Cap Juluca has long been regarded as the flagship of the island’s up-market tourism industry. Conversely, its 400-odd staff, almost entirely Anguillians, have been praised for their sterling commitment to duty and service par excellence. And yet there have been no other workers in Anguilla who have had to endure so much uncertainty and frustration at the workplace than they.

Nothing has been so discouraging to them than the long ownership battle and fears of a possible shutdown which have plagued the property. While all of this has been happening, the Government sat on the fence merely looking on (if at all), yet largely dependent on the high volume of revenue which the beleaguered, but world class, property brought to the Treasury.

For the Government which owns the land where the hotel stands, its eventual intervention, to solve the ownership dispute by forcing a sale of the property or alternatively threatening to acquire it, was too late. The resort, which has remained a force and an attraction to be reckoned with in the regional and international tourism markets and destinations, could have been spared the bad publicity it suffered. The hard-working and resilient staff could equally have been shielded from the insecurity they felt while demonstrating a high degree of patience and resilience.
There have been all sorts of promises to the staff about the settling down of the hotel and increased benefits for them. They have had to sit through a somewhat controversial bid between Gencom and Anguilla Tourism Investment Limited (ANTIL) in partnership with Arberge Firesky to purchase Cap Juluca. The Gencom Group quickly went ahead, secured agreements to buy the hotel and presented master design plans to substantially expand the property but all that time there were unexplained delays and fruitless negotiations in other areas. (These matters have been set out in a message to employees of the hotel from Dion Freidland which appears elsewhere in The Anguillian).
It came as a shock to everyone when the Chief Minister announced in the House of Assembly last week that the deal was off for the sale of the hotel. The hopes of the Cap Juluca workers suddenly plummeted. Those hopes have again been rekindled with the news that another buyer has been found and has already met and submitted proposals to Government. It is another promise and so its fulfilment is yet to be seen.
Mr. Frieldland, who has placed responsibility for the approval process squarely into the Government’s lap, has described the prospective investor as “an extremely well-qualified buyer”. There has, however, been no announcement about the terms of the sale or the buyer’s proposals for Cap Juluca. The workers have been given three more promises: one million US dollars to be paid to them, a salary increase for deserving employees and the improvement of benefits and facilities on conclusion of the sale. The fulfilment of the pledges and the settling down of the hotel would be satisfactory rewards for the dedicated workers who now really need action more than promises.

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