Tonge speaks of benefits of CBI Program to Dominica’s tourism sector

Tonge addressed a function on Monday

Minister of Tourism and Urban Renewal, Senator Robert Tonge has spoken of the benefits of the Citizenship by Investment (CBI) Program and its impact on foreign direct investments in the tourism sector.

He spoke at a function on Monday at the State House announcing the partnership between Marriott International and Silver Beach Resort and Spa, to be built in Picard, Portsmouth under the CBI Program.

“The Citizenship by Investment Program (CIP) has opened up an effective, transparent and direct opportunity to forge these partnerships, in order to develop home grown, and foreign direct investments in the tourism sector,” he said. “Like other similar projects currently being developed under the CIP, the Silver Beach Development will greatly enhance Dominica’s export ready hotel room stock. The luxury resort, will not only greatly complement Dominica’s natural attractions and eco-friendly environment, but will bring a brand name that is well known and patronized all over the world.”

According to Tonge, many have opined that Dominica needs these quality brands to improve on the countries awareness and develop its Tourism product to world class standards.

“The additional luxury hotel rooms will have a tremendous rippling effect on other economic sectors,” he noted. “Hundreds of jobs will be created in the construction sector during the development phase. Once the doors are open and even before guests have arrived, hundreds of jobs will have been created in the hospitality sector.”

Tonge went on to say that it has been the foresight of this government to invest heavily in the training of hospitality workers throughout the length and breadth of Dominica.

“Farmers, fishermen, taxi drivers and other goods and service providers also stand to benefit from this investment,” he said.

Tonge stated further that government is committed to ensuring that the partnership with the Marriott brand, “will be long term and beneficial to both parties.”

“We will continue to address transport to Dominica by improving air access and broadening relationships with new and existing airlines which service Dominica,” he remarked.

Tonge noted that infrastructural development through roads and bridges remain a constant priority for Government, “ and while we rebuild major roadways following the effects of climate change events, we are building back better.”

He stated that significant focus is also being placed on maintaining a visitor friendly and welcoming environment.

“This includes enhancements to the infrastructure in the city of Roseau and town of Portsmouth as well as upgrades and further development of our tourism products,” he noted.

Tonge went on to say that the Government has made $15-million available to existing hotels and restaurants to expand or upgrade its properties to enhance visitor satisfaction, and at the same time exceeding standards, as per their recommendations.

“Government has increased its marketing budget, investing more heavily in the systematic promotion of Dominica to travel agents, tour operators and potential visitors,” he said. “All of these initiatives mentioned above have been made possible from the proceeds of the Citizenship by Investment Program…”

Tonge said he is confident that the Marriott brand, with over 5,500 properties, in 11o countries worldwide, will find Dominica to be one of its most sought after locations.

“Our offering of a combination of heritage, cultural, urban and environmental experiences will be a hit with your guests,” he noted.

He said Dominica remains the most uniquely positioned not only as regards to its location in the Caribbean archipelago, “but also by virtue of its vast untouched natural attractions which are currently sitting waiting to welcome all.”

Tonge said he is honoured to be part of the “most transformational government elected to office since independence”

Meantime; CEO of Silver Beach Resort Alick Lawrence said one of the opportunities afforded by the current state of Dominica’s hotel stock is that developers of hotels under the CBI Program, have the ability to define the type of hotel industry for which Dominica will become known.

Alick Lawrence is CEO of Silver Beach Resort and S[a
“This is both an awesome and exciting challenge and responsibility and we at Silver Beach intend to deliver a product and service which make an important contribution to that decision,” he stated.

Lawrence revealed that at the end of this month a series of meetings will be held in Dominica involving all the major players, or potential players in the construction phase.

“A similar meeting between our team and the Marriott team will follow in Miami,” he revealed.

He stated also that the intention is to commence construction of the resort in this half of the year.

“Various activities are already in motion to achieve this,” he said.

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23 Comments

  1. Jenny Pemberton-Javais
    January 11, 2017

    Wake up people. Whether you like it or not, passport sales are our number 1 source of revenue. Nothing else comes 1 million miles close.

    Name me one industry we have that brings in $35 million dollars a month. You can’t.

    Then shut the up and help Dr. Skerrit sell our passports for even more money. Passports are a bottomless pit of honey and we have to protect this industry at all costs.

  2. Push ON
    January 11, 2017

    “The luxury resort, will not only greatly complement Dominica’s natural attractions and eco-friendly environment, but will bring a brand name that is well known and patronized all over the world.”

    Apparently PM, you do not know anything about matching product offering to the target markets…. are you aware that the tourist market that DA’s product offering pulls are Allocentric (The Wanderers), according to Plog’s Tourist Typologies….Have you conducted/review market research to truly comprehend the type/characteristic of 90% of the DA’s tourist and whether or not having these so call brands will truly be a pull factor??????

    Now Minister of Tourism to say yes in support of the so call luxury hotel, yet say it will NOT complement DA’s product offering, is an oxymoron in and of itself….. you are simply showing us that you truly shouldn’t be Tourism Minister…. you are just a flapping tongue, flapping in the wind of Skerrit and his delusions and tricks.

  3. tj
    January 11, 2017

    Mr. Tonge you need to find a way to bring the visitors in to fill the many hotel projects, such as an airport capable of handling long haul flights .

  4. viewsexpressed
    January 11, 2017

    “This is both an awesome and exciting challenge and responsibility and we at Silver Beach intend to deliver a product and service which make an important contribution to that decision,” he stated. Lawrence, absolute rubbish, we do not trust you guys. Hon Linton etc exposed you all and now you al are trying to clean up all you vomit on the Dominican people. Awesome and exciting big bank accounts you guys hold and make yourselves more financially secured and the poor people of Dominica continue to live in squalor. How more insulting can you all get.?, You band of inept politicians and dog wagging lawyers. Shameful.

  5. viewsexpressed
    January 10, 2017

    “! its impact on foreign direct investments in the tourism sector.” Mr Tongue, I am being careful with tongue and language, that is how upset I am with you and your corrupt Labour government.
    We have no money in Dominica towards development. We are still patching up, we are not building Dominica. You are guys are great actors, and deceivers playing on the vulnerability of Dominica`s poor, as it something is happening . You and your government are big jokers and we are not fooled.
    Go to Hell….Go to Hell…Go to Hell

  6. August
    January 10, 2017

    Thanks again to the honorable leader of opposition
    Mr Linton what a HERO SIR u have all moo moo talking
    All dogs barking all donkeys braying all chicken clucking
    All birds tweeting all drums drumming u are. Dominicas
    H E R O. Once again thanks

  7. %
    January 10, 2017

    Skerrit has to whip all of all you to go speak on how wonderful the CBI programme is…But is for whom!!Wonder if anyone of you will ask him under which culvert,or in which pipe he was hiding,when the marvellous opportunity was given to him to defend the programme..I DETEST THIS DLP REGIME.

  8. Tj
    January 10, 2017

    I would like mR. To get to address how must a visitor and locals here.

  9. CBI Sales now $35 million dollars a month
    January 10, 2017

    The government actors and their agents take only around $5M to $10M a month for themselves from the $35M which the CBI program brings in each and every month.

    That’s not a lot of money to take in fees folks and we should not begrudge Dr. Skerrit and his associates this money as selling passports is a very, very hard job.

    Be grateful that we have this great team putting Dominica on the world stage.

    • viewsexpressed
      January 10, 2017

      Grateful my Dominican Assets…..give me a break. It means you talking BS and really disrespectful to us Dominicans. Great tem my foot. The country nice in dire poverty, especially where you live.

    • %
      January 10, 2017

      I have no intention to praise evil men…Bad governance is on many Dominicans doorstep now..Never before was Dominica entirely dependent on SELLING PASSPORTS and that alone..Despite your puffery, I smell danger in the short to medium term, as a result of the sale of that commodity,and chaos plus disorder…This will be the legacy of an evil DLP regime!!WICKEDS THEY ARE!

    • Nonymous
      January 10, 2017

      people like you just sound like you want some of that money for yourself. stop crying like a child and open your eyes to the BIG PICTURE. so petty. you should be ashamed if you consider yourself a Dominican….more like a “Dominican’t.”

      Go on…keep wasting time worrying about $ figures instead of how you can take advantage and earn some.

    • Jon Jones
      January 12, 2017

      Are you legally blind or just born stupid?
      With the state of people living in abject poverty, an environment lacking basic resources and infrastructure, a begging bowl strategy from a govt of 17 years yet you think it is fine for Government ministers to use national assets (passports) to create personal wealth that they are now using to exploit their own people at a later date.
      Thankfully those outside of the goldfish bowl can see more clearly than you to realise what is happening.
      To speak like that means you must be getting some crumbs off their table while plenty Dominicans must suck salt which is a direct quote from one of his cronies. In fact the same crony is a known exponent of financial exploitation while in office.

      As you cannot see I will explain simply – these people are exploiting Dominica’s limited assets for their own financial gain. They are fooling the people while lining their pockets but they are not fooling international security agencies.

  10. dissident
    January 10, 2017

    Can you confirm the amount of CBI money spent on the waikubuli national trail?
    What about damage to the trail during Erica?

  11. jonathan st jean
    January 10, 2017

    Mr Tongue,it is plain to see that the spoils of the sale of the Dominican heritage are being accumulated by a select few at this time in our history,those with strong umbilical cord attachment to the Labour party.When the Syrian entrepreneurs came to our shores years ago they didn’t receive special privileges but worked their butts off to accomplish the success they had.These days the golden egg from passport selling is being hand delivered to a select few.Why is it that it’s those who have the privilege to sell our nationality are the ones who are the investors on the island.The US has expressed grave concerns about the passport selling program,now the Spanish are expressing their concerns too.Don’t be surprised that the feathers of the golden egg laying goose will be plucked,when these developed countries begin to issue travel advisories for their citizens visiting or living in Dominica then the chickens will have come home to roost.

  12. Read People READ
    January 10, 2017

    One would think that we would invest in a high speed ferry next, for shipping of goods and people since we don’t have an international airport. But, I guess air access will be addressed again at the next general election, when we’ll have our sudden 5-year increase of “tourists.”

  13. January 10, 2017

    All these guys are accomplices to the CBI being i a coma now, they knew how important the program was to Dominica and remained silent when it was being misused and abused.
    Evil floriches when good men remain silent

  14. Reasoning
    January 10, 2017

    :?: Questions to all those involved in the prostitution of passports and to you Mr.Tonge :?: How long has this illegal rogues posing as government of which you are part of selling passports :?: How much money have been collected :?: Where are the investors and investments spoken about by your illegal rogues :?: Why is it only now that you all are coming up with these hotels which is yet to be completed :?: Why is it that it’s the agents and those involved in the prostitution of passports the investors and whose monies are they using :?: All I see in these sudden promises of hotel building is a way of siphoning the monies to fool people’s eyes that something is happening when indeed it is what’s called money laundering! Usually these project never gets completed like the Layou Hotel and Moroccan…. :?:

  15. Passport for horses
    January 10, 2017

    Mr. Tongue as a businessman you know very well that before you venture into a business you MUST not only look at the benefits but one also needs to look at the consequences. Mr. Tongue how would you feel if you got up one morning and hear that someone with a Dominican passport entered a US embassy anywhere in the world and killed 5 people? Would that kind of news matter even if a few team members were able to use CBI money to build 200 room hotel, that can’t be opened? Man Dr. Ralph Gonzales, a fellow laborite and PM of St. Vincent said four days ago that Passport is the highest office in the land and therefore it is not for sale. He went on to say there are many things one can sell to make money but they will not do it. In my little mind I think of ganja I can sell to build a little 2 bedroom house for my girl and children but I will not dear do that even if I know I would only put my family in danger. Isn’t the sale of passport just as bad as sale and put DA at risk?

    • Jon Jones
      January 12, 2017

      There is a strong likelihood that crooks in the West who already have easy access to create a new identity would be attracted to Dominica’s CBI program. It was being advertized on a notorious criminal website “The Silk Road” alongside guns, assassins, drugs, etc.
      The talk of due diligence checks is nonsense it these cases – but the consequences if one of our passports turn up in terrorist hands will have a dire impact on all Dominicans. It would create barriers for all Dominicans trying to travel internationally and those who might like in the US would no longer be able to pop home for a visit as the probably would not be let back in so easy. I pray this doesnt happen but those people who sold passports to make fortunes dont care as long as they are all right.
      Their fears are if the passport holders ever have a need to ask for their money back which could mean something else altogether.

  16. January 10, 2017

    OK, so let me see if I get this right. Our newly coined “Citizens” do not want to visit much less invest in their new “homeland” where they acquired citizenship by “INVESTMENT” so the passport peddlers are now taking up the mantle of “major investors” in the CBI program right? Yet, when references are made that it’s like a mail order passport we start foaming at the mouth, calling each other traitors and even go as far as requesting the immediate execution of our elected Officials, right? With thousands and thousands of passports sold why can’t we find at least 100 to 500 serious investors? Ohhhh sorry…I misunderstood… these passport holders have already made a one time investment into someone’s pocket! I get it now! My fellow Dominicans is it foolish of me to think that something is seriously wrong with this picture? I mean “pay your money take your passport and run”? Does that sound right to ANY of you? Please reply yes or no and why!

  17. NADINE
    January 10, 2017

    :lol: Here we go again!

    • dee
      January 11, 2017

      Did the Marriot Enterprise receive a number of Dominican passports as reward for the use of their Brand name or was it millions from the CBI program? (Dominicans money)
      just asking a simple question Mr .Tongue

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