THE OTHER SIDE OF THE STORY IN THE CANOUAN SAGA!

DISCLAIMER 
THE VIEWS EXPRESSED IN THIS ARTICLE ARE THOSE OF THE ANONYMOUS AUTHOR AND NOT THOSE OF THE OWNER OF THIS BLOG! 

By now I believe that most Vincentians at home and abroad would have been aware of the current DEVELOPMENTAL SAGA between the residents of the Grenadine island of CANOUAN and CCA of which CANOUAN RESORT is a customer. Shortly after the December 9 General Elections some of the residents engaged in a PROTEST to send a clear message to the CAA and the government that they need access to the beach. 
 
As the owner of this blog I was TAGGED IN A LETTER FROM THE CEO OF THE CAA by one of my FACEBOOK friends. I found the story quite interesting and sought to get more information from someone who lives on the island. I was messaged from a CANOUAN resident who wishes to remain ANONYMOUS that this LETTER ON FACEBOOK was MISLEADING at its core as it failed to give a true picture of the real situation. In an effort to provide a FAIR approach to my blogging I have decided to provide this forum for this resident to give his/her side of the story.

 

 LETTER FROM THE CEO CAA
 

THE OTHER SIDE OF THE STORY FROM SOMEONE WHO LIVES IN CANOUAN AND WHO WISHES TO REMAIN ANONYMOUS
 

"In regards to a formal launch of the hotel, the so called "hotel operators " haven't even decided if they are going to manage the hotel in Canouan. The name of the management company is "Mandarin Oriental ". These people were interested in managing the hotel in Canouan, but stopped showing interested and didn't confirm whether or not they were going to go through with it up to this point. The Canouan Resort was going to be the one running the hotel independently, so how exactly can the hotel operators delay the launch. Since they are the hotel operators, then they are the one delaying the launch. 

Now, about this part of the Canouan Resort being the main customer for CCA, this is true. But this is the interesting part. CCA has been conducting layoffs since last year, long before the issue of the "Lans Guyac" beach in canouan. In addition to this, CCA has brought a Barbadian company "C.O Williams " to do work in Canouan. They have been laying off a significant about of the workforce form this country and replacing them with Barbadian workers. Local workers that once operated certain equipment have been replaced by Barbarians. As a matter of fact, CCA has no major projects planned, as their last major project, which was the construction of the new hotel in Canouan ( canouan.com/thehotel )‎ has been completed over 3 years ago. Since then, they have no major projects to be undertaken. If they are forced to lay off the staff because of the so called issues create by Terry Bynoe et al, then why are they able to import Bajan's to do work in Canouan? How can they replace Vincentians with Bajan's if they are going through a crisis? 

Next, the Canouan community isn't allowing Terry Bynoe to do anything, the Canouan community is 110% behind Terry Bynoe, and we are all supporting him all the way because we all have the same views. The investors don't care about the natives of Canouan, and I have grounds on which I stand on that. This article is misleading because they can't say that the Canouan community is allowing it because we are all supportive of what Mr. Terry Bynoe and others are trying to do to establish better negotiations between the investors and community. 

Now, these investors have been doing more bad than good to us in Canouan. The owner of the Canouan Resort, Andrea Pignataro, has stated that an exclusive zone has been negotiated between him and the government. This exclusive zone spans through a majority of the beaches in Canouan. Only 2 beaches in Canouan are actually available if this exclusive zone isn't cancelled, because all other beaches are inaccessible since the other beaches are a part of another project being undertaken in Canouan by other investors. And as a matter of fact, one of these beaches is located at a Harbor, and it isn't safe for swimming because toxic chemicals are being dumped into the water from vessels, and heavy machinery are being operated there. So that leaves one beach available for the public out of this exclusive zone. 

The issue in Canouan spans beyond a beach. The beach isn't all that we're fighting for. It's a lot more than that. Land is another issue. Lands in Canouan are being sold by the government to investors. There isn't even anything left to be sold. What about natives that want lands? We obviously can't afford to compete with billionaires and millionaires to buy lands. We don't have that kind of money. We aren't being considered. More land has been sold and people in Canouan weren't even aware of it. We have nothing left to ourselves. We have to stand up and fight for whatever is left. 

These lands being sold and exclusive zone being established have been done without the people of Canouan knowing, so I consider it to be underhand work between the investors and the government. If these investors are willing to do these sorts of underhand work, are they there for the people? Or are they there to make themselves richer. They don't care about us and we want better treatment. 

Because of the exclusive zone, the owner of the resort has been making the staff chasing tourists on yachts that enter this zone, especially the ones known for kite surfing. These same yachties come to the city and purchase items from the supermarket, souvenir shops and market. They support our local fishermen. They add to our livelihood. The tourist that visit Canouan to go to the resort do not go to the actual community. They don't spend money at our shops and supermarkets. The yachties do. Why chase the people that actually contribute towards our daily bread. They are taking the food from our mouths so we can depend on them and take whatever they give us and we are forced to cry inside. 

I have been reading through the comments on the picture posted by junior John and I am surprised that these people have such harsh comments to make about the locals in Canouan, calling them ignorant when they themselves are ignorant about what is happening in Canouan. 

Even working at the resort is hell. A basic salary of $1003 can't do much. If you complain to them about certain issues then they literally tell you, "if you don't like it then you can always leave, there are other people that would be happy to get your job ". How can we be happy working there under these conditions.

I have been working at this said resort, and I know of many people that have sustained injuries on the job. Some of them told me that their managers ignored them. Others said that when they went to the resort's doctor, all he tells them to do is take paracetamol! Can you believe it? Some of these same people have reported severe pain even after they no longer work there and they aren't willing to assist with the payment of therapy or doctors bill. How can any person from Canouan be happy working with these sorts of investors. They force their staff to work under terrible conditions, and they force them to go and offer services to their guests at an exceptional level beyond their expectations.   

The owner, Andrea Pignataro, has also been very unreasonable. He isn't as loving and caring as the previous owner, Antonio Saladino. People were afraid to offer services to Mr Saladino because he was the owner and they get stage fright, but they are afraid to other services to Mr Pignataro because they are afraid to lose their job. Mr Pignataro has been on a spree over the Christmas season in Canouan, and he has been firing people at will. Any mistakes while offering him service and he fires you. How can you go about operating like this to your staff, and how can people of Canouan be happy with this?

The matter is far beyond a beach, we are fighting for more than that. I hated the fact that (if the letter was actually published by the CEO of CCA) ,they are trying to fool the world about what is happening. I live there. I have grown up there since I was in pampers. That is my home. The government is actually doing this underhand work with them because they are the ones allowing the investors to carry out their activities. They are the ones selling them lands, they are the ones that gave them the exclusive zone. The government isn't standing for the people of Canouan. Why? I don't know, maybe politics?

These people have also relocate a asphalt plant and a batching plant from an area that is not populated on the resort and have relocate near to residential establishments on the island. They will never put these things near one of the villas on the resort, we, the people of Canouan are being treated as the worst. The fumes from the asphalt plant and batching plant intensely toxic and can lead to adverse health effects. This should have never been put near the places people live. 

They also want to build a container port (which would also serve as a new jetty) in Canouan at an area where would require lots of coral to be broken. This said coral protects marine ecosystem and fights against coastal erosion. The current location is perfect for a new Port because it is a central location to the people of Canouan. Why don't they put it there? Why put it away from us at a difficultly accessible location. Why? 

Why aren't things being done with the people of Canouan in mind? Why isn't the government stepping in to help us? I hope you can see why the people of Canouan are protesting, demonstrating, etc. I hope you can see and understand. Please don't be blinded by what they are telling you. I am deeply upset to see the comments that were posted on the picture on Facebook. They don't know what's going on. We are there and we are suffering. Look at it, these investors have been having a monopoly over us. They know if we don't work with them then we don't have a livelihood. So they push anything in our mouths and tell us to chew and swallow. There isn't any thoughts being places for us. Food in Canouan costs over 2 times the cost than  it does in St Vincent. A basic salary of $1003? You can't afford to pay for electricity, Internet cable and buy food.  This is all that I can think of from the tip of my tongue, but I'm sure that there are more issues that I can't remember at this point. If you need more then I'll be happy to provide. Think about it, let the world know the truth. 

Yours truly

ANONYMOUS 

INTERVIEW WITH ANTONIO SALADINO - APRIL 8, 2015

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