New era for Tobago as PM hints of return of Sandals, new marina

SIX years after it withdrew plans to construct a hotel in Tobago owing to negative publicity, the outgoing Prime Minister revealed he has spoken to the leadership of the Sandals resort chain and they are willing to resume talks with the government to possibly build a hotel on the island.

He said the new airport and a marina planned to be constructed near Magdalena Resort opened a new era of economic activity for the island.

Dr Rowley was speaking on March 15 while at a ceremony to mark the practical completion of the new terminal building at the ANR Robinson International Airport, Crown Point, Tobago.

It was Rowley’s penultimate public engagement as prime minister. He steps down as head of the government on May 16, ending a 45-year career in public life, which began in 1980 when he unsuccessfully contested the Tobago West seat in that year’s general election.

He is being replaced by Energy Minister Stuart Young, SC, who is expected to be sworn in on March 17 at President’s House, St Ann’s.

Rowley’s departure coincides with the PNM special convention and presentation of candidates for the general election at Woodford Square, Port of Spain. Both Rowley and Young are expected to address the rally at Woodford Square.

Addressing a gathering of more than 1,600 guests, Rowley recalled the circumstances which prompted Sandals to pull out of the project in January 2019.

“The Sandals people, on the invitation of the government of TT had looked at Tobago and agreed that Tobago was a place that they would invest. But we chased them away, accused them of all manner of evil, telling lies on them, trying to embarrass them, trying to damage their product,” he said.

But he said he recently spoke to the leadership at Sandals and “asked them to come look at us again.

“And if I was the problem, I wouldn’t be there tomorrow (May 16),” he said, alluding to his departure as prime minister.

Saying the resort chain’s executive chairman Adam Stewart had agreed to come to Tobago, Rowley pleaded with Tobago House of Assembly Chief Secretary Farley Augustine and Progressive Democratic Patriots political leader Watson Duke to support the project. Both Augustine and Duke had reservations about the project six years ago.

Rowley said Sandals’ decision to pull out of the project was his biggest regret as prime minister.

“I can tell you, those of you who know that today (May 15) is my last working day, I have been asked in the last few months very frequently what regrets do you have and said, ‘I don’t really have any regrets that I sacrificed my career as a university scientist to become a politician in TT. I don’t regret that.

“But I am extremely saddened by the fact that our attempt to bring the Sandals model to Tobago failed as a result of Tobagonians not embracing it in the way that they should.”

He went on, “The reason for that, I must say, is that some of my political colleagues believe that they can separate the national success from political success.

“But the point is, if good comes for the people in Tobago, it comes for all of us. And if failure comes, it comes for all of us.

“There should be no situation where one is saying that the only way that I could succeed politically is if I make sure that the government of the day fails, because any time the government of the day fails, it doesn’t matter which government it is, then we the people of TT, we will fail in different measures, but all of us will fail.”

He said when Sandals pulled out, Tobago did not just lose quality hotel rooms, it also lost the opportunity for professional training in service and hospitality.

Rowley said the resort has a university as part of its offerings, where people are trained in hospitality.

At a news conference on January 15, 2019, Sandals CEO Gebhard Rainer explained the company's decision to withdraw from the project then was because of negative publicity as the main reason.

There were concerns raised at that time by some people about damage to the environment and whether proper clearance was obtained to build the hotel.

Rowley said all of Tobago, regardless of political affiliation, should embrace the airport and all that it will bring to the island.

“Let us join hands regardless of what colour our election jersey is, let us join hands regardless of which part of Tobago you come from or who you have been voting for and let us all say that Tobago has now moved into the modern era of the economy of Trinidad and Tobago and what we have we will use, what we don’t have we will build and at the end of the day, we all must benefit from those successes.”

Rowley, who unveiled a commemorative plaque and toured the new terminal, said plans are also on stream to construct a modern marina on the island near the Magdalena Grand Beach and Golf Resort, Lowlands.

He said such a facility would complement the new airport.

“The other missing component is a marina. We used to have international deep-sea fishing contests right here in Tobago and eventually, that died.

“You know why it died because fishing vessels that used to come from Guadeloupe, from Martinique, from Barbados and come here have that major event. There is nowhere in Tobago you could pull up a boat and refuel it. Come on, people, we not serious.”

Rowley added, “In every other port that I have been fishing, at the end of the day you pull up alongside the jetty and you full up and you ready for the next day. In Tobago, you have to get pan and gallon pan and go in town and come back…primitive, obsolete.”

He said a marina will attract the sea-faring thousands that pass through the Caribbean.

“If you are coming from Europe, Tobago and Barbados are your first ports of call, with Barbados being a bit further north, Tobago being a bit further south.”

A marina, Rowley said, will also create jobs for Tobagonians.

“Maintenance of every vessel creates jobs and they pay for it in foreign currency. Nobody coming to pay you in TT dollars.

“We have the skills for a lot of sea-faring yachts and mega boats, they love to use teak on those vessels. We have natural teak in Trinidad and in Tobago sometimes.”

On the issue of autonomy, Rowley said there is a role for central government and the THA in making it a reality.

“We do have something now. We do have some element of autonomy now. We do have some executive authority in Tobago now and we also have a responsibility as the central government. And that is why the central government has taken the lead of delivering this project to the people of Tobago, THA or no THA.”