Sandals project delayed

UPDATED:

The Sandals Resort project in Tobago has not been shelved, it has been delayed “slightly” owing to other priorities, and the Sandals group may be wary of its “welcome” here, says Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley.

“Two things have happened since the original impetus on this matter. Sandals has had other offers from other Caribbean territories which have been more welcoming than Trinidad and Tobago,” he said.

Asked about the status of the project at yesterday’s sitting of the House of Representatives, Rowley said, “They have currently replaced the Tobago interest with a Barbados interest.”

The major hurricanes that hit the Caribbean earlier this year, he said, have damaged some of Sandals’ properties in the north and they are giving those priority.

“I think they are also very wary of the kinds of welcome they might have in Trinidad and Tobago.”

At present, Rowley said Government and Sandals had signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the company in which Sandals had agreed that, if a facility was made available, they would brand it and provide the management operations.

Proposed site for Sandals Tobago. IMAGE COURTESY AFRARAYMOND.NET

Initially, Government was anticipating greater urgency in getting the project started with Sandals, which is currently undertaking six projects.

“Initially we thought we would have been at number two on the scale of things, and now we are pretty much at number five,” he said.

In the meantime, Rowley said, having signed the MOU, government had obtained the site and there were gestational works to be done, like surveys.

“Hopefully we will get to the stage where we will conclude the agreement with respect to the nature of the project.”

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