—from Lise Winer’s ‘Dictionary of the English/Creole of Trinidad & Tobago’ (p. 619)
‘The Truth eats Lies’
—from Marlon James’ latest epic ‘Black Leopard, Red Wolf’
The previous article stated that over $5.0 Billion of Public Money was spent in the first 6 months of 2009 during the CL Financial bailout, under that MoU. Yes, that is the same type of document which we were so loudly being told is not binding and can be completely renegotiated, in relation to Tobago Sandals.
The publication of the Tobago Sandals MoU at the end of November 2018, forced by my litigation, set those misleaders to try diverting concerns by claiming it was all open for discussion. Of course it is possible to renegotiate any contract, or MoU for that matter, but that is trite and explains nothing. Probably intentionally so, really.
The limits of renegotiation are rooted in the bargaining strength of the parties. Which means that the party with stronger leverage can in fact call for renegotiation and likely obtain improved terms. The weaker party will almost inevitably agree to renegotiation, in the course of which serious concessions will be obtained by the stronger party.
The recent episodes of Sandals shutdown/withdrawals in both Antigua and Barbuda and the Turks and Caicos Islands are crucial in understanding this ‘Carefully Crafted Confusion’. In both those cases, Sandals spent the capital to build the resort, but yet were still able to shutdown to seek further concessions. In the Tobago case, Sandals was investing no capital. Even in what I am now calling the Lok Jack Gambit (which I will get to in the next part) no Sandals capital was at risk. The point being that if Sandals was intended to have no capital at risk in Tobago, T&T would have been in a far weaker negotiating position than any of the other Caribbean countries. That is the precipice we were facing, the deep peril which our misleaders are trying to normalise. Continue reading “Property Matters – Tobago Sandals MoU-MoU”
This event was organised by Disclosure Today to make two awards for Civic Entrepreneurship to former AG Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj SC and Afra Raymond. Maharaj received his award for his outstanding work in creating effective laws which advance the fight against White Collar Crime and promote the Public Goods of Transparency, Accountability and Good Governance. Those laws were the Freedom of Information Act; the Judicial Review Act; the Proceeds of Crime Act; the Prevention of Corruption Act. Raymond was given an award form his successful litigation under the Freedom of Information Act in landmark cases. It was held at La Boucan in Trinidad Hilton Hotel and Conference Centre. Video courtesy Disclosure Today
Afra Raymond is interviewed by David Walker on 104.7 MORE FM on the debacle of the collapse of the projected Sandals managed luxury resort in Tobago. The MoU details and the actions of the State in its negotiations towards the MoU are discussed. Audio courtesy MORE 104.7 FM
Afra Raymond was interviewed on The Morning Brew on CNC3 Television regarding the pull out of the Sandals Group from the proposed deal to manage a new Sandals and Beaches resort in Tobago. The publication of the details of the memorandum of understanding is questioned as a catalyst for the pull out decision. Video courtesy CNC3 Television
Afra Raymond was at the Scarborough Public Library in Tobago on 13 December 2018 to speak on his 
