‘NOT TRUE’

Armed with photographs as evidence, Senior Minister Dr William Duguid declared that empty land and a big hole was all the Democratic Labour Party (DLP) left behind on the site of what is now the Wyndham Grand Sam Lord’s Castle Resort in St Philip.

Duguid was hitting back at recent comments made by former Tourism Minister Richard Sealy that the Mia Mottley administration has been taking credit for the DLP administration’s success on various tourism projects.

Sealy recently told the DLP’s discussion forum, the People’s House, “I would think that six years on, that we should have a few new projects and that we shouldn’t be hearing from government ministers, ‘the project is about to start, the project is about to start, is about to start’. Since 2018, we’ve been hearing that. This is now 2024. ”

“You go down the list, Sam Lord’s Castle is about to be opened in 2024. In 2018, we had completed, certainly, the showrooms and a couple of the blocks. It should not have taken six years to complete. But anyhow, it’s here and we are happy.”

But Duguid told the Lower Chamber on Tuesday night during the Budget debate that nothing could be further from the truth.

“So I asked for the facts and I asked that they share with me information and some pictures about how the Sam Lord’s Castle site looked in 2018 when the Democratic Labor Party left office, that’s what they showed me. A cleared way land with a big hole in it,” he said.

Holding up a second photograph showing the completed resort, the minister said, “This is what Sam Lord’s Castle looks like today. A 422-room hotel operating and attracting guests.”

He further outlined that several changes were made at the site, including the development of a new back office and redesigned rooms that made another 17 acres available for another hotel next door to Sam Lord’s.

The senior minister reported that the resort which opened its doors in October last year currently has 80 per cent occupancy, employs 477 Barbadians and is projected to earn millions for the economy. At full occupancy, it can accommodate 1 000 guests.

“It is estimated that the facility could bring US$50 million into this economy annually once we ramp up to full occupancy…. And we haven’t talked about all the ancillary services, all the farmers that could sell their produce and are selling their produce. We ain’t talk about the taxis, the tour operators, all the people that will have opportunities,” he contended.

Minister Duguid said the property which has hosted two major conferences this year is set to host international events in 2025 as well. (SD)