SCARBOROUGH, Tobago – Prime Minister Stuart Young Monday remined optimistic that the Jamaica-based Sandals Resort International will reconsider a decision to build a property in Tobago, six years after it pulled out of a similar project.
Prime Minister Stuart Young speaking to reporters in Tobago following the meeting with the Sandals Group, led by its chairman, Adam Stewart (CMC Photo)Young, speaking to reporters following a meeting between a Sandals delegation led by its chairman, Adam Stewart and stakeholders from Tobago, told reporters that he had urged Sandals to consider making Tobago the sixth property it is considering building in the region.
“He immediately thanked us and said they have five investments right now of new hotels throughout the Caribbean that they are embarking on. I told him make Tobago the sixth.
“He has undertaken that they will go back, they will have the necessary discussions and I am hoping in the not too distant future the Sandals group will take a positive decision, not only to look at Tobago…and indicate to us that they are prepared to brand Tobago as part of their destination packages and to invest in Tobago a Sandals hotel.
“This is a good development. Sometimes, God gives you a second opportunity at something. Sometimes, when you are given a second opportunity, what you do is you look at what happened in the past and if you have to pivot and make certain directional changes you do so.
“What I saw in that room today and the type of conversation and collaborative effort I saw by stakeholders of Tobago, is a very positive thing and …a step in the right direction for Tobago and the people of Tobago,” Yong told reporters.
”I give the undertaking that as Prime Minister, I will do everything in my power to secure the future investment and development in Tobago,” he said, adding that Stewart and his team have departed “and he has gone away to give it hopefully some positive consideration and I expect to hear from him in the not too distant future”.
In January 2019, Sandals Resort International announced that it was pulling out of the Tobago project, one which was expected to be the biggest ever undertaken by the resort group.
The Sandals Resorts was expected to have been a 750 room hotel on the controversial Buccoo Estate, popularly known as No Man’s Land.
The government had acquired the land as part of its efforts to recover a TT$15 billion (One TT dollar=US$0.16 cents) debt owed by CL Financial (CLF).
The then Sandals chief executive officer, Gebhart Rainer, in explaining the company’s decision to withdraw from the project, cited negative publicity as the main reason. Officials in Tobago had complained about the hotel destroying the eco-system in the area.
Describing the situation as unfortunate, Ranier said Sandals was of the view that it was best to withdraw from this project and focus on other areas, given the “negative and ongoing publicity” that has surrounded the project.
Young said prior to meeting with Stewart and the Sandals delegation, the various stakeholders in Tobago, including the politicians, as well as the business community, had met and adopted a resolution in full support of the Jamaica-based hotelier setting up a plant here.
He said the resolution was developed by the Tobago stakeholders with some legal input by him.
“Be it resolved that having had a meeting with the Prime Minister, the Tobago House of Assembly and the Central Government and the team from Sandals Resort, we the leaders and representatives of sectors and interest groups in Tobago have collectively agreed that it is in the best interest of Tobago for us to invite the Sandals group for discussions and negotiations for the bringing to Tobago of Sandals Resort if they so desire”.
Young said it was signed by all persons in the group from Tobago and the Tobago stakeholders.
Young urged all stakeholders “not to spoil a potential opportunity” saying the meeting on Monday was “very cordial, I go beyond cordial types of energy in the room and I am really hoping and looking forward that in the not too distant future Tobago will be the pride of the Sandals group.
“I am hoping, fingers crossed,” he told reporters.
