Sandals will not be forgotten.
That’s the promise from the Tobago House of Assembly’s Chief Secretary Farley Augustine, following the Swearing-In Ceremony for the new Prime Minister on Thursday evening.
Almost a month ago, Sandals Resorts International CEO Adam Stewart met with several stakeholders in Tobago, along with the former Prime Minister, Stuart Young.
On Thursday evening, Mr. Augustine emphasised that a Sandals resort is important for the island, and he intends to continue discussions.
“Well, nothing changes where that is concerned as far as I’m concerned, because there’s a Tobago House of Assembly; and the Act of the Fifth Schedule gives the THA responsibility for tourism. So we certainly will continue those conversations, so long as Sandals remains open to the idea of returning to Tobago.”
Mr. Augustine said with a new government in place, the THA is hoping for an increased revenue stream in the national budget.
“The recommendation is, that was accepted by Parliament is that the Tobago House of Assembly gets between 4.03% and 6.9%. We have often gotten closer to 4.03% and nowhere close to the middle ground. So in other words, out of every $100 spent in the country for development, Tobago historically gets about $4.03. So we are hoping that will change with the new Government. More than that, we are hoping when that budget is passed that we actually get the full amounts that are appropriated in the Bill because what happens is that, although we get a very small amount, even after it is passed, we are not given all of what is actually appropriated in the Bill.”
He said that when the recommendation of 4.03% of the national budget came about, it was because Tobago represented 4.03% of the population.
Mr. Augustine said Tobago has just passed 5% of the population and believes this should now be the new starting percentage.