By Vivian Tyson - SUN Senior Editor

 
 
A number of Salt Cay residents are bemoaning the indefinite hold on the Salt Cay Resort and Golf Club, which has been placed in limbo by principal for the project, Mario Hoffman, who declared that he has had it with the British Government.

Hoffman claimed that his company was being investigated by the United Kingdom from as early as January, but only learned of the probe in July through a Salmon Letter sent to him by the Commission of Inquiry, investigating corruption in Government.

According to the citizens, the project’s halt could spell further disaster for most of the island’s people, who are still reeling from the devastating blow dealt by Hurricane Ike which ravished parts of the country in early September last year.

Antoinette Talbot, one of the residents, told The SUN that Salt Cay has been for sometime now yearning for development of some sort, and they were happy when Hoffman decided to grant their wishes. She noted that all of that happiness has been transformed into frowns after learning of his decision to halt the project.

“When I look at all the other islands they have something going, but Salt Cay has nothing going on. And we should have some form of development that can provide jobs for people, because right now it is just Government doing a little clean up on the roads, and only for a few people,” Talbot said.
She noted that if the island was to get some form of development, the young people would not have to migrate to places such as Providenciales, and those who have already left would return.

“We have a lot of people gone out of Salt Cay because there is nothing for them to do. Half of my family members are in Provo. My children were home last week, and they told me that if something was in Salt Cay for them to do, they would stay home.

People in Salt Cay were looking for the development to happen, so it is going to be a setback for the island. People are always asking when are they going to start the project, and people are looking for an answer, but they (Hoffman and company) don’t know themselves,” Talbot said.

Another resident of the island Maurice Simmons said Hoffman was important to the island of Salt Cay, not because of the project that he intends to undertake, but the assistance he said the island received from him in the aftermath of Hurricane Ike.

“He came in and helped quite a bit for that community, including house repairs and so on, because a lot of people did not have any form of insurance, and God knows what would happen in the end if it was not for him. I hope that someday they would get a fair chance to have their contracts go on because at the moment Salt Cay is badly in need of it. There are some people who don’t want it, but those people have no idea about what life is really about.

“Also, at the end of the day, it will be beneficial to the upcoming generation, because right now Salt Cay is totally dead. We need roads; we need a decent harbour, and a decent airport because we don’t have those things. Over the years we have been getting only promises, and the people of Salt Cay are up to here (pointing to his neck) with promises. We need to see something going on,” Simmons said.