

Escaping what he saw as the risk of a pre-ordained

suburban middle-class life in Wimbledon, the architect and his wife seized
the opportunity to move to the island 17 years ago. He had been offered a
job as development director with Coral Capital, an investment
andTRADING COMPANY . It was one of several small foreign firms
almost all led by maverick, adventurous individuals that were setting up
in Cuba as the country sought international partners following the collapse
of the Soviet Union. Purviss job was to look for joint venture opportunities
with the Cuban government. The planned projects included the first golf
course to be constructed there since the 1959 revolution, and the revamp of
a formerly glamorous hotel, the Saratoga.