Coco in the sun: Tobago resort's ex-manager sues over dismissal

SHOCKING claims of hiring escorts for the boss, obeah, questionable money transfers, and off-the-book payments at a prominent Tobago hotel have been made by one of its former managers, who is suing the hotel and its owner for wrongful dismissal and defamation.

Eric Feniet, 51, has made startling claims in his lawsuit against hotel magnate John Jefferis, and wants to be compensated to the tune of millions for the work he did at the Coco Reef resort for the 25 years he worked there.

Feniet testified at a hybrid trial at the Waterfront Judicial Centre, Port of Spain, on Monday, before Justice Frank Seepersad. The trial continues today.

At the start of the hearing, Jefferis’s attorney Martin George told the judge his client was “not of sound mind,” so he would not be able to testify.

In Feniet’s evidence, he said he was recruited at the age of 26, moving up from food and beverage manager to general manager and director of the resort, before he was fired in May 2022, when he was told his position was being made redundant because of the economic consequences of the covid19 pandemic.

Jefferis, 74, lives in Bermuda and owns hotels in Bermuda and luxury apartments in Cuba.

In his testimony, Feniet claims he took care of Jefferis’s wives – one of seven wives and companions – while they were at the resort; secured very young, slender, single women without children as personal assistants who had to have sex with Jefferis during his travels; arranged escorts for him; and also handled his personal affairs.

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.

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

He 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.

During his testimony on Monday, George grilled Feniet on his claims that he procured escorts and young personal assistants for his former boss.

“You knew you were doing something wrong and unlawful.”

Feniet was also accused of wanting Jefferis to be “indebted” to him. “You saw him as an easy target.”

During his cross-examination, Feniet’s attorney Terrance Bharath questioned where George was getting his instructions since he had said his client was “not of sound mind.”

In his claim, Feniet claimed he was required to “perform certain rituals” for the resort’s owner and use his foreign bank account for “under-the-radar” transfers of US funds, since Jeffries could not deposit into his Cuban accounts because of US sanctions on that island.

He said he dedicated his life to the success of the resort, and if he had known he would be dismissed with only three months' payment in lieu of notice, he would not have sacrificed his life, health, family time and well-being for it.