Rowley: Sandals not yet a done deal

Speaking at a People’s National Movement (PNM) rally in Roxborough, Tobago, Rowley said the project must receive the blessing of Tobagonians before any construction can begin.

“Right now I can say to you unless we have proper agreements to satisfy you in Tobago and the national community, there may be no project of the nature but we (Government) are doing everything possible to get a project of that nature in Tobago,” he told supporters.

Rowley said he decided to raise the issue of the Sandals project after reading an article in a daily newspaper in which a candidate on an opposing team had objected to what she considered to be his dismissive stance on the issue.

“One of the candidates of one of the other groupings is saying that one of the reasons why she is a candidate is something that I said as political leader and Prime Minister upset her so much that she decided to be a candidate in the election,” he said.

“Here what upset her, that I have said that we have agreed on the Sandals project and the project is going ahead and only after an agreement has been made that there will be consultation with Tobago.” Rowley said he never said such a thing.

“There is no such record of me saying that.

“Now that I have confirmed that I did not say that, will she withdraw (as a candidate)? No, she will go ahead because she really want to fight a seat,” he said.

Rowley said long before he became prime minister, he had observed the role that this “Caribbean product” played in other islands.

“And I thought it would be a good thing for the Government of Trinidad and Tobago to encourage that business in our territory. It is big business in Bahamas, Jamaica, Antigua, Grenada and St Lucia.

And all I did was to outline that this is a Caribbean product of world scale and world class and we think that Tobago stands ready to receive something like that.

“But, you know what she said I said, ‘Because those people have it, Tobago must have it.’” Rowley said: “I never said any such thing. In fact, what I said is that we are at the stage now, where we can begin the discussion and the consultations can begin here in Tobago, under the EMA (Environmental Management Authority) to get their approvals and step by step, we will move forward with the project.