Duke, vendors vow to fight THA over Store Bay upgrade

Tobago Correspondent

Frustrated over the planned upgrade at Store Bay, some vendors and reef tour operators vowed to go to war with the Tobago House of Assembly (THA) for a fair and transparent process.

The vendors yesterday warned of chaos if their sales were disrupted.They spoke to the media after a news conference with political leader of the Progressive Democratic Patriots Watson Duke at the site yesterday morning.

Duke vowed to stand in defence of the workers as part of what he said will be a “people revolution.”

“We want to know about accommodation. What happens when you turn this into a construction site? Do you still starve the horse? Are you going to starve the people who have found food here while you are building up what exists in your head and your head alone?” Duke asked.

Some vendors who use the Store Bay Facility have accused the THA of favouritism and nepotism. They claimed they were in the dark about the planned upgrade.

Tour operator Ronny Elliot claimed he was unaware of the planned upgrade.

“We don’t know anything about consultation, we hear they had something going on at the community centre. We hear about these things after the fact,” Elliot said.

“We have no issue with them doing whatever they want to do as long as the people who here have a say in what’s been done here.“We not going to take this easy, these are people who we supported and they have to support people who support them. We are poor people, private enterprising making a living.”

Another tour operator, Andre Martin, said he too was clueless about the move. While he supports development, he said those who make a living at the facility must not be held to ransom.

“My thing is that only a few people were informed. They should have a media advertisement where the locals can have an input into what’s taking place. It cannot be that the local people who born here, bred here and did so much to develop here have no part to play,” Martin said.

However, the Division of Tourism, Culture, Antiquities, and Transportation refuted what it said was misinformation about the Store Bay Beach Facility redevelopment and assured no tenants have been issued eviction notices. It said public consultations are ongoing, with no final design confirmed, and stakeholders are actively involved in the process. It committed to a transparent and inclusive approach to upgrading the facility.

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