Bascome says 'keep the faith'

FRIDAY, OCT. 5: The Mayor of St George’s today urged islanders not to give up hope of the Park Hyatt development becoming a reality.

Kenneth Bascome met with developer Carl Bazarian while he was on island earlier this week to progress plans to build the hotel on the old Club Med site.

Mr Bascome said he remained optimistic that the multi-million dollar project would get off the ground soon.

He told the Bermuda Sun: “At this stage I am going to give Mr Bazarian the benefit of the doubt.

“In my discussions with him he has assured me he is committed to the project.

“The main reason I believe something will happen is that there have also been representatives from Park Hyatt in Bermuda this week as well as Mr Bazarian.

“And I do not believe that Park Hyatt would allow their name to be associated with this project if they did not think they would be able to deliver it.

“People have been casting dispersions on Mr Bazarian but I will not do that at this stage and I will not do that at the end even if he is unable to deliver.

“I am more than hopeful this project will get off the ground soon.

“I understand Bermudians’ frustration because it has not come to fruition.

“But things do not always come in the time frame you would deem to be acceptable. We need to have a little bit of faith.”

The Mayor said he was disappointed that some islanders’ perception of the Park Hyatt development had been clouded by race.

He added: “People talk about the race card and how we as black people never have the opportunity to be ‘in the room’ when decisions are made.

“Then when we are in the room people say we are being used by white people.

“Someone came up to me this week and they asked me why would I allow myself to be used by white people in relation to the Park Hyatt project.

“I do not see this as a racial issue and some people need to change their mindset.

“Everyone who is involved in the decision-making process needs to be sat around the same table so we can come up with a strategic plan of where we can take Bermuda.”

Just last week Tourism Minister Wayne Furbert mistakenly told ZBM News in a television interview that the Park Hyatt project had been terminated.

He later issued a statement admitting he had made an error and that he should have said the time agreement for the project had expired and that the agreement had lapsed.

The Minister stated Government was still fully committed to a hotel in St George’s.