Neil Borrowes, the proposed developer for the more than $3 million Dolphin Cove project in the Turks Caicos Islands is charging that a small group of interest-serving rich expatriates were hell-bent on derailing his project primarily for fear of competition.

Borrowes, who was in the islands earlier this week, to further promote his development, met with the various members of the media to clarify what he deemed as a slew of misinformation surrounding his attractions in Jamaica and Cayman Islands. Borrowes even extended invitation to local officials and media practitioners to visit any of its Dolphin Cove operations in the two neigbouring islands, so as to clear up the misinformation.

Borrowes, who manages the Dolphin Cove operation in Grand Cayman, also rubbished rumours that he was granted the green light to open the project, which is to be built on 250 feet of water front land space.

“The dolphin park has not been green-lighted whatsoever in Provo. I have come here a little bit disgusted at the attacks on line against the Rebecca (Astwood, Government’s Director for investment) and the Governor – accusations of things like bribes on so on. I think it is disgusting. I sent a proposal in a long time ago; we have a $3million investment that we are seriously thinking of doing in Provo. My main purpose here is – (a) to congratulate the PNP on their win and (b) to invite a delegates or appointees to come and inspect us.

“I want people to have an open and honest viewing of what we do. After they inspect us; every cupboard, every drawer, every staff, every guest, every regulatory body; after they inspect us, then make a decision – you want us or you don’t want us. This is reversible. We have not spent a tremendous amount of money. We got the land at a good deal, we would sell it. (After visiting overseas attractions) if you don’t like us, just tell us, no thanks; if you think we are a good idea, then we would love to come,” Borrowes said.

Burrowes continued: “What I believe the motive for this misinformation is, is a message I got from a Belonger, and the message was: ‘Neil, some very high powered people in the ecological awareness business, including tour operators, seemed hell-bent on killing this project. Some of them are quite rich and influential’. 
“And you would agree with me that it is incredibly selfish for some snorkelers or some kayakers or scuba divers, to create and fabricate a bunch of misinformation to stop a fabulous attraction from coming to Provo. It is selfish; competition brings out the best in us; Digicel is proof of this. Belongers used to get zonked calling America – two bucks a minute, now they pay about 10 cents a minute. That is the main reason for this anti-dolphin movement.”

He said the only expatriates that would be needed in the beginning would be dolphin trainers, while expressing confidence that he would be able to find the remaining workers among the Belonger population.

Burrowes said that if given the go ahead, the dolphin park could develop in phases, with phase one being the dolphin attraction, while phases two and three, if granted permission, could involve sharks, stingrays and iguanas. He said that phase one could employ up to 40 people directly, in addition to the multiplier employments that it would also provide.

He said that while, initially, Belongers may not be employed in the dolphin-training operation; there will be a number of opportunities for employment, such as management, photography, book-keeping, tour- guiding, reservations, security and gift shop.

“It’s not rocket science training dolphins, so, if there are Belongers that are interested in learning, we will be happy to teach them. There is a very high demand in the world to be a dolphin trainer. In fact, in Grand Cayman, there is a long waiting list of people, who want to volunteer with us. Being a dolphin trainer is very difficult to become; you have to love animals. And, it is more of a luck that you get to become a dolphin trainer – you have to work very hard – but it is not rocket science.

Borrowes stressed that his business would not replicate any other existing ones on islands, so current establishment owners should not feel threatened.

“We are not coming to Provo to get into industries that Belongers are in. We don’t own a bus; we don’t own a boat in Grand Cayman. In Provo, taxi guys are going to make a ton of money bringing people from hotels to the venue,” he said.

One of the concerns expressed by some of the detractors of the dolphin park was that allowing such operation in the TCI goes against the ‘Beautiful by Nature’ theme and, that Jojo the Dolphin, which is regarded as a TCI ambassador, is a wild life creature that is allowed to run free. And so, allowing a dolphin park here, they said, would be a conflict of the theme.

In response to such statement, Burrowes said: “In America it is illegal to swim with wild dolphins and, there is a reason it is against the law. Jojo has bitten many people. People don’t talk about it. Cayman has a wild dolphin too, just like Jojo, called ‘Stinky’ – biting and humping many people, causing havoc to divers. He is humping the anchor ropes of boats, causing the boats to run loose. Jojo is great and is a great symbol to promote tourism, but it should not be encouraged to go and swim with Jojo.”

Asked as to the stage of the project development, Burrowes said that his company had submitted an outlined plan to the Physical Planning Department and had invited technocrats from that department to visit one of their overseas locations for inspection.

“The anti-dolphin people have created a campaign of misinformation and it’s controversial. So, we are waiting for the decision makers – the newly-elected government – to make a decision. If they want us, say ‘yea’; if they don’t want, say ‘no thanks’. We are not by any means, too far down the track to turn back,” Burrowes said.

He noted that the dolphin park in Grand Cayman was given the go ahead after that country’s government sent inspectors to Jamaica to examine their operation. He is urging similar action from the local authorities.

For more on this story go to:
http://suntci.com/dolphin-cove-owner-says-selfish-expats-accused-of-campaigning-to-kill-his-p466-108.htm