Use locals to build hotels; rent or lease to foreigners – Speak Your Mind
The host expressed this view during his show aired on a local television station on December 8, 2012.
Responding to a query during the show which asked whether there was any major hotel development in the pipeline, the host said he didn’t know of any but wished to see one in Tortola.
The host added that he noticed mention being made in the news about a potential development in Prospect Reef where there was a possibility of outside investors being brought in to develop a project and objected to this.
Mr Henry felt that local investors were readily available and should be approached with instructions to “build to suit” any hotels that were being developed.
He made an appeal for the government to “Build something, work in collaboration with your local developers… build something nice that the international market is looking for and then brand it with one of those other companies.”
He urged that there was no need to sell to the other [overseas] companies but instead, it should be built to the required specifications and a guarantee received from a company that it could be leased or rented. “You have a good product… don’t give it away,” he added.
“Don’t give away your natural resources to nobody when you could do something with it yourself,” the host urged while making reference to the Baughers Bay Plant.
He felt strongly that projects could be developed and controlled locally and others could come in later to assist with the management process.
“Transfer of technology,” he continued, “you bring people in, make sure they train your staff.” “Make sure they train the people who live here, who are committed to here, who belong here, so when they leave, the information, the technology and everything is right here.”
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