Senior Reporter
andrea.perez-sobers@guardian.co.tt
More than 300 workers at the Hilton Trinidad & Conference Centre are facing an uncertain future after Hilton International Trinidad Limited warned it could stop operating the landmark hotel on September 18 if a new agreement with State-owned Evolving TecKnologies and Enterprise Development Company Limited (eTeCK) is not finalised.
But eTecK insisted yesterday that no decision has been taken by either the company or the Government to permanently discontinue the hotel’s operations.
In a letter sent yesterday to Communications Workers’ Union (CWU) Secretary General Joanne Ogeer, Hilton General Manager Olivier Maumaire formally notified the union that the company’s lease expires on September 18.
“Without a replacement agreement, Hilton will not continue to operate the Hotel beyond that date,” Maumaire wrote.
Hilton said it has spent months negotiating with eTecK and the Government in an effort to secure a long-term arrangement and insisted discussions had made “excellent progress.” However, it acknowledged no final agreement has been reached.
The company warned that failure to conclude negotiations would have immediate consequences for its workforce.
“Without a final agreement with eTecK, Hilton will be unable to operate the Hotel beyond September 18, 2026. This means that Hilton will not be able to continue employing the Hotel personnel after that date.”
Maumaire explained that under the lease, eTecK is required to assume all employment obligations once the agreement expires.
“It is Hilton’s understanding that eTeCK will assume responsibility for all Team Members’ employment and all related obligations after September 18.”
Even so, Hilton admitted it has no certainty over what eTecK intends to do.
“However, we cannot say with certainty what eTecK will do. If eTecK is unable or unwilling to continue operations of the Hotel following the expiration of the Lease, then the Hotel may close following the expiration of the Lease on September 18.”
The letter also advised that if negotiations fail, eTecK would be expected to communicate directly with employees and the union regarding transition arrangements and future employment matters.
In a statement issued yesterday, eTecK said negotiations with Hilton remain active.
It said the negotiations relate to a transaction inherited by the current board and management after the original lease arrangement expired in 2023.
eTecK also stressed that Hilton remains the employer of the hotel’s workers.
“For clarity, all persons employed at the Hilton Trinidad & Conference Centre are employees of Hilton International Trinidad Limited and not eTecK. Hilton therefore remains responsible for fulfilling its current employment obligations.”
The State company also sought to reassure employees and the public that the hotel’s future has not yet been decided.
“Negotiations remain active and constructive, and no decision has been taken by eTecK or the Government to permanently discontinue the operation of the Hilton Trinidad & Conference Centre.”
Union demands answers
The CWU responded swiftly, saying Hilton’s letter had generated widespread concern among employees who have spent years, and in many cases decades, working at the hotel.
In a response shared with Guardian Media, Ogeer said the uncertainty had created “considerable anxiety” among workers.
“Workers are entitled to certainty, transparency and compliance with the law rather than speculation regarding their future,” she said.
The union questioned whether Hilton’s correspondence meets the legal requirements of the Retrenchment and Severance Benefits Act.
“The Union’s preliminary position is that the letter does not satisfy the statutory requirements of a retrenchment notice.
“The Company therefore has not identified whether retrenchment will in fact occur, no consultation process appears to have commenced prior to the issuance of the notice and employees have not been informed of measures being explored to avoid retrenchment or minimise its effects.”
The union also challenged Hilton’s position that eTecK would assume responsibility for employees after September 18.
It is seeking clarification on whether there will be a transfer of the undertaking, whether continuity of employment will be preserved, whether employees will retain their years of service and accrued benefits, whether collective bargaining rights will continue uninterrupted and whether eTecK has legally accepted those obligations.
“Without answers to these questions, employees remain in an unacceptable state of uncertainty,” Ogeer said.
The union also cautioned that the estimated severance calculations attached to Hilton’s letter should not be interpreted as an acceptance that severance is either inevitable or legally payable.
Employees were also provided with individual estimates of their severance entitlement should that situation arise. Maumaire acknowledged the uncertainty facing staff, telling employees, “We understand how this uncertainty can feel unsettling, and we remain committed to keeping you informed as we learn more.”
Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, whose office was copied on Hilton’s correspondence, declined to comment on the negotiations.
“Hilton International Trinidad Limited runs their operations how they see fit. I can’t dictate their business operations,” she told Guardian Media via WhatsApp.
“I don’t wish to comment on ongoing business discussions between eTecK and Hilton. You can speak to the line minister for more information.”
Land and Legal Affairs Minister Saddam Hosein did not respond to questions from Guardian Media yesterday but forwarded a statement issued by eTecK.
Just two months ago, Hosein told Guardian Media the Government was negotiating with Hilton “in good faith” after inheriting what he described as a problematic relationship left by the former People’s National Movement administration.
Negotiations began over what Hilton had described as delayed essential capital works and multi-hundred-thousand-dollar facility upgrades required to meet international standards.
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