Zane DeSilva, the Shadow Minister for Tourism, has challenged the Bermuda Government on Club Med and questioned whether Shawn Crockwell, the Minister for Tourism Development, has been forthright in his comments on the subject.

Mr DeSilva said in a statement released by the Progressive Labour Party today: “The air of mystery surrounding the potential development at Club Med is worrying in light of the thousands of Bermudians out of work and an Island desperate for an enhanced tourism product.

“Media reports questioning the veracity of Minister Crockwell’s December 12, 2014 speech to Parliament, where he claimed that St Regis-Starwood Hotels & Resorts will be managing the hotel is worrying, but the further revelation that no plans have been submitted to [the Department of] Planning creates an immediate need for Minister Crockwell to reassure Bermudians that the OBA is telling the truth.

“They must also reassure the people of St George’s that their promise to deliver a hotel to the East End won’t be broken.

“The OBA’s record on honesty, openness, transparency and keeping their word is dismal and when, yet again, the words spoken by a member of the OBA don’t appear to match up with reality, Bermudians can’t help but think that they are being deceived again.

“The project at the former Club Med site should benefit all Bermudians and, as such, we all have a stake in its success. Is it too much to expect that if Minister Crockwell makes a statement that it can be supported by independently verifiable facts?”

Mr Crockwell told the House of Parliament that contruction is expected to begin at the beginning of this year, with a development budget of $120 million, and be completed within 16 months.

A Tourism spokeswoman responded: “The Ministry is pleased with the progress that has been made thus far and the project is moving forward positively. The ministry remains committed to providing updates on the project at the appropriate times.”