Stakeholders who attended a presentation/discussion by Sandals International Resorts on a concept for the development of a hotel in Tobago are calling on the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) and the Government to come clean on the billion-dollar project.
Yesterday, the stakeholders queried if Sandals Resorts were now interested in constructing a 1,000-room hotel at the Buccoo/Golden Grove Estate when it was previously announced as 750 rooms, following a presentation on Monday at the Coco Reef Resort by Sandals deputy chairman and CEO Adam Stewart.
Clico owns Golden Grove Estate which partially surrounds the Bon Accord Lagoon and includes a strip of pristine white-sand beach called No Man’s Land.
The presentation was attended by THA officials, Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister Stuart Young and stakeholders.
Patricia Turpin, president of Environment Tobago, said while the presentation was a concept of the hotel, it did not deal with issues.
“We certainly did not all agree on the presentation. Sandals, the Government and THA did not come clean. We are planning a meeting next month to deal with facts and scientific data for this project, which we would submit to the Government.”
Turpin said the stakeholders left disappointed and dissatisfied because answers were not forthcoming.
While everything has not been cast in stone, Turpin said they would not allow the hotel to be forced down their throats.
“There are some people who do not want it at all. It is becoming a political football,” Turpin said.
In June, Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley announced that Tobago was earmarked for a 750-room Sandals Resort.
Turpin said she was surprised that the conceptual design showed two buildings, a 720-room hotel to the right with a 320-room hotel on the left of the proposed site.
“It’s over 1,000 rooms now. Every minute the rooms are increasing. We are not quite sure. We will oppose anything that does not follow the rule of law.”
Yesterday, Secretary of Tourism and Transportation in the THA Tracy Davidson-Celestine described the presentation as highly productive.
“The stakeholders got a taste of what Sandals has to offer and some of the product offerings across the Caribbean.”
Davidson-Celestine said it was too early to say whether a 1,000- or a 750-room hotel would be built.
“We don’t have that level of detail as yet. At this stage it was just Sandals coming to take a look at Tobago, indicating to the Government and THA that we like what we see and these are the possibilities...and we want to engage you the Government and the people to talk further.”
Asked if No Man’s Land would be touched, Davidson-Celestine said, “As it was indicated in the meeting, we are talking about the Buccoo Estate. No Man’s Land is just one piece of the Buccoo Estate. There was really no discussion surrounding No Man’s Land, but we are looking to see the possibilities of Buccoo Estate,” Davidson-Celestine said.
Tobago hotelier Allan Clovis said the presentation was at its conceptual stage and needed to be worked out, but he felt that the hotel would bring a lot of benefits to Tobago and its economy.
Lecturer Dedan Daniel said he was perplexed with the varying number of hotel rooms.