As Sandals aims for the 2024 first quarter opening of its newest Beaches Resort on St. Vincent, the Regional Project Director of Sandals International, Mr. Terence Des Vignes, said on Friday that the aim is to have most of the areas completed by February 15th for the Prime Minister’s event at the end of February.
A gathering is anticipated in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, where thirty-three (33) heads of state and government, along with their accompanying delegations, will assemble for the formal transfer of the presidency of CELAC.
According to Des Vignes, there are two particularly challenging tasks that remain unfinished. These tasks pertain to the construction of ten overwater suites, which are now in progress. Nonetheless, there is an optimistic outlook that these suites will be completed in time for the anticipated opening of the resort during the Easter season.
According to the project director, the current workforce on the site consists of 600 skilled workers, both male and female. The director expressed the intention to augment this workforce in order to effectively conclude the project.
“We hope to reach 800 in the next few weeks in order to complete this project.” Work would be most intense between now and the middle of December.”
Des Vignes stated that the workforce is split 50/50.
“We have a 50/50 split, so we have 300 Dominicans, 300 St. Vincentians, and a few from St. Lucia, Barbados, Mexico, and Spain.”
According to Des Vignes, the completion of the facility will result in the continued employment of 800 individuals, with a job fair is scheduled to commence on September 26th.
“We will also hold a job fair beginning September 26th, reaching out to the entire St. Vincent as we hire for management supervisors and other positions.” The operational team will arrive to begin meeting all of the various and significant members of St. Vincent in terms of agriculture, hospitality, chefs, and so on. So we’ll be speaking with the farmers and see how we can incorporate what their producers provide into our hotel. But, without a doubt, the farm table is vital to us, and all of that will be local produce.”
Regarding beach access, Des Vignes stated that all beaches in St. Vincent are accessible to the public, and Sandals adheres to similar standards across the Caribbean region.
“There’s not one private beach in any of our jurisdictions, so it will be open to the public. There’s access to the bridge. We’re going to actually remodel the bridge with some good greenery that would make it look beautiful. We also know there is going to be a fish fry monthly, and we are going to invite all our guests to come across the bridge”.
Des Vignes stated that six vendor shops are being built, as well as a bathing facility for the general public and, of course, guests who visit the beach, and a car park, all of which are scheduled to be completed within a month.
