Story Created:
Jan 5, 2012 at 11:55 PM ECT
Story Updated:
Jan 5, 2012 at 11:55 PM ECT
A pregnant bride-to-be Michelle Gregory had to be rushed from Tobago to Trinidad for medical attention on Friday after arrangements for her wedding to be held last Sunday at Canoe Bay Beach Resort were dashed.
Wedding planner and co-ordinator Sharon Alexis said the family was only told on Wednesday by officials of the Canoe Bay Beach Resort that the establishment could no longer accommodate the wedding parties since renovations were on-going. According to the wedding planner, confirmation for the wedding was received since September last year and a down payment was made by the family.
"She came up in November and they assured her that everything would be ready. We made frequent visits. We called, she kept calling every week. They assured her; yes the place would be ready on time, only to be told three days before the wedding that she would have to cancel."
Alexis expressed her disappointment over measures taken by the popular resort to address the situation. She noted that chairs and tents were rented, caterers booked and a DJ confirmed.
"The whole wedding party is coming up from Trinidad. People made bookings. We have people coming in on flights this morning and on the boat with nowhere to stay because the entire party was supposed to stay at Canoe Bay as well."
The bride-to-be who is five months pregnant had to be rushed to Trinidad to seek medical attention with the groom at her side. Medical officials were on hand at the Piarco International Airport to assist the upset bride.
The wedding has since been cancelled as the bride-to-be is hospitalized in a serious condition with particular attention being paid to the survival of her unborn child.
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Anonymous said on Sunday, Jan 15 at 3:02 PM
I agree that the people of Tobago has lost a lot of their identity. I feel as an alien in my own country,because they have become unreconisable. I have to point out that many of the negative overtones had also to do with the Tourist invasion,but can a people go back to their roots as God loving and God fearing people. I certainly hope so. In the mean while as i sink into the shame of some of the truth written by Greta, i find comfort in the fact that we have not sunk entirely into the mud.
79912718greta said on Friday, Jan 13 at 3:31 PM
Tobago has no one to blame for lack of tourist,all ways looking for a way to blame others for your own failings , you are a island of scam artists , even there you are not to swift , people stay away from this place , not safe, not nice, and poor service ,plus racial over tones, strike back ,black ball tobago, no pun intended
79835732Another view said on Thursday, Jan 12 at 11:43 PM
May I bring the following to your attention. Canoe Bay Resort was developed from sheer forest. The dirt road was made By Mr James. The beach and landscaped areas which was previously rock was made by Mr James. If some of you are jealous or unhappy with their success that is too bad. If you all have some good observations or helpful suggestions share them. The nasty comments and bad mouthing is certainly not useful. Maybe a retrospective look could be useful for all at this time.
79802183Observer (the Original) said on Thursday, Jan 12 at 11:01 PM
After Friday 6th and Sunday 8th.somebody teef my name. What so hard about inventing your own name? The Original Observer.
79800746Observer said on Thursday, Jan 12 at 7:37 PM
School boy there are staff working there at the resort for over 16 years and counting,she must be so evil for them to stay there for so long.The resort was managed and owned by them for over 26years with companies come and gone and they are still standing.So before people judge what they don't know get the facts first and then talk.
79793083school boy said on Thursday, Jan 12 at 2:19 PM
Right or Wrong and Strong and Observer are right - they need a manager at that place. But they can't cos nobody with self respec will work for Birchwood-James. She treat people BAD. I should know. She taught me 20 year back. That woman is pure evil.
79774733Anonymous said on Wednesday, Jan 11 at 8:25 PM
only in T&T can this go on and not get sued, i say them, when i read some of these comments it is no wonder why things are the way they are in Tobago no one is being held accountable for their foolish actions, i hope mother and child is doing well,again i say sue them, then the others will know how serious people are when they give them there business, people take this too lightly that is why do keep doing these things because, they know that they can get away with it.
79738879Canoe Bay said on Wednesday, Jan 11 at 7:43 PM
after a full refund was given the bride still wanted compensation for cancelling her own wedding and thus the media was called by her and told false statements .And again Canoe Bay as a venue has never cancelled a wedding in our 26 years of operation and do not wish to start now. Mgmt wishes the bride all the best in the future
79737329Canoe Bay said on Wednesday, Jan 11 at 7:08 PM
An official response from canoe bay will be in the next Tobago News,it is unfortunate that it has reached this far but the facts has to be said on the matter.At no time has canoe bay management cancelled michelle gregory wedding.furthermore,our wedding venue was never closed for renovations only our accommodation which is separate from the venue.The client was informed on friday 23rd and not wednesday 28th that our rooms not the venue would not be available and was offered alternative accommodation at another hotel which management agreed to take up full cost since the accomodation cost more,this was subsequently refused as client felt it better to cancel/postpone her wedding and thus requested compensation for her dress,dj,cake etc. for cancelling her own wedding even though the venue was still available and ready for the 1st January.This request was refused and as such a full refund was given for the accommodation ,the venue as well as flight cost and transport to and from the hotel.
79735813TOBAGO ZULU said on Wednesday, Jan 11 at 1:25 PM
the truth is that the customer was paid 10,000 for her discomfort even before she contacted the media.She could not be accomodated because the contractor who was contracted by the the T.H.A had promised her the rooms would have been ready by december had not finished them.He(contractor) had missed 2 deadlines .This has caused the Canoe Bay to lose over $40,000 in bookings.That lady in question wanted to extort more money than she got refunded for,Canoe bay paid her back ,plus put her guests in hotels that charged higher prices thanthey did and paid the difference.If she say otherwise ,there is full proof of that. There is 2 sides of a story and she had threatened the management of Canoe Bay that if she didn't get more than what she wanted (new Wedding Dress etc) she would call the media and tarnish their name. Its sad about the whole situation but tarnishing Ms Birchwood James without hearing the other side is just disgusting.As to the employee making racsist innuendoes,she was fired.
79717359G Sharpe said on Wednesday, Jan 11 at 9:50 AM
Only in my BANANA REPUBLIC could this happen and we wonder why our tourism industry is this messed up......................So sorry to you and your family.
79705807Maaaaad person said on Tuesday, Jan 10 at 3:25 PM
I hope you sue the hotel for cancelling your wedding, pain and suffering,putting your unborn child at risk,all the money you spend for even the calls you made to them, all the people who booked boat and plane trips. Take them to the cleaners I will protest in front of that hotel until I get every cent of my money back
79670882Overseas Bagonian said on Tuesday, Jan 10 at 11:51 AM
I believe every story has 2 sides. So where is the other side of the story i.e. what the owners of Canoe Bay have to say about this incident. Until then this is a she said story and it is quite ridiculous that people are ranting and raving over a story that is clearly biased since it was received by one side. Tobago news do your job and actually have accurate reporting not just some opinion article disguised as a factual story.
79658204Right or Wrong and Strong said on Tuesday, Jan 10 at 9:35 AM
Most people would not say negative comments unless they experience a different reality and care enough to voice it. Learn to appreciate and understand valuable constructive criticism. Local and foreign visitors need better service. Do unto others .......... and hire a manager.
79651612Anonymous said on Monday, Jan 9 at 7:31 PM
WOW ... this is just disheartening... nothing else to say...
79629777Leroy Nora said on Monday, Jan 9 at 2:00 PM
Unbelievable!!!!!! Owner and management should be sue for there incompetence, pain & suffering just name a few. That's ridiculous
79613436RJ said on Monday, Jan 9 at 11:54 AM
Tobagonians need to see the importance of quality service!!!!!!Their should be a backup system in place when there are cancellations like this.!!!
79606424Observer said on Monday, Jan 9 at 7:12 AM
This report seems incomplete. Were the owners/operators of Canoe Bay interviewed for this story? Ms. Williams, I would like to read the 'rest of the story'
79596381mesehsoh said on Sunday, Jan 8 at 10:38 PM
People are ridiculous,dont you know that since last year the place has been under repairs ,but you are all forgetting that rains fell and that was a great keep back also too why did the professional wedding planner not find an alternative place for the wedding,because as a planner you must have other places at your finger tips in case of an emergency or disappointment..thatis how it works.then you would get back your deposit. I do hope mama and the unborn baby are doing well also groom,....all the best to you all...
79587771Observer said on Sunday, Jan 8 at 6:58 PM
I will repeat. They really need to hire a manager for that beautiful place with dispatch. Canoe Bay has too much wasted potential. I wonder if they want to sell it ?
79581484Plain Talking Gonian said on Sunday, Jan 8 at 3:57 PM
Sue the Management of the Canoe Bay! Yes , one could find another venue at last minute but it would cost significantly more, as with any last minute arrangement. To avoid this, these people went through the hassle of booking in advance, and now to hear of this BS renovation works. That information ought to have been communicated to them well in advance, at which point a sober decision could have been made to have the event elsewhere. This, Canoe Bay Management, is NOT the type of service Tobago should deliver to its clients.
79575862Puzzling said on Sunday, Jan 8 at 6:55 AM
This is puzzling who cancelled the wedding?is canoebay the only wedding venue available for that day ?why not have the wedding elsewhere.what kind of wedding planner is that in business unexpected situations occur since she was told wednesday four days before why an alternative arrangement was not made.i reserve my judgement on this.hope all is well with the bride and child
79559159Gloria said on Sunday, Jan 8 at 1:11 AM
What is the other side of this story?
79554549againstthe Desuperman said on Saturday, Jan 7 at 6:38 PM
well no big surprise if foreigners don't buy land anymore there and not surprise also if you are loosing thousand of tourist every year ..."What goes around comes around"
79543259Againstthe Desuperman said on Saturday, Jan 7 at 6:36 PM
well no big surprise if foreigners don't buy land anymore there and not surprise also in you are loosing thousand of tourist every year ..."What goes around comes around"
79543214trinigal said on Saturday, Jan 7 at 2:04 PM
canoe bay could be great if it was run proper. we stayed a few days, but wouldnt go back. we arrived as two nice english people in the next apartment were waiting for a taxi. they had booked a week but were leaving after 2 days.they said the owner had been rude. we asked the cleaner and she laughed and said the owner could be nice if she took to you but "if you're white youre sxxxe". i was so embarassed. we shame our beautiful islands.
79534837Anonymous said on Friday, Jan 6 at 5:41 PM
dont the bride & groom know the word call sue? come on people wake up all u need is a lawyer.
79496326Tobago Mother said on Friday, Jan 6 at 5:36 PM
If Tobago is so short of Tourists,how come the tourism authorities or the tourism association could not arrange another venue for these people? Was there any help extended ? No wonder the tourists smart and avoid Tobago.
79495934Observer said on Friday, Jan 6 at 5:22 PM
There is incompetence and disinterest in the entire Tobago Tourism scenario. Tourism business needs regulation and inspection by the Tourism division. Canoe Bay needs a manager who could function independently of interferences. Owning a business does not mandate that the owners should manage it. Canoe Bay has potential and if the owners just step back and allow it to thrive , it will.
79495226get up and do something said on Friday, Jan 6 at 2:09 PM
i am suprised witheld because if the facts are known they will withdraw there story....and that what it is a story.but i guess that what people like stories,bad mouthing and good old comess.If you dont like what she was doing at thta get off the computer and do the job,no instead we just like to sit and complain and discuss matters we know nothing about and we wonder why tourism in tobago gets nowhere.
79483472Tobago/UK said on Friday, Jan 6 at 10:28 AM
My heart goes out to the couple I truly hope things go well healthwise with the pregnancy. This sort of thing is what has Tobago at the low ebb it is now; people who don't care no matter what.
79469449Dispirited said on Friday, Jan 6 at 10:17 AM
Birchwood James illustrates everything that is wrong with Tobago and demonstrates why we lost our international tourism industry. Her tenure as chairman of the THTA also demonstrates the apparent limited intellect of those running our hotels and guest houses and who appear so out of touch with reality and knowledge of the real world that they elect a chairwoman who shouldn’t be allowed within sight of a tourist, much less as chairperson of our hotel association. As the previous poster commented, Birchwood James truly showed her nature whilst ‘in power’, treating her committee as serfs and ensuring that she took advantage of every freebie going with first class travel trips to countries we could never hope to get a single tourist from. Her incompetence and dishonesty were clear to all, but despite this, she is still on the Board. Unbelievable! So, my sympathies to this young couple and may I beg my fellow hoteliers to wake up!
79468889Withheld said on Friday, Jan 6 at 9:51 AM
Nobody knew who THTA was before Carole-Ann Birchwood James came to it? True - but its no different today! This is a woman whose hotel gets dreadful reports on international travel sites. If she can't even run that properly, are you really surprised by reports like this poor wedding couple?
79467521Facts not Heresay said on Friday, Jan 6 at 8:52 AM
grim reaper it is a shame that you speak without facts and it is a shame a story can be told on lies but that is our local media and people.And its a shame that before she came to thta ,nobody knew what it was and in fact did not care or even consider them an organisation.
79464741The Grim Reaper said on Friday, Jan 6 at 8:11 AM
The owner of Canoe Bay Carol-Ann Birchwood James has won more fans again. Not only did she create mayhem when she was President of the THTA but now she is bringing disrepute to the Tobago wedding business. It is strange that Elizabeth Williams couldn't get the other side of the story. Perhaps Carol-Ann is in India, freeloading...
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