Moonilal calls for Sandals update

Member of Parliament for Oropouche East, Dr Roodal Moonilal, yesterday called on Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley to update the country on the status of the “long-mooted Sandals Resort International project.” He said in a statement that “Dr Rowley must come clean and indicate whether or not Sandals Resort is still interested in establishing an all-inclusive vacation service in Tobago. This is particularly essential in light of an earlier statement by Minister Stuart Young that the Government will wrap up negotiations by the end of September.”

Moonilal said Young had said in mid-August that in a month-and-a-half, the government “will come back to the people of Trinidad and Tobago and tell you” about the completion of the negotiations”.

According to Moonilal, Young had said that “innovative measures” have been approved for the project and that he was “very excited.”

Moonilal said that for two years, the Rowley regime had pinned its hopes on a Sandals project to spur a recovery in the tourism sector, which, he said, “has collapsed under the tenure of the current administration.” He added that “in successive budget presentations, Finance Minister Colm Imbert has spoken loftily of the venture, and in his 2016-17 address he said the resort will serve as ‘a catalyst for development and enhancement of the tourism industry.’ Mr Imbert spoke of Tobago becoming a preferred tourism destination and of the creation of jobs and the boosting of agricultural production.

He projected that the venture will add $500 million a year to the national economy.”