Rob Jarrett Speech – Cape Verde Foundation Event

I have spent more of my adult life in Cape Verde than any other country in the World, although The Resort Group PLC is a global company. The reason for this is the climate and the beauty of Cape Verde, the Cape Verdean people and genuinely my heart is here. I will continue the Christmas events that we have been doing now for almost a decade amongst many other charitable things such as funding and building the University of Praia and gifting that to the Republic of Cape Verde Government. Our main area of work in Cape Verde is tourism and hospitality which requires English to be spoken, which I know is not part of the educational system or the national curriculum.
I implore the Government to make English a part of the educational system and I implore those people responsible for education in Government to support that mission. The reason why English is so important is that it is the most spoken language in the World with approximately 70% of tourists that speak English and only around 5% of our tourists speak a combination of Spanish, Portuguese, creole. Given its economic value to Cape Verde, the tourism sector needs employees who are capable of communicating in English, but until Cape Verde make their decision about embracing this idea then I will still continue and commit to funding, through the Cape Verde Foundation, to projects such as the summer school for children to learn the English language.

The Resort Group PLC is the largest private investor in the history of Cape Verde. Due to the impact of Covid, we are finalizing the stabilization of our operations in Sal and moving onto finishing White Sands Resort on Santa Monica Beach in Boa Vista. We will then move onto the capital city of Praia where we will build the tallest building in the Country that is more commercially orientated, with Hilton Worldwide as a brand.
It is worthy of note to say that all of our hotel operators have a responsibility of bringing tourism to my Group, which I own 100% of, and that The Resort Group PLC has not only contributed 100% of the funds required in order to establish its investment in Cape Verde but will continue to invest for many years to come.
In addition to hotels, The Resort Group has many other companies creating even more employment for Cape Verdeans. We also have a strategy to expand on or build new companies that may not just be in Cape Verde because we are a global business based out of Gibraltar, but to embrace areas such as music coming from Cape Verdean artists and music professionals in the future. Amongst other international artists based out of Gibraltar we would like to put Cape Verde talent on a global stage, which I am sure you will hear about soon.

So in summary you have my personal commitment, as the Owner of The Resort Group PLC, that I will strive along with my colleagues, whose input is invaluable, to change Cape Verde from an emerging, somewhat unknown market, to an emerged established market.
Education is certainly big on our agenda as well as investment generally, as the children of today will determine the future of Cape Verde and through education, establish the Country as a true destination for foreign investors and foreign trade.

With all of that said, there are several people who I would like to thank and schools that I would like to mention. I will just list them one by one;
– Escola Nova
– Escola Professional – Escola Pretoria
– Escola Olavo Moniz – Escola Da Palmeira – Escola Cemem
– Escola Kimbarbosa
Thank you also to Marcia Graca, Governor of Education, Maria Joao Brito, Council of Education and Ariminda Fortes, representative of the Cape Verde Institute for Children and Adolescence for your kind attendance and of course the President of Sal, who where possible, has been helpful when we have needed him, so thank you to the President of Sal Island.

I hope that you all enjoy today’s festivities which will include a magic show, a musical, refreshments, a dance show by our gifted animation team and the presentation of gifts to all of the children in attendance. Finally, I would like to thank all of you here but also everyone in the Island of Sal and the whole Republic of Cape Verde and wish everyone Feliz Natal.
Obrigado.