Publication: Sun on Saturday
Paper Section And Page: 32
Paper Date: Sat, Jan 20, 2001
Byline:
SIR CHARLES WILLIAMS wants a better deal for upscale tourists. He feels that unless they are accorded a certain level of treatment, the industry could suffer.
The construction magnate was responding to the lead story in Thursday's edition of the Daily Nation about anchor damage to coral reefs by two yachts just outside the boundary of the Folkestone Marine Reserve, St. James.
"Let us look and see what we want. Do we want 20 000 people arriving here in dirty T-shirts and $20 bills, none of which they change; or do we want 2 000 people that will spend $200 000 and employ a lot of people in Barbados?" he asked during Voice of Barbados' Down To Brass Tacks programme yesterday.
"If Government wants tourism, then they would want rich people, but they must create the right atmosphere in every respect."
He said that tourism dollars brought economic wealth to Barbados which plummeted unemployment levels below ten per cent for the first time and constant criticism of these people will be detrimental to the economy.
"I believe it will ultimately destroy what a lot of people in this country and governments work hard to promote. Let's not lose sight of the fact that there are alternatives," he said.
He, however, did not condone the coral reef damage. One of the yachts, the Virginian, is owned by heir to the multi-billion dollar Bamford estate, Sir Anthony Bamford, who also owns Heron Bay. It was anchored behind Heron Bay when the alert was raised.
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