By Caribbean News Global contributor
PROVIDENCIALES, TCI – Beaches Resort and Spa on Friday, October 9, announced a rescheduled opening for October 14 is now slated for a November 18 reopening.
The Turks and Caicos Islands economy continues to experience significant impact from COVID-19. Currently, TCI is identified as a level 3 country by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The financial position of the government and the economy has worsened. The leadership of the premier and minister of finance Sharlene Robinson is dismal, coupled with a government that is described as “most ineffective government we have ever had to deal with”.
The following is the full text of the statement issued by Beaches TCI October 19:
“Beaches TCI wishes to make it clear that it has made no unreasonable demands whatsoever. Beaches is not asking TCIG for any favours or special treatment and any suggestion to the contrary, is simply a PR spin on the facts.
“Beaches simply wants the government to honour the terms of its Development Agreement(s) and other legally binding commitments, nothing more, nothing less. Breaches of these Agreement(s) by TCIG is the reason Beaches was compelled to file its lawsuit in May 2019.
“After four years, the government has finally agreed to a process of mediation to which we are fully committed in an effort to bring this long outstanding matter to a fair conclusion. TCIG proposed a list of mediators and we agreed to one of them. The Mediator is available the week of November 8, 2020 and we have advised the TCIG that we are ready, willing and able to proceed. We trust that the TCIG will enjoin in the mediation process during this period in good faith as committed. We have no doubt that the people of the TCI are equally as anxious to have the issues addressed in a fair and equitable manner, sooner rather than later in order for Beaches to once more contribute to commercial activity in the Island.
“Beaches is also proud that despite the global pandemic, Sandals and Beaches resorts have re-opened their doors in Jamaica, Saint Lucia, Barbados, Antigua and Grenada. The resort in the Bahamas had re-opened until the Island closed to visitors.
“Sandals Resorts is also very excited to announce that we are entering the amazing island of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines where we will be operating a Beaches resort. We very much appreciated the professional, respectful and transparent manner in which negotiations were conducted with the government.
“We take great pride in all of the countries in which we operate and appreciate the partnership and honour of these governments– Antigua, the Bahamas, Jamaica, Barbados, Saint Lucia, Grenada all of which have magnificent beaches, wonderful terrain, distinct cultures and incredible people. We echo the sentiments of TCIG that the Turks and Caicos Islands is also beautiful with remarkable people and we look forward to re-opening our doors in due course once approved by the board of directors.”
