CuisinArt Golf Resort & Spa in Anguilla, which was considerably damaged by Hurricane Irma, is actively engaged in a thorough recovery and restoration process and has retained a significant number of its employees towards that end. This is giving the workers an opportunity to recover from the effects of the hurricane as well.
“The recovery is going extremely well,” Vice President and General Manager, Mr. Stephane Zaharia, told The Anguillian. “During the first four weeks after the storm, our concentration was on assessing the damage to the 400-acre estate and cleaning up the property. It was very important for us to start the clean-up immediately and to send a very strong message to the industry that we are committed to come back, and to come back stronger.
“We have sustained damage on different levels throughout the compound. CuisinArt Resort itself has sustained a little more damage than the rest of the estate. We carefully assessed the impact sustained and are now in the process of rebuilding and restoring. We are planning to reopen the properties in three phases:
“Phase One is reopening a few outlets such as Tokyo Bay Restaurant, Venus Spa, the Golf Course, the Club House and Breezes Restaurant at the Reef by December. Phase Two is to reopen The Reef on April 10. The Reef is very new and so we are only going to do some cosmetic changes there related mostly to landscaping. For Phase 3, we are working with our architects and designers at CuisinArt, undertaking extensive restoration work including exciting renovations to be announced shortly. We are targeting November 1, 2018 for a grand reopening of our legacy property.”
Mr. Zaharia continued: “The ownership and management have made a very firm decision that none of the staff will be let go throughout the reconstruction and reopening of the properties. As you can see, a lot of the employees are working right now on landscaping and fixing the hydroponic farm. So we are having a participatory function for all the staff – from cleaning to building and reopening. The employees are very appreciative of this commitment by the ownership and management. We are extremely proud to have everybody involved in the process of recovery and rebuilding of the properties.”
He explained that some 200 employees were working on rotation. “The staff is committed, and the ownership is also committed. That is the only way we feel we can create normalcy on the island where workers are getting their pay cheques, are able to go to the supermarkets, and to fix their homes from a well-deserved salary they have earned. It is a difficult and challenging time for everybody, and we are very proud about what we are doing.”
Mr. Zaharia was asked what was the marketplace being told about the recovery of the CuisinArt properties. “We are telling the marketplace that Irma was a very powerful storm, but she certainly has not taken us down. Actually, it is completely the opposite. She has made us stronger, working together cohesively, and we are going to reopen with a lot of new, exciting, and positive things for the market and for the destination. We are extremely proud that both properties were acknowledged amongst the Top Resorts in the Caribbean by the Conde Nast Reader’s Choice Awards, with The Reef being voted Number 1 in Anguilla.”
Meanwhile, he was delighted that the ownership of CuisinArt Golf Resort and Spa was committed to assisting the community during the shortage of water. “As soon as the storm passed, we were able to put on our generator, and our reverse osmosis plant, to assist the community, and as well as our employees, with water as was needed,” Mr. Zaharia added.
