Sustainable Business Magazine 01/20

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SUSTAINABLE ISSUE 01.20 06/19

B U S I N E S S

M A G A Z I N E

STAATSOLIE HILTON BARBADOS EMERA CARIBBEAN

GRENADA

TRAVEL GUIDE ROSEBEL GOLD MINES

TELESUR ALSO FEATURED THIS ISSUE BINGHATTI DEVELOPERS • PLUS MUCH MORE

S U S TA I N I N G T O M O R R O W. T O D AY

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THE HEART OF

INNOVATION From shallow to ultra-deep water, in both harsh and benign environments, we set the standard in offshore drilling.

Seadrill is a leading offshore deepwater drilling company, aiming to be our customers’ most important partner in making oil and gas available in a safe and cost-effective manner.

OUR FLEET, YOUR BUSINESS We have a young, smart and strong fleet to meet the needs of operators, no matter their size or scale.

Tel: +44 (0)20 8811 4700 2 | SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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M A G A Z I N E

SBM Media Ltd - Henderson Business Centre, 51 Ivy Road, Norwich, Norfolk, NR5 8BF, United Kingdom • T: +44 (0)1603 516519 Email: info@sustainablebusinessmagazine.net www.sustainablebusinessmagazine.net

Editor:

George Newell

Senior Writer:

Marcus Bonnano

Profile Writer:

Liam Pritchett

Regional Manager:

Helen Stonely

Business Development: George Bell

Sustainable Business Magazine is committed to promoting sustainable printing.

This magazine is printed on Forest Stewardship Council certified material and manufactured using environmentally sustainable procedures.

All lithographic printer inks used are vegetable-based.

Welcome to the latest edition of Sustainable Business Magazine, the first of 2020.

In this issue, we look closer at telecommunications, mining, and the oil industry in Suriname. When we initially scheduled these features, we didn’t realize that we were documenting an economy on the cusp of a profound change. In early January, oil producers Apache Corporation and Total S.A. announced the first ever significant discovery of offshore oil in Surinamese waters, at the Maka Central-1 well on Block 58.

This discovery promises to upend the economic status quo in the small South American company of Suriname, population 575,000, as recent discoveries of offshore oil have for neighboring Guyana.

If the history of oil discoveries in other small nations serves as a guide, the next few years will be a time of great opportunity and potential peril for Suriname. 80% of Suriname’s land surface is covered in tropical rainforest and savannah, some of which is in use for mineral extraction, often using local Amerindian communities to support mining operations. The World Bank considers Suriname’s coast and capital as particularly vulnerable to flooding caused by rising sea levels, and severe heat plagues livestock and local people.

Past examples abound of countries, like Venezuela, which have bound their fortunes too tightly to the vicissitudes of the international oil market and have been punished for. We wish the best to Suriname, and hope that this coming windfall will be used to uplift Surinamese communities and subsequently diversify the economy.

Also in this issue, we look at renewable energy in the Caribbean, sustainable construction in the Middle East, and the potential for tourism around the world to drive sustainable livelihoods for local people and conserve unspoiled wildernesses. Don’t miss our latest sustainable travel guides, which offer advice for traveling to Grenada and the British Virgin Islands while minimizing negative impacts on the natural environments and contributing to local communities.

Details of upcoming sustainability events around the world throughout March and April can be found on our events calendar.

We hope that you find this issue both interesting and inspiring. Thank you for reading.

The Sustainable Business Magazine Team

Sales Manager:

Jake Curtis

Web Administrator: Ashley Hewitt

CONTENTS ISSUE 01/20 04

Interview: Staatsolie

14

Interview: Telesur

20

Interview: Rosebel Gold Mines

26

Travel Guide: Grenada

44

Interview: Hilton Barbados

50

Interview: Emera Caribbean

54

Travel Guide: British Virgin Islands

68

Interview: Binghatti Developers

72

Review: Therme Bucharest

74

Interview: Ghana Tourism Authority

ISSUE 01/20 FRONT COVER IMAGE IMAGE COURTESY OF BINGHATTI DEVELOPERS

© SBM Media Ltd 2019. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form for any purpose, other than short sections for the purpose of review, without prior consent of the publisher.

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INTERVIEW: STAATSOLIE

PREPARING FOR PROSPERITY 4 | SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

Sustainable Business Magazine speaks to Rudolf Elias, Managing Director and CEO at Staatsolie, about oil exploration, efficient operations, and investing in people.

Staatsolie Maatschappij Suriname N.V. is the Surinamese national oil company.

Headquartered in Paramaribo, Staatsolie is tasked with all oil-related activities, from exploration and drilling to refining and marketing, as well as monitoring other oil companies present in Suriname. Staatsolie was founded in 1980 to execute the oil policy on behalf of the Surinamese state – the company’s sole shareholder. Commercial production started in 1982, and today Staatsolie

produces enough diesel at their refinery to meet the entire local demand. Since 2015, Staatsolie has invested over US$1 billion in the further expansion of operations, and the company remains committed to integrity, excellence, and accountability.

Increasingly, international attention has turned towards Suriname as its neighbour Guyana has made a series of recent offshore oil discoveries. As part of Staatsolie’s Vision 2030, the company has committed to sustainably develop the energy industry in Suriname, to guide Suriname towards being a regional player in the energy market, and to contribute to the advancement of Surinamese society. Pivotal to this vision has been Staatsolie’s belief in the likelihood of an imminent offshore oil find – a belief which, in early 2020, was validated by the discovery of oil by Apache Corporation and Total S.A. at the Maka Central-1 well in Block 58.

STRATEGIZING FOR SUCCESS “Everything that we do – and our whole strategy for success – is the way it is because we firmly believe that Suriname is on the eve of a huge oil find,” says Rudolf Elias, Managing Director and CEO at Staatsolie, prior to the announcement of the SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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INTERVIEW: STAATSOLIE

“EVERYTHING THAT WE DO – AND OUR WHOLE STRATEGY FOR SUCCESS – IS THE WAY IT IS BECAUSE WE FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT SURINAME IS ON THE EVE OF A HUGE OIL FIND”

Block 58 discovery. “If you look at the success of our neighbour Guyana – especially after the find of Exxon which was only two kilometres away from the border – we are positive that we are approaching a huge oil find that will not only change the landscape for Staatsolie but also for Suriname.”

Staatsolie itself has also been undertaking exploration on an unprecedented scale, with a recently-concluded nearshore drilling project. “This was one of the biggest projects that Staatsolie has ever executed under our own supervision,” says Mr. Elias.

“It was a project of around US$120 million, and we carried it out in the relatively short time-frame of three hundred days.”

At the conclusion of the nearshore drilling project, six exploratory wells were 6 | SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

drilled, and significant data was collected.

Of these six wells, four showed the potential of oil. “We have to start preparing now, which means a change in the way that Staatsolie is doing business,” explains Mr. Elias. “We have to make some changes and simplify our processes. We are not only doing that because we want to find oil, but because it is very important for Staatsolie to be a partner of choice for the International Oil Companies (IOCs). In that situation, we want to ensure we are an equal partner who can carry our own weight. Of course, we are relatively local – a National Oil Company (NOC) – so that would be a big win for us.

So we must change and develop the way we look at our business in order to be the partner of choice.”

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This positions Mozart Security Services to provide the following service offerings through the application of our range of integrated security solutions to meet the ever changing security environment of our clients.

The Security Control Centre (SCC) is responsible for the communication and administration of all incidents related to emergencies and security for Mozart clientele in the Mining, Private Sector and Oil industries: Incident Management: Reporting of all emergencies and security related incidents via e-mails, telephone, two-way radio to security personnel servicing Mozart clients

• Investigations & Intelligence • Close Protection (VIP) Services • Technical Security Solutions • Offsite Alarm & CCTV Monitoring • Alarm Monitoring and Response • Fleet Management and Asset Tracking • International Risk & Loss Prevention Management Services • Physical Security and Manned Guarding Services: - Oil and Gas Security - Mining Security; - Banking and Hospitality Security - Residential Security - Event Security - Diplomatic Security Services - Crowd Control • Security Training Center

Alarm and CCTV Monitoring: Offsite monitoring of CCTV cameras and alarm systems dispatching the necessary assets to respond to emergency and security related issues.

Vehicle Tracking: Monitoring of vehicles, daily over speeding incident reports, Google Earth trip replays, Live vehicle tracking, Alarm acknowledgement, investigation assistance, fleet management when required by the client and general day to day reports as required by the client’s needs.

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INTERVIEW: STAATSOLIE

Oil / Gas Integrated Logistics OCTG Management Engineering Services

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www.medservenergy.com NATIONAL PREPARATIONS An essential part of these preparations involves setting up the infrastructure to ensure local people and businesses can benefit from any find. “It is very important that we start preparing ourselves, not only at Staatsolie, but also in business and the government,” says Mr. Elias. “What is specifically important is that Staatsolie tries to make the business community understand what they have to go through in order to prepare themselves, so that when the oil find takes place, they can participate effectively. We are achieving

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that by making a mock-prequalification as a prerequisite for offshore attendance, and we ask the companies to answer questions to educate them on what will be required. From that we got a profile of the different items the companies will have to work on in order to qualify for offshore work.”

“If there is an off-shore development, no more than maybe five or ten percent of the total development will be kept in Suriname,” explains Mr. Elias. “But that ten percent could be worth US$500 million to perhaps US$1 billion. Also, if you have one find, it will

E info@coastaldynamics.com I www.coastaldynamics.com

not remain with one. Guyana had one find followed by twelve others within a period of four years. They are now busy developing two of the twelve, and the third will soon start. When you have the first find, soon more will come. So the potential amount of business that could come to Suriname would be huge. Surinamese business understands now what they have to do in order to be ready to qualify for future developments.”

In 2017, Suriname’s first sovereign wealth fund was established, the Savings and Stability Fund (SSF). Revenue from an

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THE HEART OF

INNOVATION From shallow to ultra-deep water, in both harsh and benign environments, we set the standard in offshore drilling.

Seadrill is a leading offshore deepwater drilling company, aiming to be our customers’ most important partner in making oil and gas available in a safe and cost-effective manner.

OUR FLEET, YOUR BUSINESS We have a young, smart and strong fleet to meet the needs of operators, no matter their size or scale.

Tel: +44 (0)20 8811 4700 10 | SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

seadrill.com

INTERVIEW: STAATSOLIE oil find will be transferred into this fund for investment in Suriname, though the finer details of what percentage of the revenue will go into the fund and what percentage will be reinvested in oil operations still remains to be worked out.

DOWNSTREAM INVESTMENT While Staatsolie is currently focused on upstream investment, the company is also dedicated to streamlining their downstream operations. “We have invested a lot in the downstream,” explains Mr. Elias. “When I took over in 2014, what we stated was that in principle we would refocus on the upstream, but also not forget our previous investment in the downstream. We would need to make that downstream area more efficient and concentrate on downstream cost-cutting exercises in such a way that we are making the investment more efficient, reducing cost and producing more product. In order to get even better returns we absolutely must reduce cost and increase efficiency.”

“One of those key investment areas was a refinery, which ended up being a US$1 billion project,” says Mr. Elias. “This was handed over in 2015 as we started to produce our first premium gasoline and

Dedicated Oil Jetty Accommodating our Future!

Havenlaan Zuid 5, PO Box 2307 Paramaribo Suriname Tel: +597 404044 / Fax: +597 403691 Email: smeport@havenbeheer.sr / info@havenbeheer.sr

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INTERVIEW: STAATSOLIE

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diesel, and we are at this moment already at 105% of the nameplate capacity. We will do the first turnaround this year, which will reveal a lot of information about the equipment.

We are curious if we will be able to keep the five-yearly inspection, or perhaps we may have to do so in a three- or four-year cycle.

The first turnaround can be a scary moment!”

“What is very obvious in the way that we think and the way we do business, is that people are our most important resource,” says Mr. Elias. “Especially young talent. We like to try and promote this by design, with education on both the technical side and soft skills. In order to prepare our people, we recently sent them to secondments at IOCs. We strive to send between six and ten on an annual basis, and when they come back they understand that there is a different way of doing business, because they saw how another company does business, in America or Europe. Staatsolie is focused on health, safety, environment, community, and integrity, and aiming for excellence and accountability.” c RUDOLF ELIAS MANAGING DIRECTOR AND CEO AT STAATSOLIE

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INTERVIEW: TELESUR

KEEPING US

IN TOUCH Sustainable Business Magazine speaks to Mike Antonius, Chief Executive Officer at Telesur, about telecommunications in Suriname, 5G, and improving internet access in rural communities.

The Telecommunications Company Suriname (Telesur), headquartered in Paramaribo, is the Surinamese state-owned telecommunications services provider. First established in 1945 as Lands Telegraaf Telefoondienst, after the merger of the national radio and telephone services, Telesur received its present name in 1981. “We are a full licensed operator now, though of course in the early years we only offered fixed services such as a telephone system,” explains Mike Antonius, Chief Executive Officer at Telesur. “We first introduced internet in 1995 in Suriname, which we developed in subtle stages from the dial-up to DSL-type services, and we are currently rolling out fiber. We have developed into an internet and mobile service provider. We also have a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) which we own in the Netherlands. We like to keep people

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in touch with their families abroad, and there are strong ties between Suriname and the Netherlands, especially strong family ties.

This connects to the slogan of our company – ‘Keeping Us In Touch’ – which was first introduced during the liberalization of the telecoms market in Suriname.”

CUTTING-EDGE TECHNOLOGY Telesur remains Suriname’s only provider of fixed-line and broadband services. The company is currently engaged in a large-scale project to update Suriname’s aging telecommunications infrastructure. “For a long time, we made use of copper lines, which in the 80s and 90s was the main technology,” explains Mr. Antonius. “We made great of use of that, but the possibilities were, naturally, limited. We are currently running a program called the Telesur National Broadband Project, which is related to our vision of enabling connectivity in such a way that we can secure the digital future of Suriname. As part of that vision, we are rolling out fiber in the whole coastal area of Suriname from east to west, and also in some areas of the south.

This project will give us the ability to deliver improved services to our customers, as well as create new revenue streams. Not only will we be able to offer people data services but we can also offer television thanks to those fiber connections. By changing the tech-

“AS PART OF THAT VISION, WE ARE ROLLING OUT FIBER IN THE WHOLE COASTAL AREA OF SURINAME”

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ARE SERVICE PROVIDERS CONCERNED FOR THE ENVIRONMENT? Driven primarily by video, year after year data demand is increasing. Applications like gaming, 5G, and the IoT are growing exponentially, impacting networks and the environment.

Infrastructure sites with power and air conditioning designed to support networks of much smaller capacity are now challenged to support the new demands. In addition, 5G requires several times more sites than 4G, data centers are being pushed to their limits, and the same fiber optic cables that used to be able to carry hundreds of gigabytes are now capable of carrying dozens of terabytes. The old way of building networks is not sustainable.

Sustainability is becoming a primary focus for service providers’ agendas, and must be at the heart of their vision and a core driver in their business strategy and operations.

Ciena is creating sustainable networks Ciena designs networks that transform and maximize network efficiency for service and internet content providers. The 6500 is a packet-optical technology implemented by more than 650 operators worldwide. Ciena’s 6500 changes the network by eliminating many racks of electronics and reducing the amount of fiber optic pairs needed in the outside plant. This drastically reduces the amount of material required during manufacturing, the amount of energy used to build and operate the electronics, and the amount of energy and material to expand the fiber optic cable in the outside plant.

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Ciena maximizes network efficiency For service and content providers, reducing sites and necessary racks on the network dramatically decreases energy consumption. Back in 2005, when most service providers were not yet concerned about the impact on the environment, Ciena was the first company in the world to introduce DSP-based optical line termination technology. This permitted substantive physical footprint reduction in the optical transport long haul marketplace by eliminating the need for dispersion compensation and associated additional amplification and regeneration requirements. For the environment, this represents lower energy consumption, less air conditioning, and a smaller number of sites that are often located in an unpopulated route or in the middle of a forest reserve.

Ciena changed the way packet switching, OTN switching, DWDM transport, and functions in the photonic layer are integrated into one platform. This level of integration eliminates the need for a substantial amount of equipment, along with space and network power consumption. In the past 15 years, Ciena’s WaveLogic coherent optics on the 6500 have evolved from WaveLogic 1 (10G) and WaveLogic 5 (800G) through technology innovation to reduce power by a factor of 20 and increase capacity per wavelength by a factor of 80.

The GeoMesh submarine solution and 6500 provide a bypass of the photonic layer, allowing an important reduction in the number of elements of the network that provides connectivity between customer locations compared to electrical routing techniques. Traditional GeoMesh allows the signal to arrive directly from the terrestrial station, across the ocean to the destination station, removing sites from the underwater edge. This represents a huge reduction in final energy consumption. This not only reduces the number of sites but also reduces high consumption sites, leaving elements (ROADMS and amplifiers) that have lower consumption.

Ciena continues to innovate with sustainable solutions with 5171 high optical capacity equipment which is more high-temperature resistant, allowing locations of computers in remote sites by reducing the need for air conditioning and allowing alternative energy solutions.

How does Ciena support the environment?

• Reduction of energy consumption.

• Possible reductions in the associated plant (for example, air conditioning) required to support the operation.

• Reduction of the number of trucks.

• Reduction of the need to buy new materials or replacements.

• Reduction of logistics activities associated with transport and handling.

• Reduction of packaging needs.

Today, service providers like Telesur are putting pressure on suppliers to be more efficient in the consumption of energy, space utilization, and automation. Ciena became an ally to create more efficient networks to meet today’s and tomorrow’s growing demands without the requirement to rebuild the current infrastructure.

www.ciena.com

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INTERVIEW: TELESUR

“WE ARE ALSO WORKING ON IMPROVING THE MOBILE BROADBAND CONNECTIVITY, AND WE RECENTLY LAUNCHED 4G+ SERVICES. THIS IMPROVED THE NATIONAL MOBILE CONNECTIVITY.”

nology from copper to fiber, the service we provide has become much more beneficial to customers.”

This project began in June 2017, and is expected to wrap up shortly. “When we finish, we will have rolled out fiber in all the initially targeted areas,” says Mr. Antonius.

“But in some areas where we have already rolled out fiber to the curb – to small switches in centralized community areas – the ‘last mile’ to the customer needs more work. In that last mile, we have some improvements based on the specific situation of each home, so we have increased the number of teams who are working on it. By the end of the first quarter of next year we should be up to speed. We are targeting both domestic and business users with this technology 18 | SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

– especially businesses, as they have other demands and are looking for things like upload speed that can be improved by using fiber optic cable.”

DIGITAL ECONOMY Telesur’s expectation is that improved connectivity in Suriname will have a significant impact on the growth of the digital economy. “We strongly believe that our role as a connectivity enabler can result in much more e-services that can be offered, including e-payments in particular,” says Mr. Antonius.

“We lack a lot in this regard compared to the U.S., Europe, and Asia. We participate in an e-payments company as well, and we believe the initial establishment of e-payments can lead to the establishment of other e-servic-

es including e-transportation, e-education, e-health, and so on. We expect that we will be able to participate much more in the digital economy when we have enough broadband connectivity.”

“We are also working on improving the mobile broadband connectivity, and we recently launched 4G+ services,” explains Mr. Antonius. “This improved the national mobile connectivity. We also launched a 5G service in December. This will not be throughout the whole country, and we are currently focused on the commercial administrative area where there is a lot of government activity and businesses. We are focusing on downtown Paramaribo, and that way we are able to better manage the technical challenges.”

CONNECTING COMMUNITIES A core component of Telesur’s business plan includes connecting even the smallest, most remote communities with accessible internet and mobile networks. “When you look at Suriname, around 80 percent of the inhabitants are in coastal areas, which makes up 20 percent of the whole country,” says Mr. Antonius. “This can be a bit challenging in terms of connectivity. If you look at access to communication in general, and the possibilities of communication, then everyone should be connected or able to make use of the internet and the modern communication it has to offer. One interesting project we are working on is the connection of very small communities on the southern border with Brazil.”

“These communities are mainly made up of the first inhabitants of Suriname, which are the Amerindians,” says Mr. Antonius. “So we have a lot of small communities, each made

up of less than 300 people, that we are still connecting. This is a project that our shareholders expected us to complete and we are in the end stages of the project now. There are still some challenges involved, as we are bringing connectivity to areas where you do not have roads or rivers, and equipment must be transported via helicopter. But it’s an interesting project and we’re very happy to see sustainable development happen in those areas where we have already started implementing this. It is very important for us as a developing country to improve in areas of sustainability, as well as participating in the global economy.”

“Now that 5G is available, we will be able to move on to bringing all other devices online,” says Mr. Antonius. “5G is the first mobile standard that has developed to connect more than mobile phones or tablets, and what we want to do is to connect smart homes and smart buildings. 5G has also improved reliability, and we want to support both businesses and the government in offering all types of e-services so that the gap between customer and business, or citizen and government, can be decreased. We believe that with all the activities we are doing, we are making an impact in our country.” c

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INTERVIEW: ROSEBEL GOLD MINES

COMMUNITY COLLABORATION Sustainable Business Magazine speaks to Jerry Finisie, Sustainability Manager at Rosebel Gold Mines, about the new mine at Saramacca, partnerships with local communities, and an innovative approach to studying environmental impacts.

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Since the 19th century, small-scale mining operations have intermittently been undertaken in the Rosebel gold district in north-eastern Suriname. Situated around fifty miles south of Paramaribo, on a Paleoproterozoic greenstone belt of the Guiana Shield, the 170km2 Rosebel property passed between private and state hands several times over the years before concerted commercial operations began in February 2004 under Canadian gold producer Cambior Inc. In 2006, Cambior merged with IAMGOLD Corporation, and since then gold production at Rosebel has taken place under the joint ownership of IAMGOLD (95%) and the government of Surname (5%), producing 4.8 million ounces by the end of 2017.

When Sustainable Business Magazine last spoke to Rosebel Gold Mines in early 2018, Rosebel had recently acquired additional exploration land, increasing their projected life-of-mine (LOM) to 2033. Jerry Finisie, Rosebel’s Sustainability Manager overseeing Community, Social Relations, and Environment, told us about their local

employment record, local development programs, community outreach, and investments in environmental best practices.

Rosebel had also recently installed a 5MW solar farm – the first of its size in Suriname – to help reduce energy costs and improve Rosebel’s impact on the environment. (See Sustainable Business Magazine issue 06/18 for the full feature.) We recently caught up with Mr. Finisie to hear about changes at Rosebel over the last eighteen months.

NEW FRONTIERS At the end of 2018, Rosebel had estimated reserves of 4.7 million ounces remaining – approximately a 300% increase upon the initial projection of Rosebel’s gold reserves.

The estimated value of Rosebel to Suriname over its lifespan was valued at Sr$3.4 billion, between revenues paid to the government, investment in local suppliers, cost of labor, and CSR expenditure.

Much of this increase has been driven by the new mining concession at Saramacca, 25km from the main Rosebel site. The Saramacca property was first explored in 1990s by Golden Star, and subsequently by a joint venture between Golden Star and Newmont, exploring an area which at the time was referred to as Anomaly M. Until Rosebel acquired the concession in 2016, however, no attempt had been made to establish a mine.

After Rosebel’s acquisition of Saramacca, a series of successful drilling programs were undertaken on the site. Results were positive, and, before long, Rosebel were ready to approach the Surinamese government about setting up a new mine. “When you start a SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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INTERVIEW: ROSEBEL GOLD MINES

“THE LOCAL COMMUNITY BENEFITS FROM THE JOBS CREATED, WITH PEOPLE GOING TO WORK AT THE MINE EVERY DAY, SAFELY.”

mining operation in Suriname, you have to conduct a social impact assessment, or a social and environment study,” explains Mr. Finisie. “You do this to confirm the existing conditions in the area, to establish a baseline. Then you structure any activities you intend to undertake which will impact the environment using that baseline. To ensure your impact is manageable, you present a management system to avoid large impacts in the local area. When we made the decision to actually start a new mine at Saramacca, in 2017, we started carrying out this social impact assessment in compliance with the legal requirements.”

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BREAKING GROUND Rosebel submitted their social impact study to the government of Suriname at the end of 2018, and they received approval to begin the Saramacca project in January 2019, with the mine to be operated as a 70:30 joint venture between Rosebel and the Government of Suriname. Because the distance between the main Rosebel site and the new Saramacca pit is substantial, the first step was to invest in the necessary infrastructure to move the ore back to Rosebel, where it will be processed.

“We have begun building the route to that site, which is about 25km away from

the current Rosebel mine,” says Mr. Finisie.

“We are constructing a haul road, which we will use to transport the ore from the new mine site to our existing one.” Mined ore will be stockpiled at Saramacca and loaded by a CAT 993 loader onto a fleet of ten Haulmax 3900s, which will use the haul road to move the ore to the mill at Rosebel, with an estimated return cycle of 94 minutes. The haul road is estimated for completion in the first quarter 2020.

On November 4th, 2019, IAMGOLD announced the first ore had been successfully delivered from Saramacca to the mill at Rosebel, using an alternate road while the haul road is completed. Saramacca is scheduled to begin full production in 2020, with an estimated operation time of 14.5 years. In a statement, Minister of Natural Resources Sergio Akiemboto said: “With over 15 years in partnership with IAMGOLD, it is exciting to see the contribution of the new Saramacca mine to the local economy, and we hope there will be many more such findings to come. We are impressed with IAMGOLD’s commitment to safe and responsible mining in the country

Burenstraat 33 Paramaribo, Suriname Tel: (+597) 476 433 Fax: (597) 42 28 17 Email: sales@ppsnv.com

www.ppsnv.com

SECURING WHAT IS VALUED MOST Security is not just a system that is bought and installed.

Security is not just the placement of smart and well-mannered Security Officers providing various services.

Security is not just the monitoring of alarm systems and dispatching units to investigate.

Security also requires healthy, open and continuous cooperation between the right partners, the right solutions, and taking timely action.

Professional Private Security N.V. (PPS) has been the market leader in the security industry in Suriname for almost 30 years. We continually aim to maintain this status mainly by keeping our ethical, moral, and company standards high.

Integrity and leading by example are also heavyweights in our way of doing business.

OUR SERVICES: • Armed and Non-Armed Security Officer Services.

• Sales, Installation and Maintenance of Intruder Alarm Systems, Fire Alarm Systems, Electronic Access Control Systems, and CCTV Systems.

• 24/7 Monitoring Service for Intruder Alarm Systems, including 7 Alarm Response Teams spread out over Paramaribo.

• 24/7 Monitoring Service for Fire Alarm Systems, including 7 Alarm Response Teams spread out over Paramaribo.

• 24/7 Smart and Interactive & Smart Remote CCTV monitoring • 24/7 Technical assistance (via phone and on location)

PPS WAARDETRANSPORT N.V. (PPSW) PPS Waardetransport N.V. (PPSW) – offers services with regard to the transport and vaulting of valuables according to international rules and guidelines.

Our transports are executed with armored vehicles that fully comply with international standards for safe transport of valuables. In addition, we use a logistic bunker equipped with modern means of communication for supervision of the transports.

INSURANCE PPSW is insured in the London Insurance Market (Lloyd’s of London), with our broker in Suriname being Assuria Verzekeringen N.V. PPS & PPSW The One-Stop-Shop for security in Suriname.

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G4S International

Brink’s Global Services

Honeywell Security

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INTERVIEW: ROSEBEL GOLD MINES we are also looking at other stuff, like local procurement and small local businesses, as well as community investments.”

Rosebel’s community investments are based on a process of consultation with local people. “We have identified some issues in the community, which we are discussing with them,” says Mr. Finisie. “They have issues with water and education, and these are areas we are currently investing in, as part of our main drive towards income generation, health, and education. We think that after further consultation with the communities we will be able to invest in these priorities within the new project area.” of Suriname, values which the government and our people share. The local community benefits from the jobs created, with people going to work at the mine every day, safely. We are also pleased to see the further commitment of IAMGOLD to local economic development through the newly established Rosebel Community Fund.”

LOCAL CONSULTATION Last time Sustainable Business Magazine spoke to Rosebel, we learned about the importance of community outreach to the

pre-existing mining operation. Today, that outreach is being expanded to the new communities around the Saramacca mine.

“We already have seven communities around the Rosebel site,” says Mr. Finisie.

“Now that we are in Saramacca, there are four new communities which we are including in our outreach program. We first engaged with these communities during the social impact assessment, and we now have regular interactions. Of course, a major benefit of the new mine includes employment in these communities, but

FRESH KNOWLEDGE Rosebel have also been closely collaborating with the local communities around the Saramacca mine in a unique environmental study. “When we first did the social impact assessment, we gathered a lot of information about the environment around Saramacca, the flora and fauna, because we had to understand what was there,” explains Mr. Finisie. “When we were doing this, local people were coming up to us and asking what we had found in their area. Our social and environmental team came up with the

INTERFARM N.V. GETS THE JOB DONE P ROV IDI NG Q UALI T Y F O O D A N D D RI N KS A L L OV E R S U RI N A M E

When you think of the most reliable foodservice distributor and ship chandler in Suriname, Interfarm N.V. is the first that comes to mind.

With a wide experience in providing provisions and special supplies for the offshore and mining it’s safe to say that Interfarm N.V. gets the job done!

Quality, good service and food safety are the pillars that make us stand out far above the rest.

At all time we strive to provide a first-rate, costumer-friendly foodservice for all our customers.

While being HACCP certified and working on their ISO 22000 certification, Interfarm N.V.

makes sure they meet the most stringent requirements and that they are fully incorporated in our daily operations.

restaurants, commercial cleaners and laundries, healthcare facilities, food and beverage processing plants.

Interfarm N.V. is the sole representative agent in Suriname for top brands such as LavAzza, McCain International, Yellow Tail, Certified Angus Beef and American Hotel Register.

The next time when you are thinking about world-class brands, quality, good service and food safety think Interfarm N.V.!

Interfarm N.V. also teamed up with the world class brand Ecolab to offer services in hygiene technologies that protect people and vital resources.

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Dr. J.F. Nassylaan #117A Paramaribo, Suriname, South America | Tel: (597) 521035 | Fax: (597) 521344 | www.interfarmnv.com

24 | SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

“WE HAVE TO PROTECT THE LOCAL ANIMALS, AND WE ARE NOT ALLOWED TO CUT TREES UNNECESSARILY OR DESTROY BIODIVERSITY AREAS.”

brilliant idea of training the local community up so that they could collect this data with us. We understood that the knowledge was there in a traditional way, but that they wanted to expand it.”

Working together, Rosebel’s social and environmental team and the local communities set up a project where Rosebel would finance equipment and train the communities to operate it, in order that local people could carry out studies in their own areas.

“We have trained them to use equipment like camera traps to identify animals and birds,” says Mr. Finisie. “With knowledge like this, we believe that the community will be in a better position to protect the local environment. They are still a hunting and fishing community, and if they know what animals there are, from year after year of repeating the study, they will be able to monitor animal populations carefully and manage these populations so no single species is depleted. Training has already been carried out, and currently they are in the first phase of the initial data collection.”

ISO 14001-certified, with commitments to efficiently use natural resources, manage environmental risk, implement reforestation and mine closure activities, and prevent pollution. “As a mining operation we have the same requirements as the community,” says Mr. Finisie. “We have to protect the local animals, and we are not allowed to cut trees unnecessarily or destroy biodiversity areas. We have to show all of this in our plans and make sure that there is not a distinct species or unique habitat that will be negatively impacted. All of our activities are based on the law and best practices, and we have an environmental management project going forward.”

“For example, while doing this last social impact survey, we identified some species of frog that are not new to science but

are rare,” says Mr. Finisie. “We then carried out additional studies to understand where they exist elsewhere in that particular area so that we know, as a company, we are not impacting a local species. The design of the project was also changed based on information from the impact survey in order to accommodate environmental protections, to avoid impacting pristine areas, in keeping with our CSR.” “What we want to do eventually is explore opportunities for tourism,” explains Mr. Finisie. “The villages there have the potential for tourism. So what we want to see in the future is how we can work together with them and support them to use their knowledge and training to attract tourism. This could help generate income for the local community.” c

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION As a part of IAMGOLD, Rosebel uses international metrics to ensure sustainable, responsible operations. Rosebel is SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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TRAVEL GUIDE: GRENADA

THE SPICE OF THE CARIBBEAN WELCOME TO THIS SPECIAL GRENADA TRAVEL GUIDE, A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE GRENADA TOURISM AUTHORITY AND SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE. The Grenada Tourism Authority is the national tourism organization for the three-island destination of Grenada, Carriacou, and Petite Martinique. Our vision statement says that through purposeful collaboration, we will consistently strive to develop Grenada, Carriacou, and Petite Martinique, as the premier tourism destination of choice, strategically promoting our niche offerings and uniqueness.

Our brand is ‘Pure Grenada: the Spice of the Caribbean’. As a destination, we are about authenticity, wellness, experiences, and rejuvenation. We have identified five niches which attract many of our visitors which are adventure, sailing and yachting, cruising, romance, and diving.

In September of 2018, Grenada banned the importation of Styrofoam, and in February 2019, we banned the importation of single-use plastic bags with handles. The government is also working on other single-use items such as plastic straws and cutlery. We also encourage our stakeholders to implement green initiatives in their operations, and we’ve seen a lot of that happening. The research shows that many visitors, when 26 | SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

they are looking at their next tourism destination, are conscious about sustainability and protecting the environment.

Our people are friendly, warm, and go above and beyond to deliver great service.

We encourage visitors to go out and join in our festivals, meet the people, eat local food, and immerse themselves in the Grenadian way of life. Tourism really drives community growth. Recently our Ministry for Tourism and Civil Aviation has been going into the communities and seeing what each one has to offer which could be developed by local people to create revenue and sustainable livelihoods.

We have a Tourism Awareness Campaign which seeks to educate persons about the tourism industry and motivate them to get involved in the industry and protect the environment. The tagline is ‘Tourism Is Everybody’s Business’. Whether you’re a farmer, or a student, or a banker, everybody has a role to play. We distributed a booklet (Tourism and Me) to students between the ages of 8 and 12, educating future generations about tourism and disposing of litter properly. On completing

that program, the students receive pins marked ‘Tourism Ambassadors’.

We also give advice to prospective investors in the tourism industry and people who want to create an experience or business. They are supported with advice on what they need to have, assistance with developing ideas, and they are pointed in the direction of suitable funding, from organizations such as the Grenada Industrial Development Corporation.

Presently in Grenada, the sale of food or products in Styrofoam has been completely banned and in February 2020 plastic bags with handles should not be found on island. We are looking forward to the day when we completely ban single use plastics. We will be focusing more on sustainable tourism, and how we can get more of our stakeholders to implement sustainable tourism practices. We also plan to focus more on community tourism, getting communities involved in developing and implementing experiences that can add to our product, and continuing to work with students and schools, encouraging young people to get interested and involved in the tourism sector.

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TRAVEL GUIDE: GRENADA

WHERE TO START GRENADA KEY FACTS

YOUR CELEBRATION Capital:

St. George’s

Population: 111,454 Language(s):

English

Currency:

East Caribbean dollar (XCD)

Time zone:

UTC−4

Dialling code: +1-473 Major resort areas: Saint Patrick and Saint Andrew

Saint John and Saint Mark

Saint George and Saint David

Carriacou & Petite Martinique Tourist season:

May - August

Annual visitors: 528,077 Annual tourism earnings:

499 million US$

Avg. temperature: 88 °F (day),

75 °F (night) Highest point:

Mount St. Catherine 840 m (2,760 ft)

KEY ATTRACTIONS KEY REGIONS

Beach

River Antoine Rum Distillery

Botanical garden

Seven Sisters Falls

Saint George and Saint David

Carriacou Museum

Shakespeare done Carriacou-style

Saint John and Saint Mark

Concord Falls

Snorkel on Sandy Island

Saint Patrick and Saint Andrew

Forts of St. George’s

Sunset City Food Fest

Carriacou and Petite Martinique

House of Chocolate Museum

Turtles hatching at Levera Pond

Mount Saint Catherine

Underwater sculpture park

Mount Hartman Dove Sanctuary

Wreck of the Bianca C

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SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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TRAVEL GUIDE: GRENADA

VISIT A BOTANICAL GARDEN Saint George and Saint David are home to several botanical gardens with a variety of indigenous tropical plants. Seek out Palm Tree Gardens, Laura’s Herb and Spice Garden, Sunnyside Garden, or Hyde Park Tropical Garden. Just make sure to arrange your visit with a tour guide or at least call ahead, to ensure you won’t clash with a cruise visit.

WHAT TO DO IN...

SAINT GEORGE AND SAINT DAVID RELAX ON A BEACH Grenada’s best-known beach is Grand Anse Beach in Saint George’s – and for good reason. A mile and a half of white sand, the beach is skirted by several excellent small restaurants, and Grenadians and tourists mingle together in the shade of the ubiquitous palms. Alternately, try Morne Rouge, or La Sagesse beach in Saint David for a taste of quiet romance.

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DIVE TO THE WRECK OF BIANCA C For advanced scuba divers only, the Bianca C shipwreck is sometimes referred to as ‘the Titanic of the Caribbean’. Named by The Times of London as one of the top ten wreck diving sites in the world, the 600-foot cruiseliner sank in 1961 with one fatality, and today, accomplished divers can see eagle rays, nurse sharks, barracuda, moray eels, and Atlantic spadefish – and go for a swim in the ship’s pool!

ALSO IN SAINT GEORGE AND SAINT DAVID - Explore the forts of St. George’s - Tour the House of Chocolate Museum - Visit the Grenadian doves at Mount Hartman Dove Sanctuary

DOING IT RIGHT

THE CAREFUL ATTENTION GIVEN TO OUR CLIENTS AND THEIR BOATS IS FILLING OUR BOATYARD TO CAPACITY AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO OFFERING YOU THE SAME SAFE AND PROFESSIONAL SERVICE. Tucked into the sheltered inner corner of Woburn Bay on the south coast of Grenada, Clarkes Court Boatyard and Marina is located at 12o0'1"N 61o44'43"W. Boats are hauled and launched using our state of the art Italian built 242 ton Boatlift, maximum beam of 37’ and draft 13’, affectionately known as “The Hulk”. A 32 ton Roodberg submersible trailer handles vessels up to 55’ LOA, maximum beam of 25’ and draft of 7’.

Divers check sling positions on every lift. All boats are strapped down and cradles and clamped stands are available on request. There are marina slips for boats with up to 12’ draft and 80’ length, and a working dock for vessels up to 120’. Power supply is 220v & 110v at 50Hz and there is a 24 hour security service.

Clarkes Court Bay Road, Woburn, St. George, Grenada, W.I.

CREW FACILITIES • Restaurant, Bar & Luxury Apartments • Laundry, Hot Showers • Taxi & Shopping Bus Services available from the yard • Customs & Immigration and Fuel Supply are close by • Onsite Chandlery ON SITE TECHNICAL SERVICES • Project Management & Consultancy • Yacht Brokerage and Guardianage • Rigging, Sail Making and Canvas Work • Metal Fabrication • GRP & Composite Fabrication • Fine Wood Work & Carpentry • Electrical Installation & Electronics • Diesel & Outboard Engine Installation & Repair • Bottom Painting, Waxing & Polishing • Life Rafts, Safety Equipment & Inflatable Dinghy Repair

1 (473) 439 – 3939 info@clarkescourtmarina.com www.clarkescourtmarina.com SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE | 31

TRAVEL GUIDE: GRENADA SAINT PATRICK AND SAINT ANDREW TOUR BELMONT ESTATE Visit a historic, beautiful 17th century cocoa plantation and see the chocolate-producing process up close. Learn about cocoa and chocolate products, enjoy an organic chocolate tasting, and finish the tour with a meal in the Belmont Estate restaurant, much of which is prepared with ingredients grown on-site.

SAINT JOHN AND SAINT MARK EXPLORE THE UNDERWATER SCULPTURE PARK The Molinere Underwater Sculpture Park, created by sculptor Jason deCaires Taylor, was the world’s first underwater sculpture park. Constructed using environmentally safe materials which encourage the growth of marine life, and partly intended to divert tourists away from nearby reefs, the sculptures can be visited by snorkelers, scuba divers, or seen through glass-bottomed boats.

HIKE MOUNT SAINT CATHERINE The tallest peak in Grenada, Mount Saint Catherine’s summit is accessible by three routes. The climb takes about four hours each way for a moderately fit climber. Find a guide in Victoria, and they will show you untouched native vegetation and lead you to the Tufton Hall Waterfall, Grenada’s tallest waterfall, on the way up. Try to climb on a clear day, to take advantage of the pristine views.

SEE NUTMEG BEING PROCESSED The Gouyave Nutmeg Processing Station, owned by the Grenada Co-operative Nutmeg Association, offers short, inexpensive tours, where visitors can watch local workers sort nutmeg by hand and purchase a variety of spice products. A fascinating glimpse into the history of an island which remains, despite its size, the second-largest producer of nutmeg in the world.

ALSO IN SAINT JOHN AND SAINT MARK - Enjoy a quieter pace of life - Eat local food at the Sunset City Food Fest - Venture out to the Concord Falls 32 | SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

TREK THROUGH THE RAINFOREST AT GRAND ETANG NATIONAL PARK AND SEE THE SEVEN SISTERS FALLS High in the mountains Grenada’s interior is Grand Etang National Park. A rainforest centering on a pristine lake, you can explore the park for a few minutes or go on a trek lasting for hours. One highlight is Seven Sisters Falls, a relatively straightforward hike, about an hour from the entrance center.

ALSO IN SAINT PATRICK AND SAINT ANDREW - Visit the River Antoine Rum Distillery - See the turtles hatching at Levera Pond (SPECTO)

Tel: 473-439-1412 grandansepalace@gmail.com www.grenadabeachpalace.com

Grand Anse Beach Palace Hotel Inc. and Car Rental

So close “Heels on the property and toes on the beach.”

Step into paradise THE PALACE WELCOMES YOU WITH THE BRIGHT CARIBBEAN SUN AND GENUINE HOSPITALITY. We are located on the northern end of the Grand Anse beach only steps away from the waters edge. The Palace beachfront apartments are all air conditioned, with lovely balconies and a fantastic view of the grand Anse beach, you can soak up the sun on the lovely white sand or take a dip in the blue calm water. The perfect location for persons seeking business and pleasure. Just 15 minutes away from the airport and 5 minutes to the town of St.George's, the capital of Grenada.

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Embracing Grenadian Culture

...One Guest At A Time!

1-473-456-4323 / 1-747-200-9072 | rickfeld1@me.com | www.grenadavillabeachcliff.com

TRAVEL GUIDE: GRENADA

CARRIACOU AND PETIT MARTINIQUE SEE SHAKESPEARE DONE \ CARRIACOU-STYLE Carnival in Grenada is a special experience, and nowhere more so than Shakespeare Mas on Carriacou. Scheduled for February 24th-25th 2020, masqueraders dressed in petticoated costumes recite speeches from Julius Caesar and strike one another (mostly gently) with sticks when they forget their lines, with the festivities getting wilder throughout the day.A oncein-a-lifetime experience for visitors.

SNORKEL ON SANDY ISLAND The almost-uninhabited Sandy Island is the perfect spot for peaceful snorkeling. After a short water taxi, you’ll see a wide variety of colorful fish, and you’ll likely have the island almost to yourself. Just ensure you wear reef-friendly sunscreen, as shade is almost non-existent.

ALSO IN CARRIACOU AND PETIT MARTINIQUE - Venture out to tiny Petit Martinique - See Carriacou’s first telephone at the Carriacou Museum - Explore the Oyster Bed Mangrove

VILLA BEACHCLIFF. GRENADA. A VACATION VILLA MAKING AN IMPACT, ONE GUEST AT A TIME. When my wife Karen & I first visited Grenada in 2009, we were impressed by the authenticity of the island, it’s culture, and it’s people.

We experienced the true Caribbean, and it’s one of the key factors that convinced us to build our vacation villa business, and our lives here. We weren’t interested in a place where the 1st world was simply transplanted into a developing country for the sake of accommodating tourists.

Villa Beachcliff offers accommodations for up to 11 guests, where families & friends can soak in the stunning 360 degree views, and breezes of the Atlantic Ocean, and the Caribbean Sea. It features an adobe design, with unique lounging & dining spaces, and finely crafted architectural details. We have 150’ feet of beachfront on the Caribbean Sea, along with 2 swimming pools, an outdoor jacuzzi, an elevated lookout, and a multitude of spaces for guests to celebrate life together, or escape for complete solitude.

It has always been a passion of ours to ensure that our guests have an authentic

experience, and see the real Grenada.

It’s how we help sustain, preserve, and celebrate Grenadian culture. We provide all our guests with free concierge service, and work as ambassadors to promote local small businesses, and provide recommendations for Grenada’s best: • Organic Dark Chocolate • Historical Island Tours • Hikes And Tours Through The Grand Etang Rain Forest, And Our Many Waterfalls • Local Churches • Local Art, & Galleries • Musicians • Lobster, Crab, Roti, Jerk Chicken, Oil Down, And Waters (Soups) On The Island • Local Rum Shops, Including Sampling “Under The Counter” Proprietary Mixes • Beach Restaurants, Featuring Local Catches, And Fish Taco’s • Beaches, Diving, & Snorkeling • Roadside Food Vendors, Fruit And Vegetables, And Treats • Local Plants, Fruits, Fish And

Spice Markets • Cultural & Sports Events - Ie. Carnival, Cricket, Sailing Regattas, And International Billfish Tournament • Local micro brewery Here’s a link to our “Activities & Adventures” page on our home website, where you can find 45+ things to experience in Grenada. https://www.grenadavillabeachcliff.com/ en/1251649/activities-adventures Internationally there is a great emphasis on sustainability in business, and the environment. We’re 100% behind it, and do our part, on behalf of the 100’s of guests we host at Villa Beachcliff each year. We like to think that we have been intentional in implementing our systems and controls, so that our guests can simply enjoy our villa, and experience the Spice island. Some of the measures we have in place are: • On Demand Hot Water With Solar Backup • Variable Speed, Programable Pumps For Our 2 Swimming Pools

• Motion Detectors To Shut Off Our High Efficiency Air Conditioning Systems When Not In Use • Rain Water Collection in our 35,000 Gallon Cistern • Energy Efficient Appliances • Water Saving Dual Flush Toilets • Photocells Controlling Perimeter Lighting • Mosquito Traps Vs. Chemical Fogging We’re constantly on the lookout for new ways which we can conserve, preserve, and enhance our resources, environment, & delicate island home.

We know that, when our guests taste, see, hear, and experience the beauty of the real Grenada, they too will embrace Grenada as we have.

Your hosts, Rick & Karen Feld

www.grenadavillabeachcliff.com

TRAVEL GUIDE: GRENADA

A YEAR OF CELEBRATIONS Spice Mas is also a perfect time to try some of Grenada’s national food and drink, including rum punch, spice cake, and Oil Down—a spiced, coconut milk-based stew usually made with vegetables, breadfruit, and salted meat. Oil Down is a uniquely Grenadian dish, and while the exact preparation varies from person to person, it is always made from local ingredients and the island’s famous spices.

Grenada is well-known for its vibrant culture, extravagant celebrations, and unique festivals. Whenever you’re traveling to the ‘Island of Spice’, you’re sure to find a unique carnival, celebration, or event just around the corner.

The Grenada Carnival—or Spice Mas—is a celebration synonymous with the Grenadian region and culture. Spice Mas takes place in August and is recognized as a public holiday. It features art and performances that can be linked to Grenada’s diverse Caribbean, African, French, and British heritage. The carnival includes street parades, beauty pageants, and competing live music from orchestras, calypso acts, and soca bands.

38 | SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

For sweet-toothed visitors, the Grenada Chocolate Festival is a detailed exploration of sustainable chocolate-making. The week-long festival takes place in May, and explores cocoa as an ingredient, as well as sustainable cocoa-based beauty products and arts and crafts. Grenada is home to several chocolate producers, including The Grenada Chocolate Company—the first of several small batch, ethical, tree-to-bar chocolate makers to work from the island.

The island of Carriacou also has its own carnival, complete with street dancing, parades, and live music. Unique to the Carriacou carnival is Shakespeare Mas, which takes place on April 23rd—a date celebrated globally as Shakespeare’s birthday. Participants dress in colorful costumes,

SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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TRAVEL GUIDE: GRENADA

carry sticks, and challenge each other with renditions of the playwright’s most popular lines. A combatant must respond in kind, without fumbling or misquoting, or they will be whacked with the opponent’s stick.

Petite Martinique, an island approximately 2.5 miles from Carriacou, hosts the yearly Whitsuntide Regatta. The festival is one of Grenada’s most famous sailing events, and takes place on the seventh Sunday after Easter—a nod to the region’s history of Catholicism as well as its rich sailing culture. Whitsuntide is generally considered to provide the best conditions for sailing, and the regatta includes a combination of local boat racing, on-shore activities, and other celebrations.

The Pure Grenada Dive Fest is also extremely popular, and usually runs at some

40 | SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

point in September and October. Sustainability is a key component of the festival, and sustainable diving is extremely important for both the diverse Grenadian ecosystems and the future of the sport. During 2018’s Dive Fest there were scheduled clean-up dives, educational presentations on good diving practice, and discussions on the tackling of invasive fish species.

Independence Day is February 7th, and is also a much celebrated occasion. It is an annual recognition of Grenada’s independence from the United Kingdom, including parades, parties, and ceremonies.

Festivals and events are a great way for travelers to immerse themselves in Grenadian culture and meet local people. Check online before traveling to anticipate the events that will be taking place during your visit.

A New Sustainable Boutique Hotel

mountedgecombegrenada.com

A HIDDEN GEM, NESTLED ABOVE THE CARIBBEAN SEA,MOUNT EDGECOMBE PLANTATION WITH 28 ACRES, DATES BACK TO 1763 WITH A UNIQUE HERITAGE. Early in the 17th Century French colonists established sugar plantations on Grenada. In 1763, when Britain took control of the island, the Cavalan family owned the Pointe des Orties plantation of 192 acres in the Parish of St. Mark’s. This was later divided within the family into a number of estates, which changed ownership after the Fédon Revolution in 1795-96. In 1801, the plantation estate is listed on a map of Grenada as Nettle Point after the rock outcrop nearby on the West Coast of Grenada. The 1819 Slave Register lists William Boyd as owner producing muscovado sugar, molasses and rum with 28 slaves. Slavery was abolished in the 1830s, and John Copland became owner, who changed production from sugar and rum to cocoa and nutmeg. His descendants ran the estate through to the 1940s. Grenada became the capital of the British Windward Islands in 1885, and the change of name to Mt. Edgecombe appears to be first recorded in 1891. Independence for Grenada from Britain was granted in 1974. Situated close to Gouyave (with its fishing port) and Victoria, Mt. Edgecombe provides local employment for hospitality, maintenance and agricultural staff.

Having been neglected for some years, the plantation has been re-established with organic management practices (rainwater harvesting and composting) adopted so the vegetables, fruit and

cocoa grown are certified as organic in both EU and US. Today, cocoa is the primary crop for sale to the local cocoa farmer co-operative who process harvested cocoa into chocolate with nutmeg and ginger at the Diamond Chocolate Factory.

The sustainable management practices of the cocoa plantation have protected the wildlife on the estate. Grenada has over 160 recorded species of birds - an outstanding number considering the mainland is only 120 sq. miles. Some of the exotic bird species recorded on the estate to-date include: Spectacled Thrush, Bananaquit, Grenada Flycatcher, Grey Kingbird, Antillean Crested Hummingbird, Rufous Breasted Hermit, Tropical Mockingbird, Black-Faced Grassquit, Lesser Antillean Bullfinch, Orange-Winged Parrot, Yellow-Bellied Seedeater, Lesser Antillean Tanager, House Wren, Mangrove Cuckoo and Green-Throated Carib. Others have yet to be recorded. In the evening, after sun down, the amazing sight of fire flies has to be seen and the sound of tree frogs heard.

Recently established, the boutique hotel and restaurant offer a special farm to fork culinary experience for guests using fruit and vegetable produce grown in the homestead vegetable garden and fresh eggs from chickens kept on-site. A guid-

ed tour of the spice trail provides the opportunity to learn more about the native flowers, fruits and crops on the ‘spice island’.

The original Plantation House has been carefully restored keeping its original charm and provides a home away from home perfect for a family or special group vacation with four bedrooms and wrap around veranda overlooking the estate and sea. The four guest rooms in the original Nutmeg Storage House, with the cocoa drying tray beneath, have local handcrafted furniture and poster beds, and roof insulation to keep the rooms cool, with balcony sea views overlooking the cocoa groves. New for December 2019 will be three additional rooms with a separate pool overlooking the shimmering turquoise Caribbean Sea for exclusive use by guests in the new rooms. With the natural abundance of solar energy in Grenada, solar heaters provide hot water for the estate.

Its sheltered location enjoys cool sea breezes, amazing sunsets and panoramic views - the perfect location for an intimate wedding / honeymoon, or special group retreat or simply getting away from the hustle and bustle of life to relax by the two amazing infinity pools watching the yachts sailing to and from the Grenadines. c SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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TRAVEL GUIDE: GRENADA

TOP PICKS SBM TOP PICKS HOTELS

SBM TOP PICKS ACTIVITIES

La Sagesse Boutique Hotel, Restaurant, and Beach Bar

Scuba-Tech Grenada

YOUR ULTIMATE CARIBBEAN GETAWAY

ScubaTech is providing Scuba diving excursions, all level of diving courses, snorkelling-, sightseeingand Sunset Champagne Cruises.

We have the most personalized service on the island with small groups of 4 divers per Divemaster/Instructor. Located at the beach of the Hotel Calabash in L’Anse aux Epines (Prickly Bay).

Situated on the La Sagesse bay, the boutique hotel is just a few steps away from a palm tree shaded beach with a stunning view of the sea and the surrounding countryside. La Sagesse is a perfect blend of natural elements and contemporary comforts, featuring indoor and outdoor living in perfect harmony with nature.

Our tropical gardens are home to a dazzling array of plants, birds and butterflies that will tantalize your senses as you relax and rejuvenate at La Sagesse.

Call: +1(473)444-6458 Email: Reservations@LaSagesse.com or visit www.lasagesse.com

Grenada Grand Anse Beach Palace www.grenadabeachpalace.com Millennium Connection Guest House (Petite Martinique) +1 473 443-9243 Mount Edgecombe Plantation mountedgecombegrenada.com

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Grand Anse Beach Palace Hotel Inc. and Car Rental

Calabash Hotel, L’Anse Aux Epines, St. George’s 1-473-439-4346 | info@scubatech-grenada.com www.scubatech-grenada.com

Leatherback Turtle Tour with SPECTO +1(473) 405 8395 spectogrenada.com Clarkes Court Boatyard and Marina +1 473 439-3939 www.clarkescourtmarina.com Spice Island Marine Services +1 473 444-4342 spiceislandmarine.com

VISIT GRENADA FOR THE

C E L E B R AT I O N OF A LIFETIME

www.puregrenada.com

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REPORT: HILTON BARBADOS

HOTEL OF THE

BARBADIAN PEOPLE

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Sustainable Business Magazine speaks to Tracy Jones, Director of Sales and Marketing at Hilton Barbados Resort, about ties to Barbadian history, new investments to reduce waste and carbon emissions, and impacting the local community in Bridgetown.

Exactly a century ago, in 1919, a young entrepreneur named Conrad Hilton, who had recently returned to the United States after serving in the Quartermaster Corps during World War I, moved to Texas at the height of the first great oil boom. Mr. Hilton was looking to buy a bank, but after an initial deal fell through, he bought a small hotel instead: The Mobley, in the town of Cisco. Catering to oilfield workers, the

hotel averaged an occupancy rate of 300% as workers rented rooms in eight-hour windows. Soon, Mr. Hilton had purchased more hotels in Texas, and in 1925 he built a new hotel building from scratch, the iconic Dallas Hilton. Today, Hilton Worldwide’s range of seventeen brands span almost 6,000 properties across 117 countries.

Hilton’s first hotel in the Caribbean opened in 1949. The Caribe Hilton in San

Juan, Puerto Rico was also the first Hilton hotel outside the continental United States, and may have been the birthplace of the iconic piña colada cocktail in the 1950s. It wasn’t long before Hilton spread through the Caribbean, as waves of newly-affluent North American and European tourists came in search of winter sunshine. Hilton’s carefully-cultivated set of design principles – stylish modern architecture, comfortable rooms, and large public areas where guests could relax and fraternize – were in stark contrast to the monastic hotels of the previous generation, where guests were expected to desire privacy above all else.

Vacationers and business travelers alike

“OVER THE YEARS, HILTON BARBADOS BECAME KNOWN AS THE HOTEL OF THE PEOPLE, AND IT BECAME PART OF THE ISLAND’S RICH HERITAGE.”

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REPORT: HILTON BARBADOS

“WE HAVE BUILT AROUND THOSE HISTORIC LOCATIONS, AND THEY REMAIN EXACTLY THE SAME.”

flocked to the Caribbean Hiltons. Frequently, the Hilton was by far the tallest building in a city, a central hub around which economic activity could flow, hosting businesspeople in the restaurants and conference rooms, tourists by the pools and sandy beaches, and large-scale events like wedding receptions in the banquet halls.

RICH HERITAGE The original Hilton Hotel in Barbados, owned by the Barbadian government and managed by Hilton, opened on November 30, 1966 – the same day the Barbados Independence Act came into effect, granting Barbados independence from the United Kingdom. The first Barbados Hilton, as it 46 | SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

was known, was a single five-storey building, with slightly over 100 rooms. “Over the years, the hotel became known as the Hotel of the People, and it became part of the island’s rich heritage,” explains Tracy Jones, Director of Sales and Marketing at Hilton Barbados Resort. “In 1999, the building was imploded for a new hotel to be built and was reopened in 2005 to much fanfare.”

The new Hilton Barbados Resort, located on Needham’s Point peninsula in Bridgetown, consists of two towers eight stories high, with a total of 355 guest rooms, all of which have private balconies and ocean views – another Hilton trademark – surrounded by two white sandy beaches. The hotel is still owned by the government and

managed by Hilton, and the site also has significant historic value. “We are fortunate to be located next to one of the island’s UNESCO World Heritage Sites,” explains Ms. Jones. “We are situated within Bridgetown and its historic Garrison, a UNESCO World Heritage Site of which the Charles Fort located on property is a part of.”

Charles Fort was built by the British in 1650 as part of the Barbados Garrison. “As a historic site, we have maintained the fort in its natural state, not carrying out any major infrastructural changes over the years,” says Ms. Jones. “We also have one of the island’s lighthouse towers on the property; it was a lookout point, which accompanied the fort when it was in military use. Two

things which remain unchanged about the Hilton location are that of the Charles Fort and the Lighthouse tower. We have built around those historic locations, and they remain the same. To us, this illustrates how much the history of Barbados and Hilton are one.”

ENVIRONMENTAL INVESTMENTS In 2018, Hilton Worldwide made a major commitment to reduce their environmental footprint by half and double their social impact investment by the year 2030. Hilton

is the first major hotel group to make this kind of major commitment to reduce carbon emissions, as consumer research shows increasing numbers of guests research the social and environmental impacts of their visit before selecting a hotel, particularly younger travelers. Hilton also plan to double their spending on local and minority-owned suppliers, and double investments in programs to help women and young people. At the same time, the government of Barbados has set new, ambitious targets to transform the country’s energy landscape by 2030,

exploring new ways to transition to 100% renewable energy.

“We paid close attention to Hilton’s announcement that we need to cut our environmental footprint in half and double our social impact by 2030,” says Ms. Jones.

“One of the first places we’ve looked to achieve this is in the kitchens. In 2018, Hilton began a pilot project to cut waste. This project, in conjunction with the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), identifies where in the chain waste occurs, then attempts to prevent this waste from happening, either by reducing

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REPORT: HILTON BARBADOS

“HILTON BARBADOS WANTS TO TAKE THINGS TO THE NEXT LEVEL IN TERMS OF SUSTAINABILITY AND THAT’S WHAT WE’LL DO.”

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the materials used or by diverting unused food and beverage to places that can make use of it. Our aim is that kitchen waste will have been reduced by half by 2030.”

Hilton Barbados Resort are also looking into ways to improve energy and water efficiency. “We have a high electricity bill due to the nature of our operation – water usage and air conditioning,” says Ms. Jones.

“We can have a big impact and drastically improve on efficiency in this area, so we are currently changing our systems over to more efficient ones, which will make sure that all our processes use less energy that before.”

SOCIAL IMPACT Staff are specifically trained to communicate around sustainability issues. “We have a particular training program that teaches our sales team how to speak about the most important points of our environmental and sustainability commitments to guests,” says Ms. Jones.

Hilton Barbados also continue to seek opportunities to positively impact local people. “There are a number of groups in our surrounding area who we work closely with,” says Ms. Jones. “Every day, in the lobby of the hotel, local craftspeople come

in and showcase their skills and products, giving guests an opportunity to purchase real Barbadian crafts. We also have two schools in the area which we have adopted, giving them opportunities to participate in training here at the hotel. Earlier this year, we had a workshop for the Hilton Barbados Resort sales department, ending with a cook-off.

During this event, we brought in the students from the schools and taught them how to prep and plan healthy meals. We also have projects where our staff visit those schools and the geriatric hospital and help paint the buildings.”

Looking to the future, the team at Hilton Barbados Resort intend to become even more deeply involved in nationaland corporate-level efforts to protect the environment and contribute to local communities. “For the next few years, we will be building towards the government’s 2030 agenda, which is huge for us,” says Ms. Jones. “Once we get those balls rolling, it will change the way everything is done, and improve what we’re able to offer our guests. Hilton Barbados Resort wants to take things to the next level in terms of sustainability, and that’s what we’ll do.” c SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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INTERVIEW: EMERA CARIBBEAN RENEWABLES

TRANSFORMING

CARIBBEAN ENERGY

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Sustainable Business Magazine speaks to Neilsen Beneby, Renewable Energy Manager at Emera Caribbean, about Barbados’s policy for renewables, largescale projects, and and new markets across the Caribbean.

Emera Caribbean Renewables is a renewable energy services company based in Barbados. Founded in 2012, Emera Caribbean Renewables is wholly owned by Emera Caribbean Inc. (Emera Caribbean), which in turn is the Caribbean subsidiary of Nova Scotian energy company Emera Inc. Last time Sustainable Business Magazine spoke to Emera Caribbean, in 2017, Senior Vice President Peter Williams told us about the challenges facing the energy sector in small island nations like Barbados, where fluctuations in the oil market can have an outsize impact on the cost of electricity, and about the company’s intention to progressively move over towards locally-generated renewable energy to absorb some of this volatility. (See Sustainable Business Magazine 4/17 for the full feature.)

Since 2017, the landscape for renewable energy in Barbados has undergone some dramatic changes. In 2018, the Barbadian government revised their previous renewable energy targets through the Barbados National Energy Policy which estimated

635 MWp of renewable energy capacity is required by 2030 for the country to realize its “100/100” goal. The government also recently introduced a new Feed-In-Tariff (FIT) program, which promises to make rates for renewable energy sold to the grid in the country more attractive to investors. “As the targets have changed and they’ve become more aggressive, the government has shown it’s very committed to making Barbados a leader in renewable and sustainable energy, not only in the region but in the world,” says Neilsen Beneby, Renewable Energy Manager at Emera Caribbean. “Emera Caribbean Renewables has adapted appropriately to these changes as they’ve been introduced.

In the early days, we focused mostly on residential and small commercial systems.

We’ve moved from small-scale solar arrays to medium and even large projects, too. We are currently working on a 400 kWp rooftop PV system and have another nearly 500 kWp system under contract. We were chosen for that project by both customers because of our reputation as an industry leader in the renewable energy sector and our track record of successfully executing commercial rooftop renewable energy projects.”

CHANGING CLIMATE Over the last five years, the Caribbean has been subjected to a series of powerful, destructive hurricanes. A broad consensus

“IT’S VERY COMMITTED TO MAKING BARBADOS A LEADER IN RENEWABLE AND SUSTAINABLE ENERGY, NOT ONLY IN THE REGION BUT IN THE WORLD,”

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INTERVIEW: EMERA CARIBBEAN RENEWABLES

is emerging among scientists that climate change may be making hurricanes in the North Atlantic more intense. Rising sea levels and warmer oceans and air are highly likely to be driving higher rainfall rates in hurricanes, and somewhat likely to be responsible for higher peak winds and lower central pressures.

Small Island Developing States (SIDS) are frequently on the front lines when it comes to absorbing the damage wrought by these climate-worsened natural disasters, while lacking the resources of larger developed nations to repair and rebuild swiftly. “We’ve really seen the effects of climate change here in the Caribbean,” says Mr. Beneby. “The strength of hurricanes is now unprecedented.

In 2016 there was Hurricane Matthew, which created a lot of destruction to Haiti and the Bahamas. In 2017, it was Irma and Maria.

Now, in 2019 we’ve seen Hurricane Dorian causing widespread destruction to the northern islands in the Bahamas.”

In response to these devastating natural disasters, SIDS are seeking ways to become more resilient – and to reduce their contributions to climate-affecting emissions. “When a storm damages critical infrastructure, you see prolonged periods of time where the power will be out,” says Mr. Beneby. “The traditional utility model of having centralized generation with a transmission and distribution network is disturbed, and it’s challenging

for utilities in their current form to reliably serve customers. They need to start focusing on adapting to a new way of supplying energy to their customers.

“In addition,” Mr. Beneby continuescontinued, “primary energy generation in the region is from fossil fuels, most of which is sourced from outside the Caribbean, and it doesn’t bode well when there’s dependency on a foreign nation to supply a critical component of energy generation, particularly given the risk of storm damage to ports of entry which makes it difficult to get fuel onto the island.”

NEW APPROACHES Even when Caribbean electrical grids are undamaged, fossil fuels are expensive for island countries without reserves of their own.

“What we’ve seen in Barbados is a big push for a diversified generation mix,” says Mr. Beneby. “The government has recognized that there’s a real strain on the country’s foreign reserves through the importation of fossil fuels, subjecting the country to the volatility of the oil market. So there’s a push on trying to have energy price stability and, in addition, grid resiliency by diversifying the energy supply mix through various renewable energy technologies.”

The Barbados government’s new FIT for renewable energy providers, introduced on October 1, 2019, replaces the previous

CIVIL ENGINEER CONTRACTOR IN BARBADOS. R&S CONSTRUCTION SERVICES LTD. Well Gap Cave Hill, St Michael, Barbados Tel. 1-246-271-9290 Cell. 1-246-845-9948

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Renewable Energy Rider (RER) program.

Under the new FIT program, 32.7 MW of capacity that was allocated for renewable providers in solar, land-based wind, biogas and solid biomass will receive rates for energy generation differentiated by size and technology, with the rates fixed for 20 years, guaranteeing a stable rate of return for investors. “The regulator has also increased the solar capacity that falls under the FIT program from 500kW up to 1MW,” says Mr. Beneby. “Given our experience, the increase to 1MW capacity positions Emera Caribbean Renewables well to serve businesses here in Barbados and the wider Caribbean market capable of housing a solar installation of a size that results in significant long term benefit – for them and the environment.”

REACHING OUTWARDS “The way we are positioned now, we can execute a 500 kWp project in less than three months, which is a whole rooftop system from design and procurement through to installation,” says Mr. Beneby. “We’re moving quickly to help companies realize their sustainability goals. Caribbean nations are adapting, and I believe Barbados, with its big push towards 100% renewable generation by 2030, is showing leadership in this change in the Caribbean region’s energy landscape. With this firm footing in place, we are also shifting our focus out-

“WE’RE ALSO IDEALLY PLACED TO ACCOMPLISH RENEWABLE ENERGY TARGETS OUTSIDE OF BARBADOS OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS.“

side of Barbados and looking more regionally. We want to support renewable energy projects throughout the Caribbean.”

Up to now, Emera Caribbean Renewables has executed projects solely in Barbados, though their parent company, Emera Caribbean, operates in the Bahamas, Dominica, and St. Lucia, with ownership of the Grand Bahama Power Company, a majority stake in Dominica Electricity Services and a minority stake in St. Lucia Electricity Services. “Emera Caribbean is positioned to execute projects in some new jurisdictions, with a track record of successfully executing over 27 MW of solar and storage projects throughout the Caribbean,” says Mr. Beneby. “This means we’re also ideally suited to accomplish renewable

energy targets outside of Barbados in the coming years. With many other countries in the region facing the same problems of resiliency, we’re well-positioned to support the evolution to renewable energy sources across the Caribbean. Over the next few years, Emera Caribbean Renewables is hoping to double the capacity of systems

that we’ve installed year-on-year. We work on a foundation of integrity, environmental stewardship, safety, and our proven ability to execute projects on time and on budget.

We are a solutions provider of choice to utility and commercial businesses within the region, and we will continue to move forward on that path.” c

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TRAVEL GUIDE: BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS

NATURE’S LITTLE SECRETS WELCOME TO THIS SPECIAL BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS TRAVEL GUIDE, A PARTNERSHIPBETWEEN THE BVI TOURIST BOARD AND SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE. The BVI Tourist Board is a statutory organization that aims to foster, develop, and promote sustainable tourism across the British Virgin Islands. Our volcanic archipelago is formed by 60 unique, unspoiled islands, and we market the region’s unique tourism product while ensuring its sustainability.

2019 was a monumental year for us as we celebrated 50 years of the BVI Tourist Board. We have offices in both North America and London, and also work with agencies in Italy, France, Germany, Latin America, and Puerto Rico to market our region to potential guests.

The British Virgin Islands is known as “nature’s little secrets”, and we are responsible for marketing and public relations as well as keeping the region pristine. Some of the key projects we have been involved with recently focus on making properties greener. We are also working on environmental protection and clean-up campaigns throughout the islands.

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We work closely with several agencies and service groups — including the Association of Reef Keepers — and want to keep tourism as sustainable as possible. Recently, we worked on an exciting replanting program called Seeds of Love, for which we planted close to six thousand trees in the aftermath of 2017’s storms. This saw the collaboration of world-wide agencies and experts, as well as Virgin Islands bars, hotels, marinas, and even past guests. Recovering after the storm, of course, has caused us to look at things differently.

their own attractions, and expanding to the next level.

We are a leader in luxury in the Caribbean.

When we say luxury, we don’t necessarily mean a price point, but rather the quality of experience offered here. After 50 years of operations, the BVI Tourist Board has a great deal of customer service experience.

We share that with our community through educational workshops for tourism stakeholders and local businesses, all of whom benefit from the growth of the industry. We also support local businesses in developing

For us, the bright future of BVI tourism includes a greater role in the products and continued training of other residents. And, of course, we need to maintain a pristine environment, not just for the guests, but for the generations to come. We are a small community of 30,000 people with 60 islands, but we make what we do very positive. The main focus is sustainability; and a sustainable today means a sustainable tomorrow.

Tourism has helped our recovery by facilitating community growth and prosperity.

Tourism accounts for one-in-three jobs in the territory, and it has helped BVI residents to attain a higher standard of living.

Tourism also feeds into other industries, including construction, fishing, and agriculture. Along with financial services, tourism is one of the twin pillars of the British Virgin Islands’ economy.

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TRAVEL GUIDE: BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS

WHERE TO START BVI KEY FACTS

YOUR ADVENTURE Capital:

Road Town

Population: 30,149 Language(s): English Major resort areas: Tortola, Little Sisters, Anegada

Virgin Gorda, Jost Van Dyke

Tourist season:

Any time

Annual tourism earnings:

ZMK 4,408 million

Currency:

US Dollar (US$)

Avg. temperature: 73-84 °F Highest point:

1,709 ft (521 m))

Time zone:

UTC-4:00 (AST)

Dialling code: +1-284

Annual visitors: 408,000

KEY ATTRACTIONS Restaurants

Bike rentals

Hiking

Kayaking

Island hopping

Music

Snorkeling

Bars

Surfing

Shopping

Historic places

Local Wildlife

Dolphin and Whale watching

Waterfalls

Ship Wreck

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KEY REGIONS Tortola Virgin Gorda Jost Van Dyke Little Sisters Anegada

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TRAVEL GUIDE: BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS

JOST VAN DYKE

WHAT TO DO IN...

TORTOLA KAYAK AT CANE GARDEN BAY Tortola is the capital island in the British Virgin Islands (BVI), and Cane Garden Bay is one of its quintessential beaches. Kayaks can be hired from local water sports vendors, providing a unique view of the white sands and bright blue water. However, if you would prefer to put your feet up, there are also plenty of beachside bars offering regional cocktails. The Callwood Rum Distillery offers drinks, fresh gelato, and an educational history.

VISIT MOUNT SAGE NATIONAL PARK Established in 1964, this conservation area was the BVI’s first ever national park. It preserves and protects the Mount Sage’s old-growth forest, adjoining watershed areas, and a diverse ecosystem. Local wildlife includes bo-peep frogs, hermit crabs, red tailed hawks, and the Caribbean martin. Hiking is an extremely low impact activity and one of the best ways to observe and enjoy the natural beauty and indigenous wildlife.

Mount Sage itself includes panoramic views of the park, bays, and surrounding islands.

ALSO IN TORTOLA: • Hire a surfboard at Josiah’s Bay in East End for the BVI’s very best surfing.

• Attend the Emancipation Festival, Spring Regatta, or BVI Music Festival.

• Discover Tortola’s history by visiting the Sugar Works and Old Government House.

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OBSERVE WHALES AND DOLPHINS Sail with humpback whales and bottlenose dolphins just off the coast of Jost Van Dyke.

Certain local guides provide ethical, sustainable tours of the local wildlife, including whale watching. Jost Van Dyke is tiny, so observing the area’s whales from the beaches is also an option. The Island—named after an early Dutch settler and former pirate—combines rugged scenery and natural beauty with a rich history and colourful folklore.

EXPLORE WELL-KNOWN BARS Jost Van Dyke is famous for its bars, numerous restaurants, and bustling parties.

The Soggy Dollar Bar serves a flavourful rum cocktail called ‘The Painkiller’, complete with fresh grated Grenadian nutmeg. Foxy’s Bar serves several speciality drinks using rum made in-house. Foxy’s also owns the a brew-house, and serves fresh draft beers.

ALSO IN JOST VAN DYKE • Visit the sea-formed, natural ‘jacuzzi’ at East End. • Tour well-known bars, numerous restaurants, and bustling parties.

• Explore the sugar-mill ruins and follow old trails that criss-cross the island.

Your Home Away from Home E N J OY A LU X U R Y S TAY AT M & M A PA R T M E N T S U I T E S O N V I R G I N G O R DA Located in the heart of Spanish Town, M&M Apartment Suites are your “home away from home” on Virgin Gorda. There are eight, one-bedroom units and two, two-bedroom units, all with air conditioning, wireless internet, satellite TV, and a full kitchen. Located adjacent to the apartments is M&M bakery, open from 6 pm to 11am every day (except Saturday nights) for tasty treats and delicious take-out meals.

The Coppermine ruins and the world-famous Baths are nearby, and if you want to rent a car to explore the island, parking is safe and abundant. Located a short walk from Virgin Gorda Yacht Harbor and close to restaurants and shops, M&M Apartment Suites is the perfect base for your Virgin Gorda vacation.

Relax and enjoy what our Islands have to offer.

BELMARS HOLDINGS M&M Apartment Suites & Short-time Rentals

+1 284-495-5054 belmarsholdings@gmail.com

Enjoy the beautiful Caribbean Escape to Gordian Terrace on the gorgeous island Virgin Gorda. Located in British Virgin Islands.

Your home away from home, Virgin Gorda’s Newest Island Charm. Guests welcome the warmth of this tranquil, serene, majestic home in Virgin Gorda.

Gordian Terrace neatly sits on an elevated lot within the amiable community of North Sound, on the island of Virgin Gorda. Encircled by the flora and fauna of the indigenous shrubs like bougainvillea, hibiscus, and oleander, the Gordian Terrace is the ideal property for whatever your motive or occasion may be.

Little Hill, PO Box 1102, Spanish Town, VG1150, British Virgin Islands

284-544-9439 | 284-499-6045 | gordianhouse.com

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E C O F R I E N D LY

LUXURY SAILING

VACATIONS! Visitors to the newly renovated Soper’s Hole Marina facility will see more than just brand-new docks, shops and restaurants.

The VOYAGE charters docks, in the heart of the marina, will showcase a brand-new fleet of luxurious Eco-Friendly electric charter yachts, the flag ship of which is the VOYAGE 590 Electric. Four of these groundbreaking catamarans will join VOYAGE charters BVI in 2020, bringing their electric hybrid fleet to 5 vessels. The company are leading the way with a commitment to sustainable BVI chartering whilst still delivering the highest levels of luxury, comfort and performance required by todays discerning clients.

Recent articles in two of the USA’s leading publications have given name checks to both VOYAGE charters and VOYAGE yachts; Conde Nast Traveler referenced VOYAGE as a builder and operator of electric powered yachts and highlighted the increasing demand from elite travelers for more Eco Friendly, luxury sailing experiences. The New York Times just picked the BVI as number 2 “must visit” destination for 2020 and noted VOYAGE charters as providing emissions free sailing aboard electric powered yachts.

The VOYAGE 590 Electric follows the success of VOYAGE charters’ first electric charter vessel, VOYAGE 480 “Electrified”.

These bigger cousins accommodate 12 guests plus crew in luxurious en-suite cabins. The vessel features a flybridge helm and alongside lounge seating. Forward and aft cockpits that combine into an expansive, single level entertainment area through the salon. The bright and airy guest cabins feature walk around queen sized beds, ample storage and shelf space and lots of head room.

A forward-facing, gourmet galley serves all dining areas of the vessel with ease.

The vessel will please keen sailors and is designed with great sailing performance in mind. The flybridge helm has double seating and its own direct access from the cockpit, whilst the guest seating area along-side has its own separate access. Whether on the flybridge, main deck or in the cabins, movement around the vessel is easy and accommodating.

All systems and motoring operate off the vessel’s large lithium-ion battery bank. In charter use the vessel generates most of its electricity from solar and propeller regeneration but stand-by battery charging generators automatically turns on as needed, ensuring the vessel is never at a loss for power.

The VOYAGE 590 Electric is an ultra-luxurious, eco-friendly charter yacht available for your next Crewed, Captain only or Bare Boat vacation exclusively from VOYAGE charters.

Powerful electric motors give a comfortable cruising speed of 8 knots under power and a secondary, lower helm position in the salon allows control of the vessel whilst motoring in open waters.

www.VOYAGEcharters.com

TRAVEL GUIDE: BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS VIRGIN GORDA SNORKEL IN PRISTINE WATERS Snorkel, swim, and trek in the splendid Devil’s Bay national park—home of The Baths’ white beaches, huge granite rock formations, low caves, and shallow tidal pools. The natural beauty of Virgin Gorda is perfect at sunrise or sunset, and you can hike through caves to reach further unspoiled beaches, including Savannah Bay, Pond Bay, Mahoe Bay, Spring Bay, and of course Devil’s Bay itself.

CLIMB GORDA PEAK Hike through indigenous plant-lined trails, bustling nature sanctuaries, and protected flora and fauna to reach the island’s highest point. The peak includes more panoramic views of the surrounding islands, and gives an overview of the region’s African, Indian, and Spanish history—from ruins in Little Fort National Park to the Cornish Copper Mines. You could even see turtle nesting, which has been recorded at Valley Trunk Bayy, just outside of Fort Point National Park.

ALSO IN VIRGIN GORDA • Take part in a replanting event hosted by environmental organization Seeds of Love.

• Enjoy the parades, live calypso, and local food at the annual Easter Festival.

• Explore Beyond the Reef’s artificial reef system off Great Dog Island, made from wrecked planes.

LITTLE SISTERS EXPERIENCE ISLAND HOPPING Wherever you stay in BVI, island hopping is one of the best ways to explore the region’s smaller islands. The Little Sisters, located just south of Tortola, provide some once-in-a-lifetime scenery, and most can only be reached by private or chartered boat. If snorkelling isn’t your thing, some local vendors also provide glass-bottomed boat tours of the area, and there are several marine sanctuaries.

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EXPLORE THE RMS RHONE The U.K. Royal Mail ship RMS Rhone was wrecked just off the coast of Salt Island in 1867. It now provides some of the best wreck-diving in the Caribbean, and was even used in the 1977 thriller ‘The Deep’. Now the Rhone National Marine Park, the RMS Rhone provides a habitat for marine wildlife including the moray eel, turtles, and octopi. As the stern of the ship lays in shallower water, snorkellers can also view the wreckage.

ALSO IN LITTLE SISTERS • Discover indigenous flora and fauna by hiking and biking on Peter Island.

• Visit Dead Chest Island, centre of Blackbeard’s apocryphal marooned crew.

• Eat at Cooper Island Beach Club – an ‘eco-luxe’ restaurant dedicated to providing sustainable eco-tourism via green-focused facilities.

ANEGADA DIVE THE HORSESHOE REEF Anegada offers the only coral in the BVI’s volcanic region. Visitors can take part in sustainable, recreational dives and explore the striking mazes and tunnels of the stunning natural reef. This area provides a subtle and diverse ecosystem which mindful divers can observe from the water. Needle fish, bonefish, stingrays, parrot fish, and countless other marine creatures live in the coral and off the coast of Anegada. The island is nearly flat, and is blessed with clear springs that bloom from the coral beds.

VIEW LOCAL WILDLIFE You can see nurse sharks in the water from Windlass Bight, as well as turtles and lobster in the beach areas in general. Local tour guides are available for sustainable and ethical visits to local animal’s habitats.

You can also watch Caribbean flamingos in the salt ponds from specially designed viewing platforms, or visit the Rock Iguana Sanctuary, which works with international institutes to conserve and protect the endangered iguana population.

ALSO ON ANEGADA • Explore more than 300 wrecks off the shores off Anegada – the ‘drowned island’.

• Rent a bicycle to tour the island in a serene and environmentallyfriendly way.

• Explore the maze of stone walls that surround The Settlement.

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TRAVEL GUIDE: BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS

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PARADISE FOUND The British Virgin Islands is home to unspoiled Caribbean beaches and lush greenery, with clear water and white sands, as well as old-growth forest and diverse inland flora and fauna.

Eco-tourism in the British Virgin Islands is increasingly popular, and local residents are active participants in the protection and preservation of the region’s natural beauty. Here are some tips on how to enjoy the beautiful islands and the water that surrounds them in a responsible and sustainable way.

When visiting the larger islands - Tortola, Anegada, Jost Van Dyke, and Virgin Gorda - hiking through national parks is a popular and sustainable activity. When exploring the various larger trails, or even island hopping in the Little Sisters, following the general hiking rule of “leave no trace” is always a good idea. Take care not to leave designated trails, which can cause undue wear and erosion to the land.

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TRAVEL GUIDE: BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS Cycling is also an effective and low-impact way to tour the islands, and there are several routes that are particularly bicycle-friendly. Similar to hiking, it is important to stick to designated routes and ensure that you minimize your impact on the paths. Be mindful of disturbing wild animals, and always take any trash home with you.

The British Virgin Islands provide some of the most striking swimming spots in the region, ranging from shallow tidal pools to vast beaches, and coral reefs to sunken ship wrecks. These areas are part of a complex local ecosystem, which includes animals such as parrot fish, barracuda, starfish, turtles, sharks, whales, dolphins, and flora such as the fragile coral reef itself.

When diving and snorkelling, in particular, it’s important not to damage these delicate marine ecosystems. Swimmer pollution is a leading cause of threatened reefs, and even visitors’ sunscreen can cause damage.

Choosing natural, mineral sunscreens in place of chemical products can mitigate this risk.

Some native animals are endangered, including turtles, and visitors must take great care not to disturb their nesting spots. Supporting local, ethical guides is

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a way to invest in the sustainability of the island, and guides can offer tours, as well as the most reliable information on where to go, where not to go, and how close it is appropriate to be to the island’s wildlife.

Sailing and boat trips can provide an ideal viewing platform, enabling visitors to observe both land-based and aquatic wildlife without impacting it. Whales, sharks, and turtles can all be seen from such vessels, and using sailing or electric boats can help preserve the environment too. Kayaks can be hired from local vendors and are particularly useful for this, as they can reduce your emissions to an absolute minimum, while giving you the best views.

Different vendors, bars, and restaurants in the British Virgin Islands may vary in their sustainability, and another way of having a positive impact is to support businesses with existing green infrastructure. Look out for solar and wind powered vendors and companies, recycling infrastructure, and local produce.

Most importantly, enjoy yourself – you’re in paradise after all! By supporting local, sustainable tourism experiences, you’re ensuring the long-term viability of the pristine natural environment of the British Virgin Islands. c

VISIT THE BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS &

DISCOVER PA R A D I S E EVERY DAY

E N J O Y N AT U R E ’ S L I T T L E S E C R E T S www.bvitourism.com

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INTERVIEW: BINGHATTI DEVELOPERS

THE

A PROP RT OF ERTY

“ALL OF OUR BUILDINGS FOLLOW A VERY SIMILAR STYLE OF ARCHITECTURE, SOMETHING LIKE LAMBORGHINI OR FERRARI DO WITH THEIR CARS.”

68 | SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

Sustainable Business Magazine speaks to Muhammad Binghatti, CEO and Head of Architecture at Binghatti Developers, about how parametric design and sustainability can work hand-in-hand.

Binghatti Developers is a Dubai-based property development company, specializing in elegant, aesthetically striking buildings which fuse luxury and sustainability.

Founded in 2012, Binghatti Developers is a subsidiary of Binghatti Holding, one of the largest holding companies in the United Arab Emirates. Binghatti Developers has worked on almost 40 projects across Dubai over the last eight years.

“Ever since our inception, we’ve oriented our style toward the ‘art’ of property,” says Muhammad Binghatti, CEO and Head of Architecture at Binghatti Developers. “The idea was to create a real estate brand. You hear the word ‘brand’ a lot, but for us branding is almost as important as fashion brands like Louis Vuitton or Gucci. We wanted something that has an iconic design, to develop a brand identity so you could identify any of our buildings without even reading the logo or the name. We were able to achieve that through a very unique style of architecture.

All of our buildings follow a very similar style of architecture, something like Lamborghini or Ferrari do with their cars.”

With a young, dynamic team, Binghatti Developers’ approach focuses on high-quality, architecturally distinctive properties at affordable prices. “We provide products that are very unique in terms of quality, in which we always use the same finishings and fittings, regardless of it being a high-end or mid-range development,” explains Mr. Binghatti. “This means we can focus on things like substantiality. A small in-house team fo-

cus on achieving green building guidelines, making sure everything we do is according to ASHRAE sustainable standards.”

UNIQUE SELLING POINT “Our major recent project was Millennium Binghatti Residences in Business Bay, an apartment tower located on the water canal in Dubai,” says Mr. Binghatti. “That comprises about 230 apartments, and the project is valued around 300 million dirhams. We also launched Binghatti Gateway and Binghatti Views, both just three minutes away from downtown Dubai. That’s a total of around 1000 apartments between them.

Together, the combined project value was just below 1 billion dirhams. We have about 20 consolidated, delivered, and ongoing projects buildings in the important Silicon Oasis area. Then we have another four proMUHAMMAD BINGHATTI, CEO AND HEAD OF ARCHITECTURE

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United Sugar Company operates as a subsidiary of the Savola Group Company. United Sugar Company (USC) is a pioneer in its field, being the first sugar refinery in the Saudi market since 1995 and remains the only local manufacturer to date.

Starting with only one refinery in Jeddah to cover local demand in Saudi Arabia; today our products are available throughout the MENA region from three different sugar refineries in Saudi Arabia and Egypt. USC is considered as one of the top three refineries in the world in capacity USC is by far the biggest player in the local Saudi market mainly through its flagship Brand “Al Osra� which is available in white sugar, brown sugar, Icing sugar as well as cubes, and sachet sticks.

In Business to business, USC is the market leader in the Saudi market in providing sweetening solutions. Our customers are mainly CSD, Juices, and Confectionaries factories.

USC has different products and packages to maintain their needs. Our B2B products: Fine, coarse, extra fine, liquid, icing sugar, and Molasses.

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www.unitedsugar.com

INTERVIEW: BINGHATTI DEVELOPERS jects in Jumeirah Village Circle, along with a further three in Dubailand, totaling about 1000 apartments.”

Millennium Binghatti Residences represents the culmination of Binghatti Developers’ unique approach to design. “The design is the unique selling point in this project,” says Mr. Binghatti. “It was the first project where we applied parametric design and methodology into the building’s geometry. It really suited our branding, and it also helped achieve and enhance sustainability in the real estate. So, for example, the tilt of the balconies is done in a very specific way according to sun pass diagrams that we did during site analysis, while also helping to maximize the balconies’ views of the canal.”

VANGUARD TECHNOLOGY By taking a parametric approach to the design of Millennium Binghatti Residences, Binghatti Developers were able to develop a building which combined sustainability, a striking aesthetic, and inhabitant-friendly functionality. “The idea was we analyzed the sun path diagrams for the site and, based on that, we started to play around with the Grasshopper script to achieve an organic twist in the geometry of the buildings,” says Mr. Binghatti. “If you look at the buildings, it’s apparent how we applied this geometry to the buildings. The idea of creating this projection and multiplying this projection as a balcony across the whole facade really deals with the issue of climate fear in places like the Middle East. We really think about the facade as a texture and ask how we should treat this texture with geometry that keeps our brand while protecting from solar radiation. We also introduced a mashrabiya system, in accordance to this idea of achieving maximum protection from solar radiation. Crucially, it also provides a nice inhabitable space for our residents. You see a lot of them sitting on the balconies and enjoying 6 months of brilliant Dubai weather. Our facades are very functional and really enhance the sustainability of our buildings. Most buildings

you see across Dubai are covered with blocks or highly reflective glass, but we really tried to change that mentality with our buildings.”

Binghatti Developers used a variety of cutting-edge technologies and materials to achieve a low environmental footprint in Millennium Binghatti Residences. “The materials we specified for this building, the glass size, the solar reflective index (SRI) of the glass and the reflectance of the paint, every single detail in this project was studied very carefully,” explains Mr. Binghatti.

“The glass type we use has a higher SRI than is standard. It’s even more efficient than using blocks on a facade. And the type of paint we specify has a very high reflectance, so it reflects sun rays away very

efficiently. We also have high-efficiency air conditioning machines in the building. The standards we follow is considered one of the highest according to ASHRAE standards. We follow sustainability guidelines during construction, as well, where we have a strict regime for waste management, site organization, waste and water disposal, and other core functions.”

HOLISTIC DESIGN “We’re always oriented towards what’s new,” says Mr. Binghatti. “New technology we can use or apply in our building systems to enhance sustainability and enhance efficiency.

New ways to add more value for our investors. Our buildings already have a very contemporary look to them, so we’d like to complement that with two factors: technology and sustainability. We are striving to become the Apple of real estate. That’s essentially our vision at the moment. We’re always holding workshops internally in the company, looking at what systems we can upgrade. Automated lighting systems, automated air conditioning systems in the public areas, that sort of thing.

We want to really dig down into the deepest of details to provide a holistic solution for our end users.” c SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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REVIEW: THERME BUCHAREST

GREEN WELLNESS Therme Bucharest, the largest wellbeing project in Europe, is also the first wellbeing resort in the world to be awarded LEED Platinum certification by the U.S. Green Building Council. Sustainable Business Magazine’s George Bell bathed his way through a Romanian ‘wellbeing city’.

Therme Bucharest is an organism of a building. It breathes. It maintains itself.

Therme Group dub it the world’s first fully sustainable spa. The idea was partly driven by urbanization. “By 2050, predictions say 68% of people will live in an urban environment,” explains Duncan Newbury, Marketing Director for Therme Group UK. “This is a challenge.”

But it’s also an opportunity for ‘wellbeing cities’. Any urban dweller and businessperson reading this article will be familiar with the downsides of urban life and technology – from mild ennui to alienation, depression, and health problems. The global wellbeing movement, at its best, is founded in a recognition that the way we organize our societies in the 21st century isn’t always in tune with the emotional and physical requirements of living, breathing humans.

This motivation is felt whilst strolling through Therme Bucharest. Over 1,500 palm trees amongst a total of around 800,000 plants from 200 species - and a grand total of 0 artificial plants - fill the building, alongside resplendent natural light. “Just as we have wellbeing for people, we have 72 | SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

wellbeing for trees,” says Mr. Newbury. Every tree is individually looked after by extension into the building’s hypothalamus, an underground level equal in size to the vast upstairs.

Therme’s Technical Manager, Bogdan Corbeanu, passionately demonstrates the valved pipes - one per tree – which allow the control room to maintain each tree’s ventilation and feeding according to its specific needs.

Air from outside passes through not only the ecosystem of trees and plants, but even rises up through the towel racks for natural drying indoors, and enters through broad slits in the walls in order to assist the control over each area’s temperature and humidity.

Therme Bucharest’s sustainability credentials, then - LEED Platinum certified; an SGS-certified water purification system modeled on sand filtration - seem a logical manifestation of their original raison d’etre.

And, just like an organism, self-defense is built into the structure. “Therme Bucharest has the largest retractable roof in a seismic zone in the world,” says Mr. Newbury. “The roof, and the whole construction, is certified up to 8 on the Richter Scale.”

A city, by its definition, is full of people, so it follows that a crucial element in achieving a ‘wellbeing city’ is inclusivity. Therme Bucharest offers physical therapies at an affordable price. Entry fees range from 50 Romanian Lei (USD $12/CAD $16/GBP £9) for 1 adult for 3 hours, to an entire day for a family of 3 for 180 Lei (USD $42/CAD $55/ GBP £32), with concessions and more group deals available.

Beyond the core Therme experience enjoying bathing traditions from around the world together in one place - these prices afford visitors some of the most exotic and

straight-up wacky wellbeing experiences. In my day at Therme I witnessed (and in some cases dipped my toes into): a cinema sauna, bamboo massages, a multi-level water park, mineral pools mimicking the exact conditions of the Dead Sea, an urban beach, and a string quartet performing next to a central swimming pool.

Inside the building - and in the extensive outdoor pools and spas - I feel as much like I’m in one of the biomes at the United Kingdom’s Eden Project as in a classic Budapest thermal spa. Since opening in 2016, 1.2m now visit Therme Bucharest each year, many from other European countries. Under Mayor Andy Burnham, Manchester will see a Therme spa open in 2022, the first in the U.K. Many other cities around the world are expected to follow. c

Visit https://therme.ro/en to learn more about Therme Bucharest.

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INTERVIEW: GHANA TOURISM AUTHORITY

LAND OF WARMTH &CULTURE Sustainable Business Magazine speaks to Spencer Doku, Research, Monitoring, and Evaluation Manager at the Ghana Tourism Authority, about investing in environmental preservation, training, and the future of tourism in Ghana.

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The Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) The Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) derives its powers from the Tourism Act, 2011, and exists as a body corporate established to regulate the tourism industry and to promote the sustainable development of the tourism industry internationally and within Ghana.

GTA views sustainability as key to the sector’s long-term development. “We are concerned with sustainability because our strength is culture and heritage which must be preserved,” explains Spencer Doku, Research Monitoring and Evaluation Manager at GTA. “We also need to protect flora and fauna and take action against environmental degradation. We want tourism to be sustainable so that generation after generation will enjoy and continuously enjoy everything that Ghana has and is offering”. In our development, we are concerned with the country’s culture, heritage, and environment, as these are pillars for tourism.”

“There are key issues in our vision that guide development,” says Mr. Doku. “Effective regulations and standardization by the Authority is essential to provide guidance for the growth of the tourism sector. To ensure sustainable growth of tourism we are doing this through better deployment of technology, strengthening of public-private partnerships, aggressive marketing and robust investment, and uplifting the service industry and health standards. We cannot do these successfully without involving our stakeholders, so we involve them at all levels.

GTA does not compromise on stakeholder’s involvement. Finally, we are concerned about enhancing accountability and sharing responsibility.”

COAST TO COAST The Collaborative Actions for Sustainable Tourism (COAST) project is part of the Global Environment Facility (GEF) funded program SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

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INTERVIEW: GHANA TOURISM AUTHORITY

“WE WANT TOURISM TO BE SUSTAINABLE SO THAT GENERATION AFTER GENERATION WILL ENJOY AND CONTINUOUSLY ENJOY EVERYTHING THAT GHANA HAS AND IS OFFERING”

executed by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), which aims to support and enhance the conservation of globally significant coastal and marine ecosystems and associated biodiversity in sub-Saharan Africa. Ghana was involved in this program with other countries like Gambia and Nigeria.

The project analyzed the environmental needs required to develop ecotourism along the coast. “This project was very important for us as sustainable tourism because the problems that the COAST project addressed are still relevant today,” explains Mr. Doku.

“Water management at the estuaries, the lagoon sea defence, beach erosion habitat conservation. Tourism is the winner if these resources are managed sustainably. The project location was Ada Foah in the Greater Accra Region. The initiative was undertaken by the Ministry of Environment, Science, and Technology with the private sector, while GTA was actively involved to explore the tourism component.”

Heritage is another focus for GTA. In September 2018, in Washington D.C., Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo formally launched 2019 as the ‘Year of Return’, an initiative to encourage African-Americans and others in the African diaspora 76 | SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE

to visit Ghana. 2019 was a symbolic year, commemorating 400 years since the first enslaved Africans arrived in Jamestown, Virginia from Jamestown in Accra, and GTA led the new campaign. “It is a cultural symbol of spiritual fulfillment, and it is important to unite these Africans in the diaspora with their brothers in Ghana,” says Mr. Doku. “There were special programs lined throughout the year in Ghana to encouraged Africans in Diaspora to come back to the motherland, including ‘Jamestown to Jamestown’, Afrochella, and Afro Nation.

We are very proud of this campaign.”

KINTAMPO WATERFALL RECOVERY GTA intervened in the rebuilding after a disaster at Kintampo Waterfall in March 2017.

A dead tree broke into two, with the upper half crushing revelers at the falls, killing 19 people and injured 21 others. “It was a

national disaster that saddened all tourism lovers,” says Mr. Doku. “As the regulator, GTA was involved and the place was closed down for reconstruction with funding from Tourism Development Fund. During the closure GTA involved the Assembly, the traditional rulers, and the local people, creating awareness about farming practices that will prevent such a disaster. Another activity was to improve on the diversity of flora at the waterfall and around through a tree planting exercise in collaboration with the Forestry Commission. Then there was an introduction of public safety management and emergency preparedness and coordination systems at the fall side to manage such incidents in the future.”

“To maintain and sustain the project, GTA signed a memorandum of understanding ((MOU) with other partners, the District Assembly, and local authority chiefs who

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SERVICES & FACILITIES Chinese & Continental Restaurants • Coffee, Terrace & Wine Bars Swimming Pool • Gym • Thai Massage & Spa • Internet/WiFi Business Centre • Conference/Banquet Facilities • Car Hire

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INTERVIEW: GHANA TOURISM AUTHORITY are landowners,” says Mr. Doku. “The MOU detailed roles, responsibilities, and revenue sharing from the project. A private investor came on board to partner and build a canopy walkway across the waterfall. The canopy walkway is added to a number of activities at the sites and increases how long tourist will stay at the site. Arrival figures at the site shows that the numbers are increasing.

This is good news for Kintampo Falls and Ghana’s tourism.”

“OUR PEOPLE ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IN OUR TOURISM PROMOTION. THE WARMTH OF THIS COUNTRY IS EXCEPTIONAL.”

TRAINING PROGRAMS Another behind-the-scenes role played by GTA is training. As a regulating body, GTA is keen to ensure that tourists, both international and domestic, receive high-quality service. “We are aware that training is key and customer satisfaction is very important,” says Mr. Doku. “GTA is involved in training of stakeholders in the industry.

Last year we launched a program to train tour guides. These are guides who inform, educate, and tell the Ghanaian story, and it is important we have a standard that guides them. In collaboration with the executives of Tour Guides Association of Ghana (TORGA), we trained about 385 tour guides nationwide, in the specific areas of tour guiding,

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customer service, culture, heritage, tour guide trade, communication, presentation, interpretation, security, and the travel trade regulations. Licensing is to follow. Our expectation is that tourists coming to Ghana will receive a standard tour guiding service that will make their experience memorable.”

“The informal sector is mainly local people that provide food and drink at our joints, streets, and other places other than formal places,” says Mr. Doku. “They play a major role in our tourism value chain and service delivery. There is nationwide training going on in the areas of food hygiene and safety, financial management, and customer service. As far as the tourism private sector is concerned, GTA is using training programs to make impact directly. Indirectly, the benefits of our marketing and promotion leads to increases in tourist arrivals and a higher occupancy rate for the private sector, and this can’t be taken for granted.”

HERITAGE AND THE FUTURE “Ghana is known for its culture and heritage,” says Mr. Doku. “Our people and history are the most important thing in our tourism promotion. The warmth of this country is exceptional. We do not boast of safaris, but we boast of our culture and heritage because we have a little bit of everything on tourism – eco, adventure, culture, leisure, and MICE. Ghana’s comparative advantage is warmth, hospitality, and unadulterated culture.”

GTA is confident of Ghana’s tourism industry. “The future is very bright as far as tourism is concerned,” says Mr. Doku. “We can tell our story from some of the tourism indicators. Arrivals in 2017 was 969,156 with corresponding receipt of $1,804.56m; although not a significant decrease to 956,172 in 2018 arrivals, the receipt was $2,589.85m, higher than in 2017. Tourist average expenditure was $1,862 in 2017 but increased to $2,708 in 2018, confirming tourist are spend-

ing more and this is good news. Our major markets continue to be America and Europe, and Nigeria is leading in Africa. The future therefore looks very good in terms of the current numbers and we are still counting.”

Domestic tourism is also growing.

“Arrivals at our tourist attractions are encouraging, with a significant increase of 23.9% from 2017 to 2018,” says Mr. Doku.

“Interestingly we realized that the number of Ghanaian visiting the sites continue to increase. Another good story for the domestic tourism is, with the growth of the Ghanaian middle class and increase in disposable income for leisure and entertainment, we expect domestic tourism to jump faster than we are experiencing now.”

“There is new Terminal 3 airport infrastructure, boosting international travel and

major improvement in number of domestic flights and airlines flying to Kumasi, Tamale Takoradi, and recently to Wa,” says Mr. Doku. “There are challenges with road transportation and the network, but the government is working on the construction of road projects. As a result, accessibility will improve, and tourism will benefit. We must alsoo mention the World Bank financial assistance of $40 million for the World Bank Tourism Development Project. The amount will be disbursed from July 2018 to September 2023. In the project, specific components were identified for intervention to improve on the sector’s performance at both the micro and macro levels. So for us at GTA, the sector’s prospects are very bright and we will count on the support and cooperation of all stakeholders. Thank you very much.” c

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GLOBAL EVENTS CALENDAR

MAR 2020

2nd-3rd

Pollution Control & Sustainable Environment Conference Rome, Italy pollution.environmental conferences.org

18th - 20th

APM 2020 Conference Singapore apmaritime.com/en-gb/ Event-Preview.html

24th - 26th

Solar Power Mexico Mexico City, Mexico hfmexico.mx/solarpowermexico/

The Business Travel Show is the international event for business travel, and bringing together thousands of travel buyers and bookers across two days at Olympia London.

businesstravelshow.com

1st

Power & Electricity World Africa Johannesburg, South Africa terrapinn.com/exhibition/ power-electricity-world-africa

1st - 2nd

16th -17th

International Energy Health and Safety Conference and Exhibition Lagos, Nigeria

AFMASS FoodTech Kampala, Uganda www.afmass.com/uganda2020/

Power & Electricity World Africa bring innovators, disrupters and change agents together to talk and engage in healthy business pertaining to power and electricity. This serves as a platform for thought leaders and disruptors to showcase their solutions to the Africa power and energy buyer community.

This event focuses largely on creative, organic and customer-focused approaches to bring new innovations in the power industry.

The International Energy, Health & Safety Events is a one stop resource centre that is set to bolster the energy oil and gas industry in Nigeria to achieving the global aim of Vision Zero.

iehse.com

International Energy, Health & Safety Events is anchored on the premise that safe work operations is at the core of business sustainability and productivity.

14th International Conference on Renewable & Non-Renewable Energy Singapore

Based on the theme “Research at the Interface of Energy and Sustainability”, the conference will include: Renewable Energy, , Green Energy and Economy, Biofuels, Bioenergy and Sustainable Nuclear Energy, Solar, Wind and Marine Energy, Hydro Power Generation and Geothermal Energy, Waste to Energy and Smart Grid Systems, Fossil and Radioactive Fuels, Petroleum Engineering and Natural Gas Recovery, Energy Storage, Generation and Transmission.

meetingsint.com/conferences/energy

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25th

Conference SeriesLLC Ltd takes immense pleasure to extend our warm welcome to invite all the participants from all over the world which will entail lively debates, prompt keynote presentations, oral talks, poster presentations, workshops, and networking opportunities around a core of plenary and concurrent sessions based on essential topics in the pollution control sector.

2020 will be a massive year for the maritime industry. Emissions will dominate headlines, while trade, politics and socio-economic policies will continue to shape the global shipping sector. All these are taking place on the back of increasing technical innovations and faster adoption of digital solutions across the entire maritime value-chain. With these in mind, APM 2020 conference will take a more industry-led approach in driving more meaningful discussions.

Solar Power Mexico is the first B2B solar energy trade show in Mexico. This exhibition is operated by Deutsche Messe, one of the leading trade show organizers worldwide, SNEC PV Power Expo, the world’s leading solar technology event based in Shanghai, China, and Solar Power International, the organizers of North America’s leading events and conferences.

The event will feature a seminar programme and exhibition at Centro Citibanamex.

AFMASS FoodTech Uganda edition is the first substantive regular food, beverage and milling industry trade conference and exhibition to be held in Uganda, covering the entire sector of the industry .

APR 2020 www.greenenergyexpo.co.kr

ADVERTISERS INDEX A Aannemingsbedrijf R.A. Poeran Anegada Beach Club Apstar Tours Ltd B Belmars Holdings C Ciena Clarks Court Marina Coastal Dynamics Limited D D. Hill Shipping Services G Grande Anse Beach Palace Hotel Gordian Terrace Villa Beach Cliff

7 61 77

57

14 29 6

6

31 57 32

I Interfarm N.V.

22

K Kwarleys Residence Accra

76

L La Sagesse Boutique Hotel

40

M Medserv Operations Ltd Mount Edgecombe Plantation Mozart Security Service NV

6 39 5

N N.V. Havenbeheer Suriname

9

P Petrojam Limited Professional Private Security

10 21

R R&S Construction

S Sadhna Petroluem Suriname N.V. Scuba-Tech Grenada Seadrill Spice Island Marine Services

50

9 40 8 34

T Tang Palace

75

U United Sugar Company

68

V Ventrin Petroleum Company Limited 9 Voyage Charters 58 W Water Power Conference

Back Cover

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