A contentious dispute is unfolding in the Back Bay area of southwest Tobago, where plans for a massive 200-room hospitality project have drawn a sharp line between big developers and local conservationists. The proposed expansion threatens an unspoiled stretch of coastline renowned for its sandy shores, coral reefs, dark rock formations, and dense tropical vegetation.
The location, which stretches 500 metres along the coast, features thick bush and shrubbery that gives visitors the sensation of walking through a rainforest. The area is also home to characteristic Caribbean fruit-bearing trees, including almonds, sea grapes, coconuts, and the notoriously poisonous manchineel.
Central to the controversy is the protection of turtle nesting sites within this habitat. While proponents of the large-scale development argue it represents the most profitable path for economic growth, opponents advocate for smaller, incremental schemes owned and operated by the community. These conservationists believe that limiting the scale of construction is essential to preserving the island’s delicate ecosystem and safeguarding the turtles that rely on the beach for nesting.
Another profitable path? Sounds like corporate greed wrapped in green rhetoric. I’m skeptical this brings real growth for actual Tobagonians.
I wish they would consider community-owned small-scale tourism instead. It’s more sustainable and keeps the money local without destroying habitats.
Wait, is manchineel really growing wild right next to a proposed guest area? That seems dangerously close to home for unsuspecting tourists.
Turtles have nowhere left to nest if we let this hotel go ahead. The ecosystem here is too fragile for such massive construction.