Ground to be Broken for $1.75 Billion Hotel in Kingston

Ground will be broken for the construction of a new $1.75 billion Courtyard Marriott Hotel in New Kingston later this week.

Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Portia Simpson Miller, announced that the groundbreaking will take place on Thursday July 25, as she addressed the closing Gala Banquet and Presentation Ceremony of the National Association of Jamaican and Supportive Organizations’ (NAJASO) 36^th Annual Convention, at the Secrets Wild Orchid Hotel in Montego Bay, on July 20.

She also informed of other large scale investment projects, which she says shows positive signs of growing investor confidence in the country’s economy, such as the Riu Palace Hotel in Montego Bay which is currently under construction at a cost of over $3 billion; and a major commercial development project for downtown Kingston that is “on the horizon”.

At the same time, the Prime Minister noted that work is progressing on strengthening the linkages between hotel construction and local manufacturers, as well as with local farmers in respect of food supplies for the hotels.

She added that while the private sector was proceeding with commercial investments, the government, through its agencies, was moving ahead with housing solutions for middle income and public sector workers, as well as for those contributors at the lower rung of the income ladder.

She pointed out that these activities are important in moving the country towards goals of economic growth and national development.

“I have likened our current Economic Reform Programme to working out our business plan. I speak of creating a profitable enterprise for all our citizens. I always speak of the importance of ‘balancing the books while balancing people’s lives.’  This requires, among other things, placing emphasis on poverty alleviation and eventual poverty eradication,” the Prime Minister said.

She emphasized that poverty reduction and eventual elimination had to be a central plank of the country’s policy if it wanted to achieve growth and development.

“I believe in the Jamaican people.  I know we are a tough and tenacious people. …There is much we can accomplish if we apply our collective energy; our best ideas; our creativity as well as our capacity for hard work to driving the development agenda,” Mrs. Simpson Miller said.