The future of one of Trinidad and Tobago’s most prominent hospitality venues, the Hilton Trinidad and Conference Centre in Port of Spain, hangs in the balance as operator Hilton International Trinidad Ltd warns it will cease operations and lay off all 250+ employees on September 18, 2026, if a new long-term lease is not finalized with the state-owned landlord, Evolving Technologies and Enterprise Development Company Ltd (eTecK).
In an August 4 letter addressed to staff and copied to Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, top government ministers, and eTecK leadership, the hotel outlined the current status of months-long negotiations to extend its expiring operating agreement. While the company confirmed that productive discussions have advanced key terms, no binding final deal has been signed to date.
“For several months, we have collaborated with eTecK and the national government to lock in a long-term operating plan for the hotel, and we have made meaningful progress,” the letter read. “At this stage, however, a final agreement remains out of reach. Without that deal, Hilton cannot continue operating the property beyond September 18, and will be unable to retain our workforce after that date.”
Under the terms of the existing lease, eTecK is contractually obligated to take over all employment responsibilities and related obligations once the agreement expires. Hilton’s leadership noted that it operates under the assumption the state agency will fulfill this requirement, but cannot guarantee eTecK’s next steps. If eTecK declines or is unable to keep the hotel running after the lease ends, the property could shut its doors permanently, the letter warned. Alongside the update, Hilton enclosed preliminary severance payment estimates for all employees in the event of full layoffs, while confirming that staff will remain on the job receiving regular pay up to the lease expiration date unless formally notified otherwise. The company added that both Hilton and eTecK will issue a formal update on the new agreement before September 18, and eTecK will directly coordinate with staff and the union on transition planning if no deal is reached.
The warning has triggered immediate concern from the Communication Workers’ Union (CWU), the recognized bargaining body for Hilton Trinidad staff, which is pushing for urgent clarity on the property’s future and workers’ job security. CWU Secretary General Joanne Ogeer told local outlet the Express that the union suspects broader changes are underway, following an initial briefing with hotel management. She claimed the union received information from a government source confirming the hotel is up for sale, and warned that potential layoffs would add more than 250 workers to Trinidad’s already growing unemployment rolls, which have already topped 6,000 jobless workers.
The CWU has raised formal legal questions about the notice Hilton issued to staff, arguing it fails to meet statutory requirements under Trinidad’s Retrenchment and Severance Benefits Act. Ogeer pointed out that the notice does not confirm whether layoffs will actually occur, fails to confirm that eTecK has formally agreed to take over employment obligations, and lacks evidence of required pre-notice consultations with the union or any outlined plans to avoid or minimize retrenchment. The union is also seeking clarity on whether workers would retain their accrued service time, paid leave, gratuities, existing wages, benefits, and collective bargaining rights if eTecK takes over operations.
Ogeer emphasized that prolonged uncertainty has fueled widespread anxiety among the workforce, with diverse personal circumstances shaping workers’ outlooks: many younger staff with mortgages and children in school rely on steady employment, while some longer-tenured workers are open to accepting a severance package. She added that the union has repeatedly called for full transparency from both hotel management and the national government, but has not received a formal response to its inquiries. The CWU stands ready to negotiate on behalf of all workers, whether they wish to retain their jobs or pursue exit terms, Ogeer said, urging the government to open formal discussions with the union and eTecK to confirm whether the property is indeed being listed for sale.
In a formal public statement released the same day, eTecK pushed back against fears of imminent permanent closure, confirming that lease negotiations with Hilton are in their final stages and reaffirming the government’s commitment to securing a sustainable long-term operating arrangement for the hotel. The agency noted that the current ongoing transaction was inherited by its new board and management after the original operating lease expired in 2023, and stressed that talks remain active and constructive. eTecK also reaffirmed that no decision to permanently close the hotel has been made by either the agency or the government, and noted that all Hilton Trinidad employees remain on Hilton’s payroll, with the company fully responsible for all current employment obligations.
The Express reached out to Land and Legal Affairs Minister Saddam Hosein for comment on the dispute, but did not receive an immediate response by press time.