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
The reality is yes we need jobs and because we’re poor our communities are branded as institutionally weak that can’t mobilise, which means the government provides the developers with a blank check to do however they like. And we take it lying down because we’re fooled by the promise of jobs, which may or may not materialise. Look at the Range Development Project in Dominica. They just closed down that place and all the jobs attached – pulled out $30 mio – so they can divert their funds to the La Sagesse Project in Grenada. And once they’re done with us, we’re the next ones to pay for their profits. They aren’t credible hoteliers interested in running profitable businesses in this country, that is not their business model.
Someone mentioned about Grenada becoming a developed nation – well every developed nation has very strong and robust environmental, health and safety, social welfare regulations… The rule of law ensures that legitimate investors feel attracted to a place. Regular investors shy away from the Caribbean and places like Grenada due to the level of inefficiency and backdoor corruption.
Anyone serious about development understands that for credible long-term development we require adherence to the laws. That is not impossible to do. That ‘simply’ requires integrity of our governance structure. We can promote tourism as seen in Costa Rica, which has a made a name for itself as leader in eco-tourism. Our Pure Grenada Brand is build upon that premise. We need guests who can afford to stay in Grenada for a couple weeks and spend in our local economy. The resorts follow a business model that is similar to cruise ships – vertically integrated – that means the guests hardly ever leave the premisses and the overnight price is often so high that those guests don’t stay longer than a week either. Most of the money they spend stays within the resort, while our people get low-pay wages. Which granted is better than nothing for the single mum of 4 without sanitary living conditions, but the cleaner salary won’t lift her and her kids out of poverty. If anything it keeps us locked in a cycle of poverty.
Investing in more hotels especially at this time with global tourism projected to not recover for years to come is simply shortsighted. We need to diversify our economy. Someone mentioned creating local businesses, how about some of those CBI funds are not diverted to political war chests for the next reelection campaigns but to a fund for entrepreneurs, where they can receive mentorship, training on how to set up and run a business efficiently. I’d suggest fixing the issue of setting up effective online payment gateways with our banks so our small business can easily conduct e-commerce, which currently is a pain for any small business in Grenada and would truly open up the global economy to us.
Those are some practical things we need to strengthen our local economy. Every week I encounter a Grenadian with a great business ideas, but lacking the structural support to set it up. If we paid more attention to helping that part of our society, rather than pandering to investors with corrupt money sources that only some local individuals – with their fair share already locked in – receive kickbacks from, we could indeed move forward to a much higher level of development. Someone mentioned Singapore – amongst many other things Singapore has one of the strongest economies not because they solely rely on tourism (which seems to be our strategy), but because they have for years invested in their human resources, focused on exports in electronics manufacturing and machinery, financial services, plus tourism and establishing themselves as a hot spot for sea port trading in the region. In the meanwhile, however, we are being fooled by white elephant projects as actual development projects for our benefit.
“The development is as much the business of the citizen of Grenada, as it is the investors.” It is indeed even more so, primarily so, as politicians, developers, and owners come and go selling out when the time is right for substantial profits. That’s how the game is played all over the world. What is left however is always the natural environment, the altered habitat, the changed vista and irrepairable damages.
One has to appreciate the intended commitment of the developer and the mindfulness about our concern about possible damages to natural treasures.
But we have seen theis sort of development elsewhere and we know stated commitments are Not Enough. There has to be a mechanism of monitoring as the project unfolds and reports given to the people.
Perhaps for all three projects there must be a People’s Assembly for each area where together with experts individuals are selected and trained to perform these environmental observations and then periodically report to these assemblies and of course the media.
This is not about been for or against development. We understand the economic hole we are in. But very bad decisions were made in the past when we were in deep economic holes.
We have to help the government make sure that these projects are carried out properly. In some cases the scale has to be cut back, some of these buildings have to be brought back further away from park areas. We cannot afford to he wrong on these oversized undertakings.
Kieth Mitchell. We need better roads and more money and that is what people say. But it must be coming from somewhere because no one want to pay tax and no one have money and people are too poor. Thatis why you need these hotels to provide jobs. And the government is not greedy and money hungry. They need money to pay people and build infrastructure. And people too dumb to say that they need money but at the same time they dont want what is suppose to provide it. It is not right. It will be good if we become a colony of some country again so that way we dont struggle on our own.
Grenada needs more development and what I mean is by this country needs more development and better infrastructure and just dont get why people oppose it. Mt hartman is suppose to be a city of it’s own already and that hasn’t happened as yet. So many countries are building massive infrastructure and we haven’t done so as yet. That is why we need more projects in order to develop this country. The government should shut down all oppositions that destroy the growth and development of this country. There needs to be more hotels malls and hospitals and so many people oppose it. Is it that people are too blind too see how great they can benefit people??? Grenada needs better jobs and infrastructure and that’s what the hotels being constructed are all about.
Grenada needs these hotels and construction because if we have no hotels and no construction how is the country going to grow? How will people find an income, jobs and be able to pay taxes. The time it takes for grenadians to complain about everything is the time where grenadians could create businesses and build hotels providing income for grenadians and jobs for so many. The rest of the world is ahead of us. We are atleast 50 years behind the rest of the world because so many countries are growing and becoming richer. Grenada needs hotels that will be able to have rooms for more tourists and people who come to visit the country. It is all about building your country through investment and that is what these hotels are about. So many people oppose the government causing the country to fall back and not grow. When these hotels are built it can benefit the country and it will show that grenada is becoming a first world country. Singapore had the same issue to deal with so they banned oppositions and freedom of speech. Look at where they are today. One of the richest and most developed countries. At the end of the day when these hotels are constructed people will be sooo happy and that is what most people dont see.
Cant they not just demolish the slums and shanty towns in Grenada and place them there. There are many places where squatters dont deserve to live. They need to put hotels in grand anse where the poor living and put the poor somewhere else. Cant just have people taking land without papers for free. They need to start building hotels there.
Grenadians should observe the way the environmental activists of the Grenada Land Actors Platform seem to be demanding a share of scarce foreign investment dollars from the current developers at Mt. Hartman — in order to finance a campaign against the Hartman Resort itself.
I have little doubt that some local environmentalists trying to block tourist development are genuinely worried about inadequate government oversight, marine pollution, destruction of wildlife habitats, and other problems that can be avoided if concerned citizens put the heat on both developers and planning officials.
But here’s the rub. Grenadians should understand that in the Caribbean, there are many BAD ACTORS pushing environmental issues
BAD ACTOR #1: This character is usually a privileged NATURE LOVER, whose concern for birds, turtles, fish, mangroves and coral reefs is not matched by an equal concern for the thousands of poverty- stricken Grenadians who use squalid toilets and bathrooms every day of their miserable lives, and desperately need jobs that pay them a little more money.
BAD ACTOR #2: This is a TORMENTED THINKER who is against any and all tourist projects because he has mistakenly convinced himself that tourism requires submission or subservience to former colonial masters or other assorted foreign imperialists.
BAD ACTOR #3: This is an ambitious POLITICIAN seeking power for himsekf and looking to prevent the ruling political party from succeeding. His goal might be to delay one or two hotels until after the next general election in order to bring down the government.
I predict that no matter how good the EIA report for Mt. Hartman is, we will hear never-ending demands for “greater transparency and accountability”.
If Mr Chen is referring to my earlier comments, let me put him straight.
I am not associated with Grenada Land Actors Platform in any way. Those views are mine and do not necessarily represent GLAP’s views at all.
Second I am not suggesting ‘no tourism’ and my post does not suggest that. The key issue is ‘what kind and scale of tourism’ is appropriate for Grenada and how are the benefits and costs shared. These include environmental and cultural costs as well as financial ones.
It is essential that plans for big developments are scrutinised by an objective committee representing a wide section of society. This committee must have real teeth to ensure that developments are planned and implemented in the interests of citizens not just developers. The more so since it seems with this scheme that CBI income to Grenada will be spent by external developers.
If the plans do not stack up and the costs and risks to Grenada outweigh the potential benefits, then they should not be allowed to proceed. There are smaller, boutique-style, eco-friendly alternatives to these mega schemes.
Sorry, that is totally inadequate. We are not reassured – especially after the history of this site and its previous development chancers were charged with fraud by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
What is the Hartman Resort Group Ltd? An online search reveals little and there appears to be no website. Where is this company’s office? Who are its owners, investors and board members? What is their track record and how can this be verified? Where is the transparency about government involvement in this scheme – if we are selling passports the money belongs to Grenada and should be invested for the benefit of Grenadians. How do we know it will not all be used to pay the profits of this developer (plus a few local chancers of course) leaving physical destruction behind?
And where can we see this ‘Environmental Impact Assessment’ please. Why is it not on a web site? This is not just about Grenadian Doves. What impact will this development have on our already saturated roads both during construction and eventual operation? What will be the effects on water supply and sanitation? What increase in water run off will there be when the natural vegetation is removed and what effects will this have on the mangrove areas and sea pollution and native species?
It is not enough to hide behind permission from the Physical Planning Unit when we know that department is inadequate to say the least and tainted by the “historic stigma of corruption” (even the PM says so). A development of this magnitude will have a huge impact on this country. Is this the kind of tourism Grenada wants? The balance is tipping from ‘development at all costs’ to conservation and people are increasingly concerned about the destruction of the natural habitat and what kind of Grenada they are leaving for their grandchildren.
We want a standing committee of stakeholders representing Grenada’s citizens negotiating with these developers at every step of the way and with the power to demand facts and answers and verifications. And to hold the Physical Planning Unit and the Ministry of Finance to account on these big development projects. At all stages, the risks must be covered by the developers not left for the Grenadian tax payer if the developer pulls out. The Grenada Land Actors Platform is the obvious group to fulfil those functions and their costs should be paid by the developers including the costs of taking legal action against developers or government violations of planning consents and financial impropriety.
This reads like a press release and, in my opinion it should be identified as such. Where are the statements from the other interested parties? Just my 2 cents
No information on where Indigenous Grenadians can access conducted and completed environmental Impact Statement?
So what is the point of this?