SANDALS LOST

BLAMING “negative publicity” and a “consistent badgering”, Sandals Resorts International CEO Gebhard Rainer said yesterday the company is no longer interested in building a hotel at Buccoo in Tobago at this time, but will go where they are more appreciated.

He was speaking at a news conference hosted by Communications Minister Stuart Young at the Office of the Prime Minister, St Clair.

Young vowed to seek new opportunities, saying, “We believe in Tobago.” Rainer announced the withdrawal as “unfortunate.”

“The reason is the constant and ongoing negative publicity and media coverage we have received over the last two-and-a-half years since the inception of the project.”

“It is taking on a dynamic we are not willing to carry on any longer.”

Thanking his hosts, Rainer said, “From the beginning there has never been a shadow of a doubt as to what the Prime Minister and the minister intended to do was for the good of Trinidad and Tobago – a very transparent process.”

He said the integrity of Sandals benefits its host communities.

Rainer said without a contract, the MOU created no liability for the Government to Sandals which will pay its own costs of the talks.

He alleged, negative reporting in TT that had failed to say how Sandals had benefited other Caribbean islands, by boosting local agriculture, transport, taxes and local hotels, had a part to play.

“So it is with great sadness, and it is very unfortunate, we have to take this step but we believe it is best at this point in time to withdraw Sandals from this project and focus our resources in areas where we can be more effective.”

Young thanked Sandals, and vowed to continue to seek new opportunities for Tobago.

“Today what we’ve heard is the loss of an opportunity due to the negativity put on the Sandals brand only by a handful of people.” He said few people had a Fortune 500 company (such as Sandals). “It is indeed a sad day and a disappointing day.”

Hitting “nay-sayers” and “pontificators” for claiming Sandals got concessions, he denied this, as no contract yet existed.

Rainer said the social-media era now carries criticism far and wide quickly, even as he alleged a “consistent badgering.” Young said while Sandals liked Tobago, they disliked facing a “persistent negativity.”

Asked if critics had really chased out Sandals, Young said Sandals must manage its brand reputation, yet had attracted extraordinary attention in TT.

Rainer said the media must be objective, but the company had reached its limit. “It is time for us to move on and use our resources in places where we can make a quicker commercial game from it.”