It is with great sadness that I share with you today the passing of our founder and Chairman, and my father, Gordon 'Butch' Stewart.

This news seems almost unbelievable, since our chairman was as involved and forward thinking as ever.

He chose to keep a very recent health diagnosis private and we respected that wish.

The Hon. Gordon 'Butch' Stewart OJ, a distinction he was so proud of, was a gifted entrepreneur.

He was a marketing genius and talented showman, but those who knew him best recognised that he was a dreamer who could dream bigger and better than anyone.

It was often said “the best thing for people around him to do is be dream catchers.”

That’s why he always credited his success to the incredible team around him, why he listened intently when it came to creating innovative things that would excite and delight our guests, and why it is so important that I remind you today of all days, that we will all continue to be his dream catchers.

Together, we have all been part of something bigger than ourselves, led by a man who believed in us and who gave us opportunities to learn, grow and the tools to make dreams real.

For him and because of him ̧ we will continue to dream big and deliver on his certainty that true luxury is always best enjoyed by the sea.

My Dad lived a big life – husband, father, grandfather, great grandfather, entrepreneur, statesman, dreamer.

A singular personality and an unstoppable force who revelled in defying the odds, exceeding expectations and whose passion for his family was matched only by the people and possibility of the Caribbean, for whom he was a fierce champion.

There will never be another quite like him and we will miss him forever.

While I need to be with family right now, I look forward to speaking with you soon and sharing thoughts about the incredible future of this company built by this most incredible man.

​Until then, and to use the words of his iconic sign off, this one last time, All that’s good.

- Adam Stewart

LA SOUFRIERE BULLETIN 4 - January 1, 2021. 6.00 PM

1. Alert level remains at Orange. The Volcano continues to exude magma on the surface and steam can still be observed from the Belmont Observatory. Persons living in areas close to the volcano which include communities from Fancy to Georgetown and Belle Isle to Richmond are asked to remain alert and listen to all advisories from the National Emergency Management Organisation (NEMO).

2. The three-person team from The University of the West Indies St. Augustine Campus (UWI-SRC) began work today having arrived in St. Vincent yesterday, to provide scientific support for the ongoing eruption at La Soufrière volcano. Led by Vincentian Geologist Prof. Richard Robertson, team spent most of today Friday, January I re-inspecting and upgrading all the seismic sites. A new GPS station was also installed at Georgetown. This new station will be able to detect signals from the volcano. Over the next few days work will focus on upgrading and installing other monitoring sites.

3. No aerial reconnaissance was done today as a result of the high wind advisory currently in effect for St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

4. The National Emergency Management Organisation is reminding the public that no evacuation order or notice has been issued.

5. NEMO is also appealing to the public to desist from visiting the La Soufriere Volcano until the scientists advise that it is safe to do so.

6. NEMO will continue to provide regular updates on all activities taking place at La Soufriere.

END

Statement on Nabarima

October 16, 2020: The United States remains concerned by the potential risk to safety and environment posed by the Venezuelan-flagged vessel, Nabarima, in the Gulf of Paria. We strongly support immediate actions to bring the Nabarima up to international safety standards and avoid possible environmental harm, which could negatively impact not only the Venezuelan people but also those in nearby countries. PdVSA has a responsibility to take action to avoid an environmental disaster in Venezuelan waters.

As a general matter, the United States’ Venezuela sanctions program is not designed to target activities addressing safety, environmental, or humanitarian concerns. These activities to avert an ecological disaster are consistent with U.S. policy to support the Venezuelan people and avoid further harm to the environment.

Since learning of reports that there had been tilting of the Venezuelan oil storage vessel the FSO Nabarima, the Government of Trinidad and Tobago has engaged in consistent action in the best interest of our citizens. There was swift communication of our concerns to the Government of Venezuela on behalf of our people and our environment.

Since those initial reports the Government of Trinidad and Tobago has consistently utilized all available channels to press for verification of the status of the vessel in question. The Ministry of Foreign and CARICOM Affairs, the Ministry of Energy and Energy Industries, and the Ministry of National Security have all been actively working on solutions to the Nabarima issue.

The Venezuelan Government has indicated that the vessel was indeed tilting some time ago, but emphasized that they had conducted initial stabilization works on the Nabarima and that it is no longer in any danger.

The Government of Trinidad and Tobago then immediately sought actual verification of this. Our Government has engaged via repeated and consistent communication, including multiple Notes Verbale sent to Venezuela on the matter, with persistent efforts to achieve access to the vessel in order to make our own determinations.

The Venezuelan Government then agreed to permit a team of our Experts to cross the border and assess the Nabarima, but subsequently shifted from an initial position that this could be done by the end of September to their current position that the inspection team would receive permission to visit on 20th October.

Without such permission, our officers cannot cross the border and approach or access any Venezuelan asset.

​On 15th October the Venezuelan Ambassador categorically described a new photograph being locally circulated on social media, which purports to represent severe tilting of the Nabarima in October, as total propaganda. He has claimed that the photograph was actually taken over one month ago before the stabilization work was done on the vessel, and that it is now being held up as a current photo in an effort to mislead.

The Government of Trinidad and Tobago has once again reiterated its concerns and maintains its request to be permitted to access and inspect the vessel for ourselves as soon as possible.

During the intervening period the Government of Trinidad and Tobago has pursued the matter responsibly and has used all available channels to verify the truth of the situation and to achieve access. We have held related discussions with the Ambassador of Venezuela to Port of Spain, with the Venezuelan Minister of Foreign Affairs and with other Senior Venezuelan Officials, with the Trinidad and Tobago Ambassador to Caracas, with the Ambassador of the United States of America to Port of Spain, and with our local energy, health and national security officials.

Our Government maintains its concerns about the threat to the environment and continues to seek the best for our people in this matter. Our expert inspection team is ready to proceed and we continue to press for access to the FSO Nabarima as soon as possible.