Opposition hits Sandals

Speaking in yesterday’s Budget Debate in the Lower House, Charles quoted the book, “Tourism and Responsibility in Latin America and the Caribbean”. Charles said that when the Sandals company took over a hotel in St Lucia, many existing workers were sent home and some of those kept on were paid lower wages than before. He also bemoaned that the hotel chain is non-unionised, except in St Lucia.

Couva North MP Ramona Ramdial later also queried Sandals. She contrasted Imbert’s claim that it would take two and a half years to build a Tobago Sandals with other reports that it would take three and a half years, so delaying any financial benefits to the TT economy.

She drew lessons from the current public spat between Sandals and the Antigua Government, where the resort enjoys a 25 year tax holiday resulting in decreased revenues to that island. Sandals pays no direct taxes, on items such as imported food, she elaborated.

Urging Tobagonians to hold a full consultation over Sandals, she said, “We don’t want to see them (Tobagonians) robbed.” Ramdial raised other concerns. She said local activist, Pat Turpin, had said Sandals had failed to consult Tobagonian environmentalists. Part of the proposed location of the resort is a wetlands that is protected as a Ramesar Convention site, with an online protest petition so far gaining 2,000 signatures.

The resort would need supporting infrastructure such as roads but no timelines have been given for this. The resort also needs TTEC to upgrade the electricity supply, but no funds have yet been approved for this, added Ramdial.