Business View Caribbean - Mar 2024

Ali’s second project is overhauling and refurbishing the Manta Lodge hotel and diving center in Tobago. “It was an abandoned hotel, abandoned for over 15 years, and we were able to refurbish it and bring it up to a two-star eco-tourism boutique hotel and diving center,” he shares. This endeavor reflects CSS Ltd.’s versatility and its role in promoting sustainable tourism through thoughtful and environmentally conscious development. THE CONSTRUCTION SECTOR AS A PILLAR OF ECONOMIC STABILITY The construction industry, often seen as the backbone of economic development, plays a critical role in shaping the growth trajectory of a nation. In Tobago, this sector is a significant employer and a vital cog in the economic machinery, paralleled only by the energy sector’s capacity to drive employment and development. Ali sheds light on the significance of construction in Tobago. “Construction in Tobago, apart from the energy sector, oil, and gas, is the main employer in the country,” he asserts, emphasizing the industry’s vital role in sustaining the nation’s employment levels. This perspective highlights the government’s strategic use of construction activities to bolster employment, especially during periods of economic fluctuation. He further elaborates on the cyclical nature of the construction industry, noting, “Construction is seasonal, meaning that there’s a lull period between election and election. There’s always a little lull, period.” Despite these ebbs and flows, Ali points out that the sector experiences “three, three and a half years of solid construction” within typical five-year political cycles, employing “over 150,000 people” at its peak. Expanding on the interconnection between construction and tourism, Ali acknowledges the broader implications of construction projects on the tourism industry.“Tourists want to feel safe,” he states, 53 BUSINESS VIEW CARIBBEAN VOLUME 11, ISSUE 03 CONSTRUCT ION SERVICES AND SUPPL IES LTD