St. George's Mayor Henry Hayward yesterday said he saw no advantage to a plan announced by Government to link the Old Town to other World Heritage Sites.

And he accused Government of “dragging its feet” over a number of tourist initiatives which could bring more much-needed visitors to St. George's - particularly the redevelopment of the dormant Club Med hotel.

But late last night Tourism Minister Renee Webb said that Government would announce next week who will take over the property, which has been closed for more than a decade. Ms Webb had claimed last week that the announcement would be made this week.

@$: She said the company had been selected and the name will be revealed at a press conference next week when paperwork is finalised. Government announced in the Throne Speech last week that St. George's will be linked with other World Heritage Sites in the US and Europe to give Bermuda “the opportunity to display its unique heritage internationally”.

But Mr. Hayward said it won't attract any more visitors until St. George's UNESCO World Heritage status, which was granted three years ago, is properly marketed. He said a brochure about St. George's World Heritage status is no longer even produced. And he cited the failure to allow a developer to transform the closed Club Med hotel, and Government refusal to waive a fee to develop the waterfront as evidence that red tape is holding back the town.

Mr. Hayward explained: “I've no objection to linking with other World Heritage Sites but I can't see any advantage to St. George's and Bermuda.

“We can market this as a cultural and otherwise destination to get people to come to Bermuda and specifically to come to St. George's.

“This is particularly relevant to the US and Canada that relates to the establishment of those nations and it is something the Tourism Board has not taken advantage of in the past three years St. George's has been a designated site.

There was one brochure on St. George's but that is no longer being produced. It is a huge marketing point that we have that is not taken advantage of, and linking us to other World Heritage Sites is not going to bring in more visitors.”

He said at a mayors' conference he recently attended he realised that St. George's was much more advanced than other World Heritage Sites in terms of conservation legislation. He added: “Club Med has been closed for nine years and there are people who want to open it as a hotel and we are just dragging our feet. With a new hotel, the town could really market itself, even if we had to do it ourselves.”

Tourism Minister Renee Webb said last week that an announcement will be made this week naming a new developer for the hotel, but Mr. Hayward said last night: “I've heard that week after week after week.”

The Old Town has plans and funding in place to build a new waterfront, but the development has been stalled because Government insists on charging a “Queen's Bottom” fee for building out over the water.

Private property owners have waived their water rights to allow the waterfront to be build but the project has gone nowhere because Government will not waive the Queen's Bottom fee. “All Government would have to do is write a letter waiving them (private property owners) or us (the St. George's Corporation), from the fee, but it has just been meeting after meeting after meeting. This has been designed for two years and money has been in place for two years to build this and create more activity, but like Club Med, they seem to be dragging their feet.”

@$:On Club Med, Ms Webb said:“We have chosen the developer and we will enter into negotiations and we will be doing a joint thing and getting all the documentation drawn up. It has been awarded to one company and we are in the process of documentation being set up and there will be an announcement next week. We will be having a joint press conference with the new owners.”

The two sort-listed companies were SteppingRock and Renaissance. SteppingRock, which is based in Dallas, Texas, but is partnered with Bermudian Patrick Bean, wants to build a 110 bedroom hotel plus 60 homes, and create a rehabilitation centre for injured athletes or drug addicts.