Chief Sec: Manta Lodge handover in 2 weeks

THA Chief Secretary Farley Augustine says the Manta Lodge hotel should be delivered to the people of Tobago in two weeks.

The Speyside dive resort cost the former PNM-led THA $5 million to purchase in 2015, but was left non-operational and in a significant state of disrepair.

In 2020, former chief secretary Ancil Dennis revealed that no feasibility study was done prior to the THA spending $32 million to purchase Manta Lodge and Black Rock-based Sanctuary Villa.

In April 2021, Dennis said renovations works, estimated at $14 million by project manager Udecott, would transform Manta Lodge into a 24-room two-star hotel. He said the THA would focus on Manta Lodge as the scope of works and cost of renovation would be more manageable than Sanctuary Villa.

At a post executive council media briefing on February 9, 2022, Augustine said he met with Udecott officials a week before Christmas 2021 and they had given him an estimated completion time of April 2022.

But speaking on Tuesday at an executive council district town hall meeting at the Parlatuvier Multipurpose Facility, Augustine gave a revised completion time.

“In fact, prior to coming here, my last meeting for the day was with Udecott, and the Manta Lodge hotel should be delivered to us in about two weeks' time,” he told the audience.

Augustine said, however, more time will be needed for its official reopening.

“We have to do some work along the main road. We have to provide a solution for parking. We can’t have a hotel where we have less than ten spaces for cars to park. That is not really a hotel you have. That is somebody private house. That is a villa. So we have to find a solution for parking.”

He said the THA is also exploring the possibility of utilising the area where the water wheel is located “so that piece of architectural and historical asset will be now valued in a different way by the community.

“We have to do the repairs and protect it.”

Augustine also gave an update on the long-awaited Parlatuvier Fishing Depot. He recalled a foundation was laid many years ago.

“It was just a concrete slab on posts and finally, within one year of being in office, we were able to start that project. That is ongoing.”

Although the THA met with the fishermen in the area to determine the sort of facility they wanted, Augustine recalled, “Regrettably, by the time the contractor came in and started, the contractor started on a different note than we agreed to. The contractor came in, just started and what we had agreed to do – initially reposition the fisherfolk as opposed to forcing the fisherfolk to reposition themselves – that did not happen.”

He apologised to the fishermen.

“Nonetheless, the contractor has started the work on the fishing depot and that fishing depot right here in Parlatuvier, the design of it came from recommendations made by the fisherfolk.”

Among its amenities, Augustine said, are facilities for storing gas and fuel.

“We actually listened to what you wanted out of a fishing depot.”