 The June 10–11, 1998 round of negotiations in Barbados formed the basis for Prime Minister Mitchell’s public statement on this matter a year later.“…I wish to warn that my government fully understands that should we ever entertain or engage or permit commercial activity in Tobago Cays we are creating opportunity for the original owners to re-open their claim for US $6.5 million plus interest accruing from today…”(James Mitchell, April 12, 1999).Local stakeholders clearly viewed Palm Island’s control of the Tobago Cays not to be in the interests of the local communities.