What is a reasonable time for a study to be completed?
In today’s (Sunday 9th December 2007) Advocate on page 3 (Minister) ‘Lynch (picture of Minister Lynch on the right) while making a number of observations on the industry, also pointed to a study which will seek to determine the economic benefits of condominium development versus that of traditional hotels’ He continued ‘The jury is still out on the true economic impact of condo development and whether that development is truly replacing hotel rooms in Barbados’. ‘The study will investigate condominiums, villas and their relationship with sustainability and overall tourism development relative to their impacts on employment, seasonality, traditional hotels, marketing of the destination, contribution to the economy and government revenues and the non-accommodation sector.
But wait a minute, what was the same Minister saying over two and a half years ago?
In an article headlined ‘Unwise for Government to knock condos’,
published in the Daily Nation 15th June 2005, Minister Lynch stated
‘Government would be foolhardy and irresponsible to refuse new tourism initiatives like condominiums, based on arguments not backed up by statistical evidence’.
‘Foolhardy and irresponsible’!
(Minister) Lynch went on to say “Government could not ignore such new and essential hospitality concepts based on the whimsical non-scientific notion of big people pushing small people out when there was no empirical evidence to substantiate this’.
He said ‘there had been no evidence offered to show condominiums were replacing or pushing out small hotels’.
‘No evidence’.
Well, could the Minister please explain why some 27 mostly small hotels have closed their doors over the Governing duration of the ruling party?
Here we are, 30 long months, two and a half years later, with the Minister still to conduct a ‘study to determine the economic benefits of condominium development versus that of traditional hotels’.
Is this responsible tourism planning or a ‘foolhardy’ approach to our number one industry?
LYNCH = LIES
A reasonable time frame a study in Barbados is 10 years, and even then, the goverenment will be selective in releasing information, if it releases any at all.
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Please ensure that one of the findings of the studay is that the condominium act needs revision
Vanishing views of the ocean
Web Posted – Sun Dec 09 2007
On the Editorial page of the December 3, 2007 Barbados Advocate, there was a column written by Nicholas Cox about the disappearance of our Windows to the Sea .
Barbados has always been known for its lovely beaches, among other attractions. This past year or two we have noticed lovely houses along the West Coast being sold for condominiums, and one wonders if they all have been sold and how much revenue they are going to bring into the island.
Hotels employ a staff which gives employment to the locals. Condos, when and if sold, will more likely be used as holiday places which will be closed up when not in use, with no revenue coming in and less employment. The worst part of this sudden splurge is that it has taken away all the beauty of our special island and leaves very little entry to the beach and sea for the locals, although our beaches are not private.
So does this mean the locals and others have to ask permission to enter their properties to get to our beaches? One drives along the St. Peter, St. James and Hastings areas (to name a few) and there is no view of the sea , only wooden fences blocking the scenery while the construction goes on. Personally, I think it is greed! I have already heard many repeat, long-staying visitors saying that if we get like Spain and other over-developed countries, spoilt by condos and high rise buildings, they will not return. Apart from the tourist aspect of the problem, how do we know that these high rise buildings are not going to affect our coral stone levels of land (and the coral reefs) with all the drilling and digging going on? Interesting!
Jean Ellison
‘We need to look at our properties, she said. We are building concrete jungles that lack warmth and Caribbean style. We need to certainly look at accommodations that reflect the Caribbean identity.’
Berthia Parle MBE
Past President of the Caribbean Hotel Association
Jamaica Observer
Monday 17th December 2007
Adrian Loveridge,
SHE SAID: “We need to certainly look at accommodations that reflect the Caribbean identity”
I certainly do agree with that… for example, when coming to Barbados, I would NEVER want to be staying in any hotel with a British identity, especially one run by British foreigners. It would lack that crucial Caribbean identity.
Brenda Faith Pauline Eversley