$70m to repair $32m THA hotels

Health Secretary Tracy Davidson-Celestine has defended the purchase of Manta Lodge and Sanctuary Villas when she was in charge of tourism division in 2015.  -
Health Secretary Tracy Davidson-Celestine has defended the purchase of Manta Lodge and Sanctuary Villas when she was in charge of tourism division in 2015. -

THE money to repair Manta Lodge and Sanctuary Villas will cost more than twice the amount the THA spent in 2015 to purchase the two properties.

The disclosure was made on Friday by Chief Secretary Ancil Dennis in a phone interview with Newsday.

In 2015, the Assembly spent $32 million to purchase Sanctuary Villas at Black Rock and Manta Lodge at Speyside. Since then, the THA has left both accommodation venues unattended and non-operational. The hotels are now in a significant state of disrepair and sparked questions about the squandering of money by the THA.

After five years, the THA has finally taken a decision on the way forward with the properties.

Dennis said on Friday, “One of the hotels, which is the smaller one, Manta Lodge, approval was given by the Executive Council last Wednesday to engage Udecott to refurbish that hotel for a cost of $10 million. Following that refurbishment, Udecott, given their experience with managing the Hyatt, will submit to us a proposal for managing that hotel on behalf of the Assembly, until such time when we can engage maybe a private and reputable operator to mange that establishment. But work is expected to start within the next month.”

Dennis said the plan to renovate Sanctuary Villas has been placed on the back burner.

“Sanctuary, on the other hand, because of the high cost to refurbish that which is estimated at $60 million, that would have to wait for the new financial year because we do not have the funding to treat with that at this particular time.”

In an immediate response, Minority Leader Watson Duke said the PNM-led THA must accept blame for allowing the properties to become derelict.

He said, "That Speyside Manta Lodge would not have required all that money had they upon purchasing it started minor maintenance. I visited recently and while the structure is structurally sound, there are little paintings and little cleaning and power washing to be done and maybe changing the face of the building to give it a more modern, exciting type of look.”

Duke also criticised the cost of repairs which he felt was exorbitant.

“It doesn’t cost that amount of money, I can tell you that. For election purposes they are saying $10 million. Ten million dollars could build a whole building, but they are spending $10 million to renovate the same building, that doesn’t make sense."

The Progressive Democratic Patriots political leader believes Sanctuary Villas should have been prioritised as it was the more income-generating of the properties.

"Before one thinks about investing in repair works for a hotel, they must ask themselves which hotel stands to bring you more money. In my estimation, Sanctuary Villas stands to bring Tobago more money; its location and that could actually go to make them a five-star hotel, but you need to find the money. You would get more out of your dollar if you were to fix Sanctuary Villas first,” he said.

Duke said there won't be any returns from Manta Lodge in the near future.

“To me, the diving season is when the water is clear. We’re into the hurricane season and Manta Lodge is really a dive hotel... I don’t think that should be fixed during the rainy season, that is a poor choice”

Responding to questions during a virtual media conference recently, Health Secretary Davidson-Celestine defended the purchase of Sanctuary Villa and Manta Lodge while she was the secretary of tourism.

She said the division was approached to purchase a package of hotels and there were several hotels in Tobago under mortgage and loans were not being serviced. Davidson-Celestine said the funds were secured by the Assembly and everything was approved by the Executive Council at that time. She stressed that no money was being wasted and there was just a delay of the delivery of projects.

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