Newly-minted Government Senator Ancil Dennis said yesterday that Tobagonians have missed out on major tourism opportunities that a five-star Sandals Resort could have brought, and instead have a Double Palm hotel.
In delivering his maiden contribution to the budget debate at the Senate sitting, Dennis criticised the Opposition United National Congress (UNC) for being an “obstruction” to the country’s progress.
He said Tobago’s tourism sector would have been significantly transformed with Sandals, a Marriott hotel, the new marina, and the new airport terminal.
The Sandals resort, he said, would have required thousands of eggs and produce, and agriculture would have benefited significantly in both Tobago and Trinidad. Sandals would have created linkages between Tobago and other international destinations, he added.
“But we shelved that, and you know what we have in Tobago now, Mr President? You know what the big investment in Tobago is, apart from the Marriott that the Central Government brought? Double Palm,” he said.
Direct investments
Dennis stated that under Dr Keith Rowley’s leadership, Tobago has been transformed through the direct investments of the Central Government. He said that a PNM Government constructed two new police stations on Shirvan Road and another in Roxborough, as well as a new fire station in Roxborough.
He added that the Government partnered with the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) to ensure that a new hospital was constructed in Tobago East, noting that Independent Senator Dr Maria Dillon-Remy raised issues about this hospital. Dennis claimed that the former PNM THA left everything in place to ensure the hospital was operational 24/7.
Therefore, he said the current THA administration, led by Farley Augustine, has no excuse for not ensuring this is done. Dennis stated that the Rowley Government provided more money to the Augustine-led THA over its three-year period from 2022 to 2024—totalling $7.7 billion. He said the previous PNM THA, for the period 2019 to 2021, received $6.7 billion.
Dennis argued that with a billion dollars more, the current THA has not prioritised the full operation of the hospital. He claimed that UNC associates are benefiting the most from the money allocated to the Augustine-led THA while Tobagonian businesses have been “blacklisted”.
According to Dennis, over the last three years, around 2,000 Tobagonians employed in construction lost their jobs because Tobago contractors were sidelined. “We have a company now called California Stucco; in one year, Mr President, $300 million in contracts almost,” he said.
However, Dennis boasted of Rowley’s commitment to Tobago in delivering the new ANR Robinson airport terminal, which will have a capacity of three million passengers annually.
Rot and morass
Turning to crime, Dennis stated that the debate should focus on the responsibility of all to maintain a safe country. He criticised the Opposition for not supporting crime-fighting legislation and sent a message to “decent, right-thinking” UNC supporters to “rescue” their party from the “rot and the morass” it is in.
Dennis said bipartisan politics has even frustrated and obstructed the US President from advancing important agendas.
Dennis also defended the PNM against the picong from the Opposition. “I want to say to them clearly who is our leader. We know who our Prime Minister is; we know who the political leader of the PNM is—Dr Keith Christopher Rowley is his name,” he said.
He described Rowley as a sober man of integrity with an impeccable political track record who has demonstrated courage in leadership. “I want to assure the population there is no bacchanal in the PNM. There is no bacchanal in the Government of Trinidad and Tobago,” he said.