Coco Reef ex-manager sues over dismissal

The former general manager of the Coco Reef resort in Tobago is seeking multi-million-dollar compensation after he was terminated.

Eric Feniet, 51, has made startling claims in his lawsuit against hotel magnate John Jefferis, which was filed in the Supreme Court last week.

Feniet, who was recruited at the age of 26, worked at the resort for 25 years, moving up from food and beverage manager to general manager and director.

In May, he received notice that his position was being made redundant owing to the economic consequences of the covid19 pandemic, but he claims three months later, a new resort director was appointed to fill his position.

In response to Feniet's lawsuit, attorneys from the firm M Hamel-Smith and Company, representing Jefferis, said, "We see little value in responding to these assertions on a point-by-point basis but suffice it to say that our clients strongly deny same."

The matter has been assigned to Justice Frank Seepersad. No date has yet been fixed for the hearing.

Feniet is being represented by attorneys Terrence Bharath, Esther Gaston, Daniella Bharath and Marina Narinesingh.

Jefferis, 74, who lives in Bermuda, has won many awards over the 50 years he has been in the hotel business and owns hotels in Bermuda and luxury apartments in Cuba.

Feniet was hand-picked by Jefferis in 1995 in England and moved to Tobago to work at Coco Reef, leaving his family and friends behind. He claims that over the years he dedicated his life to the success of the resort and had been promised a US$1.5 million payment as part of his pension benefits.

He also claimed he was promised a parcel of land to build his own home in Tobago, but that too was not fulfilled.

Feniet is also seeking compensation for libel, and produced as part of his court documents an e-mail which suggested his performance as general manager resulted in significant losses at the resort.