Sealy: I have nothing to hide!

Minister of Tourism and International Transport Richard Sealy has made it clear that he has nothing to hide.

Sealy, who was responding to Opposition Leader Mia Mottley during his contribution to the 2017 Budgetary Proposal in the Lower Chamber, said he would not be intimidated by “some letter” being held over his head “like a sword of Damocles” about the construction of the Sugar Point facility.

“...I don’t have anything at all to hide. The question of the Sugar Point... she (Mottley) was the attorney for Royal Caribbean and knows full well everything that went on and I know that she knows.”
“SMI [Infrastructure Solutions Inc] is in relationship with the government. Sugar Point is not off the table per se, but Sugar Point has challenges.”

“The work being done on the existing Deep Water Harbour berth 5 and berth 6 are not inconsistent with Sugar Point, but there are some challenges with Sugar Point which she alluded to which is the cost of the project. There is active discussion going on right now between the Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Tourism to see how we can make that work. It is as simple as that. There is no inconsistency about berth 5 and berth 6.”

Minister Sealy said that with opportunities for cargo and transhipment, a Master Plan would still be needed for the area.

“Carnival [Cruiselines] has had some concerns about Sugar Point for its homeporters because of where it is located and the tidal impact they may not be able to berth vessels there constantly, homeporters ie. They don’t have a problem with ships on an itinerary because they can by-pass you if it is not safe to berth. A homeporter must be able to berth obviously because that is the commencement of the voyage.

“With the Sugar Point facility you would still have to use the Deep Water Harbour as well for some key cruise activity. So that is why we need to have that balance in terms of creating our cruise offerings going forward.”

“Release the letter, it doesn’t matter. It is something that should have happened a long time ago. I should not have to be dealing with Sugar Point... cargo and cruise should have been separated in times of plenty a long time ago,” Sealy told the Honourable Chamber. (JH)