New timelines expected for Peter’s Hope project

MINISTER OF TOURISM, Carlos James has disclosed that the government is expecting new time lines from the developers of the Black Sands Resorts at Peter’s Hope.

The development is being undertaken by Canadian firm PACE Development.

The ground breaking ceremony for the project took place here in 2017.

Opposition leader, Dr Godwin Friday raised questions about the status of the development, during the sitting of Parliament on Thursday, May 5.

In response to Friday’s question, minister of tourism, Carlos James also provided some details about the Peter’s Hope project.

He said the project involves the construction of a 250 rooms hotel.

He said that at present, PACE is building 10 villas, with close to 100 construction workers employed.

Minister James noted that there were some delays of the project due to the COVID-19 pandemic and it was about that same time that PACE was about to ramp up its work on the project.

James explained that a meeting with officials from PACE Development was scheduled to be held in St Vincent last month however, one of the key officials was unavailable at that time.

That meeting he said, is now scheduled to take place later this month.

Minister James said at this planned meeting, the officials from PACE will be “coming with new timelines.”

“The Project is certainly not dead. It is very much alive,” James said in direct answer to the Opposition leader’s question as to whether the project is dead or alive.

James said further that the developers of the Peters Hope project were granted an Alien Land Holding License to operate in St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG).

It is hoped that in this month’s meeting, the parameters to continue work on the project will be established.

James also said that it has already been indicated to the developers, “that their timelines must be within the government’s strategic plans for transformation within the tourism industry.”

The Minister reminded Friday, that the government is “investor friendly” and it appreciates all its stakeholders.