PM KEITH MITCHELL
Good Afternoon colleague Ministers, President of the Senate, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Members of Parliament, Directors of Century Developments Limited, distinguished Invitees, Ladies and Gentlemen, Members of the Media.
This afternoon, I have been invited to give brief remarks on the occasion of the ground breaking ceremony for this Calivigny Cove Project. Indeed, it is rewarding for me as a policy maker, to see the projects of our present crop of serious investors, move from the presentation of business proposals and feasibility studies, to ground breaking ceremonies and actual openings.
On a day like today, this is a sense of satisfaction, I am sure, is shared by my colleague Ministers Hon. Anthony Boatswain, who has responsibility for Economic Development, Hon. Minister Clarice Modeste - Curwen, Minister of Tourism. Indeed we have in recent times attended similar launches at Grand Bacolet, Mt Cinnamon, Levera, Egmont, Point Marquis, Port Louis- Camper Nicholson &Mt. Hartman, to name a few. And I am sure we will have many more to come in the very near future. These developments are here just when Grenada needs them most, that is, after our tourism sector was totally devastated by hurricanes Ivan and Emily and the prognosis for the future of this sector looked grim.
The fact that these developments are here now means that Government must be doing something right!
These tourism investments will expand the collective wealth of our tri island state. It will result in positive economic growth and provide real job creation for our people. There will be opportunities for entrepreneurs to pursue increased economic prospects in the areas of tour operations & tour guide services, to name a few. Our craftsmen and souvenir manufacturers and retailers can look forward having better sales than they enjoy presently.
The agricultural, construction and private sector industries will not be left out. They will also benefit immensely.
I am happy to report, here today that the Ministry of Tourism has indicated that for 2007, there were over 270,000 cruise ship tourists and 149,000 stay over visitors to our Tri island State. The benefits have already started.
The yachting sub sector has also begun to take off, with Marinas receiving their fair share of business. You will remember that it was only within the last six months that the largest yacht in the world, the Maltese Falcon, visited Grenada.
It is only this year, after a 10-year break, that the Government of Grenada signed the deal for American Airlines to return a direct flight to Grenada from mainland USA. Grenada’s Airlift Committee is continuing to work to ensure that the required and improved airlift will be available from Europe and that more efficient and additional air links will be provided between Caribbean destinations.
This will ensure that we are not left with show piece resorts, but that we are able to bring the visitors to our destination to enjoy these facilities.
Grenada’s gateway, the Point Salines Airport, has also seen much improvements in recent times, and works continue to ensure that we have one of the more modern and efficient Airports in the Eastern Caribbean; an airport that will meet the expected boost in arrivals.
Top travel writers and journalists have been visiting Grenada in recent times, and they are excited by our destination. Indeed, our tourism product is becoming a rich and diverse one, characterised by hotels and resorts with a tropical feel and flavour, sailing festivals and, regattas, excellent duty free and retail shopping, eco treks to the islands’ waterfalls, white water rafting, beautiful beaches, and restaurants serving both local and cosmopolitan cuisine.
We have successfully repositioned our tourism product, so much so, that it has been recently reported that Grenada is now one of the top ten emerging and “up and coming residential markets” in the world.
I am reliably informed that as a result of this, there have been increased enquires about Grenada’s tourism product and investment opportunities.
As a Government we see it as our duty to provide oversight for the implementation of these projects. In fact, we have fostered an interagency approach to investment, and continue to strengthen the Board of Tourism, the GIDC, the Inland Revenue, the Physical Planning Unit and Environmental Departments, so that the technical advice which Government receives, is responsive to the needs of our economy. This approach will also serve to ensure that we continue to attract quality investors and retain the valuable ones who are already here.
Government will continue to work with our investors to ensure that their projects are environmentally friendly and sustainable. Government will ensure that the actual construction of these projects comply with the applicable laws of the land and the conditions approved in the application process. Government will encourage investors to provide jobs and training for the local people and make contributions to the communities in which they will operate.
We are indeed appreciative that the present crop of tourism investors has already taken the lead in assisting the Government and people of Grenada with the destination marketing of the island and for supporting the financial arrangements with American Airlines to ensure the return of the carrier to Grenada.
Government is also mindful in the granting of concessions to investors since they do face many challenges and risks in choosing to invest in Grenada at this time. The global economy remains in crisis, precipitated largely by a credit crunch and rising oil prices which are impacting travel to our region and the costs of the provision of hospitality services to our visitors. Therefore, a close working relationship with our investors in the tourism sector is necessary, if the industry is to be a competitive and viable one.
To this, the Government is committed and will continue to encourage and stimulate the tourism sector of Grenada, by ensuring that a sustainable investment climate is maintained so that investors in Grenada can be competitive with their counterparts in the Southern and Eastern Caribbean islands of Tobago, Barbados, St Lucia, St Vincent and others which are competing for a market share in the global market place.
Government is also aware that progress has its price and as a result is simultaneously investing in affordable housing, and in the educational and vocational development of its people by providing training opportunities, especially for our young people, so that they can benefit from the opportunities being created by the current surge of investment in our tourism sector. These opportunities are provided through the Imani, GTEP, scholarship and other training programs which Government has implemented.
So, as we attend yet another ground breaking ceremony here today, I must repeat that this Government must be getting the investment climate right, for we are witnesses here today.
Therefore, it is with great pleasure that this afternoon, I congratulate the Directors and investors of Century Developments Ltd. & the Developers of Calivigny Cove, and thank them for their commitment to Grenada. Indeed I look forward to attending the opening of this Resort complex and wish you great success with the realisation of your Project here at Calivigny Cove.
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