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Indian-origin expat in Dubai wins a private island in Canada

I don’t even know what an Ejari looks like, he said.

An expat in his 20s, who still lives with his parents in Dubai and has never seen a house rental contract, has been awarded a six-acre island in Canada.

Brenden Lopes, a Portuguese national with Indian origins, told Khaleej Times he has won the ’Win a Private Island’ competition by Liv, a digital-only lifestyle bank by Emirates NBD.

The 27-year-old filmmaker and DJ also won Dh100,000 cash prize as part of the campaign, which required participants to be regular Liv users and earn loyalty points.

The Hollpoint Island is the size of five football fields and is located in Nova Scotia in Canada. Figures online show that private islands in that location have an estimate price tag of $50,000 to $100,000.

"I don’t even know what an Ejari contract looks like, I don’t have a house of my own, I still live with my parents - and now I own an island. I can’t believe it," Lopes told Khaleej Times.

"The first thought that came to my mind when I won the Dh100,000 is to help my relatives. With the island, I’m still not sure what I’m going to do. I’m just 27 and I don’t know what people my age do with islands they own. Most of the times, I don’t even have my room completely to myself."

Lopes is planning to travel to Nova Scotia and see the island and will then decide what he’ll do with it.

The campaign by Liv was launched in April this year. Customers with the highest Livion points each month, along with 15 randomly chosen customers, were picked as the finalists for the promotion. The 20 finalists then participated in a group competition.

Details of the island:

Name: Hollpoint Island/ Hurricane island

Size: Approximately 6 acres

Location: Guysborough County

Country/State: Nova Scotia, Canada

Region: Canada East/Central