GREAT BAY, Sint Maarten (GIS) – Honorable Prime Minister Sarah Wescot-Williams, says that a public-private sectors’ plan of approach has been formulated during a Monday meeting at the Government Administration Building, called by the former to deal with the anticipated closure of Simpson Bay Resort and Marina, and the Villas at Simpson Bay Resort and Marina as of Sunday February 20.
Both private sector organizations present, the Sint Maarten Hospitality & Trade Association (SHTA) and the Sint Maarten Timeshare Association (SMTA), commended the Prime Minister for calling together a "crisis team" to assess and mitigate the impending closure of the resort, as the impact of the announced closure gravely affects those depending on the resort for a livelihood, the time-share owners of the resort and the time-share industry in general.
Every effort will be made for government-appointed mediators to bring both parties (union and resort owners) back to the negotiating table, as it is felt that an agreement regarding employment at the resort will go a long way in resolving the other issues that lead to the announced closure of the Pelican Resort.
The SHTA and SMTA will continue their efforts to offer alternative accommodations to those Pelican members directly and immediately affected by the closure of their time-share resort. This gesture by the two organizations is deeply appreciated, especially at this peak time in our tourism season, the prime minister pointed out.
The SMTA is also communicating to Pelican time-share owners to provide information as far as this is available. Both tourism organizations will also solicit via their membership, ‘add-ons’ for timeshare guests who will be impacted by the closure of the resort, such as restaurant services and other tourist activities, and car rentals.
Government, while acknowledging the more long term nature of such, committed to again pick up draft timeshare legislation that could mitigate in the future, the fall-out being experienced currently due to the Pelican situation.
Government will issue a direct statement, possibly through the SMTA to affected timeshare owners, expressing government’s resolve to seek solutions to avert the Pelican Resort’s closure or in any case to have the resort re-opened in the shortest possible time.
Both private sector organizations reiterated the need for structural public-private sector cooperation.
The SHTA reservations center is available to assist with enquiries and bookings at 1-800-309-2005 from 8.30am to 5.00pm.
Attending the meeting on behalf of Government was Acting Secretary General of the Ministry of Economic, Tourism, Traffic and Telecommunications Miguel De Weever, Head of the Labour Department, Section Policy Raphael Boasman, Head of the Department of Legislation Henkjan Habermehl, Cabinet of the Prime Minister Policy Support Emilia Thomas and Ramona Thomas.
Representing the SHTA was Valya Pantophlet and for the SMTA were Ricardo Perez, Mayra Provance and Jim Rosen.