Hartman Resort Group Ltd wishes to address several concerns regarding its development, as expressed in a media release, dated 15 September 2020, from the Grenada Land Actors Platform; as well as similar concerns echoed by members of the public.
Understanding the necessity for the engagement of the public to address questions and concerns, the developers of Hartman Resort have commenced consultations with local stakeholder groups. In the last 2 weeks, they have held discussions with the GAEA Conservation Network and other local interest groups. Those consultations are ongoing, and additional information will be shared with the stakeholders, including the public, at every stage of the project, going forward.
In line with environmental best practices and the laws of Grenada, Hartman Resort Group Ltd, conscious of the endangered status of the Grenada Dove, will work according to the regulations stipulated by their project permission from the Physical Planning Unit.
The developers will employ the highest standards in the development of the project so as not to negatively impact the Bird Sanctuary and the surrounding conservation. They will also preserve and observe the regulations set out for the National Park.
An Environmental Impact Assessment was conducted and completed, and the results and guidelines are available for discussion with various local stakeholders, as necessary. The developers welcome the feedback expressed by various organisations, as it helps to ensure accountability and a better understanding of the local context. The development is as much the business of the citizens of Grenada, as it is the investors — maybe even more so.
Hartman Resort
North Americans like eco tourism. They care about the environment and like small island simple life. We Grenadians care about the environment. North Americans enjoy going to Costa rica. Its inexpensive and even to live there permanently they will choose there rather than Grenada. Not all Tourists like the idea they have to stay in a resort the whole time. They enjoyed the freedom they can walk safely in Grenada enjy the culture, learn, spend money locally in restaurants etc. Those big hotels that cost so much money per night and tourists get to stay for a week, that money is spent in the hotels and not in the local economy. Sic. Locals get paid peanuts,no benefits and the Prime minister gets involved in the politics of these hotels owners how much to pay the local workers. Sic.
What is Pure Grenada.
I can see I wont change your mind, but ecotourism is not Grenada’s strong suit. Tourists can find much better nature-based attractions, heritage sites and coral reefs in Belize, the Cayman Islands, Trinidad and Tobago and Dominica.
I have noticed many Grenadians saying they prefer some form of “ecotourism”, which is also favoured by many expatriate environmentalists and cultural Marxists, and popular among certain European elites.
Problem is — the Caribbean is closer to North America than Europe, and ecotourism has limited appeal to North Americans. That is why Herb Hiller’s costly experiment in ecotourism fell apart in Port Antonio, Jamaica. It is why the conventional tourism resorts of the Dominican Republic regularly outperform the ecolodges of Costa Rica.
Grenada has the second highest population density in the Anglophone Caribbean, after Barbados. We need tourist projects that can provide thousands of jobs, not tiny ecolodges that employ a handful of people at a time.