My deepest sympathy goes out to Mrs Mara Thompson, her daughters and entire family.
I would like to hold on to my special memories of the late Prime Minister and recall one of our few exchanges.
Soon after his illness was announced, you could see the strain on his face, and in a simple attempt to bring a smile, I emailed him a YouTube extract of a BBC Yes Prime Minister episode.
In his inimitable style, a few minutes later, a message came back, “Adrian, thank you, it’s my favourite programme.”
Every time I visit Hilton Barbados, I leave thinking the same thought.
Didn’t “we” miss an incredible opportunity?
Whether it was a decision taken due to financial restrictions or simply lack of vision, perhaps we will never know.
The location must be one of the most spectacular on Barbados. It has all the ingredients anyone could wish for. A protected beach, the long crescent-shaped Carlisle Bay and both the Garrison Savannah and capital within comfortable walking distance.
Architecturally and structurally, I would have thought that it could easily have been incorporated in the basement or on the roof – a single meeting space on one level of at least 10 000 square feet that has the functionality of a sub-division.
Yes! The former Sherbourne, now Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre has served us well over the years, but almost anyone who has attended meetings overseas will tell you they want to stay in or close to where it is taking place.
It is sometimes mind-boggling to see the number of functions that are scheduled to start at 9 a.m. at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre, especially when school is in and you have to battle rush-hour traffic.
The Two Mile Hill, St Michael facility also needs some upgrading. Fully functioning air conditioning and in this technological era, complimentary WiFi is almost essential if individuals or organisations are going to justify the cost of mounting exhibitions.
Perhaps it’s not too late for both the Hilton and the Needham’s Point peninsula. There appears to be no shortage of land nearby to build such a facility, including the former Holborn oil-storage site.
Trinidad and Tobago saw the potential and built a new conference facility, incorporating it in a major brand-name hotel, the Hyatt.
Clearly, it is in Government’s interest to ensure as many of the Hilton’s 350-plus rooms are full as often as possible. Achieving this has a number of secondary benefits, including protecting airlift and the trickle-down effect on other tourism partners and retail outlets.
And despite the current fiscal limitations, we could go and rebuild the Engineer’s Pier and provide world-class over-water dining options.
The very popular boardwalk could then be extended and linked to the yet to be developed Pierhead project.
Consideration might also be given to acquiring the St Ann’s Fort site with its unique historical buildings.
Probably within a planning and construction period of five years or less, Barbados could end up with one of the most desirable year round warm weather convention venues in the region, if not the world.
I can almost sense what some readers are thinking: Government borrowing more money?
Not necessarily. We have yet to be told if the Sapphire Beach joint condominium project, where a private company has built on taxpayers’ land, has at least partly redressed the losses of GEMS.
