Trinidad and Tobago's Opposition Leader, Kamla Persad-Bissessar, says she is not surprised by Sandals Resorts International's withdrawal from its proposed project for Tobago.
At a media briefing held yesterday by Minister of Communications, Stuart Young, Sandals CEO, Gebhard Rainer, announced the pull-out.
In an interview with Trinidad's Newsday newspaper, Persad-Bissessar said she was not surprised by the development as the project did not have transparency, including the fact that there was no proper procurement.
She said the project was merely based on conversations between Dr Rowley, initially as Opposition Leader and then as Prime Minister, and Sandals executives.
Persad-Bissessar added that she did not believe the reason given by Sandals for pulling out was due to negative publicity.
She said the Sandals brand has received a lot of negative publicity in Antigua and St. Lucia.
And the Tobago Business Chamber says it hopes there can still be some way of salvaging the deal that would allow Sandals Resorts International to reverse its decision to withdraw its participation in the establishment of a multi-million dollar resort on the island.
It said the population of Tobago will benefit and develop as well as derive spin-offs from the development.
Last year, Finance Minister Colm Imbert, said the construction of the 750-room Sandals and Beaches Resort represented a major turning point for the economy of Tobago.
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