Hassel Thom, president of the Trinidad Hotels, Restaurants & Tourism Association (THRTA) says the $92,000 bill chalked up by Minister of Sport and Youth Affairs, Darryl Smith, for a three-night stay at the Magdalena Grand Beach Resort in Tobago for a delegation of 12 officials, including himself, were “not really exorbitant” and “realistic”.
That is, compared with the cost of staying at five-star hotels like the Hyatt Regency and Trinidad Hilton in Port-of-Spain, he said.
Putting aside what he called the “politics and other issues” surrounding Smith’s Tobago visit, Thom gave his view on what it actually costs for 12 people to stay at a five star hotel for three nights.
Although the Magdalena Grand’s website gives the hotel a 4.1 star rating, Thom felt it was more between “3.5 to 4”.
He said the going rate for staying at a hotel like the Hyatt can be anywhere between $US150 to over $US200 per night or between $TT12,000 and TT$15,000.
“You multiply that by 12 rooms for three nights and if you have breakfast, it comes up to around TT$54,000 for three nights. And that’s not even a suite you are calculating for.”
“If you add the 20 per cent hotel tax for accommodation and service, it comes up to TT$64,000. Add to that the cost of the flight and four car rentals for three days.”
Thom concluded the overall $92,000 for Smith’s stay at the Magdalena Grand was not really exorbitant. “If that was the cost for a government entourage of 12 for three nights, then it’s not such an exorbitant cost. It’s realistic.”
He said it would have come across high because of the “timing”.
He said it came immediately after the disclosure of a $59,000 roaming fee by Minister of Tourism, Shamfa Cudjoe, and amidst calls by the Government for citizens to be conservative in spending.
He said the concerns around Smith’s trip were not based only on the cost itself but on the three additional people who went with him at the last minute, referring to the newspaper photograph of Smith and an employee of his ministry, Kate Balthazar, one of 11 employees who accompanied him on the Tobago trip.
“That’s what you have to weigh,” Thom said.
He described that aspect of the report as a “political game,” saying he does not get involved in politics.
Smith and his entourage went to Tobago two weekends ago to attend the Tobago House of Assembly awards on the Saturday night, among other events.
