Tourism Minister Pleased with Refurbished Devonshire Property

Minister of Tourism, Entertainment and Culture, Aloun Assamba has expressed satisfaction with the newly renovated and refurbished Devonshire property located at Devon House.
“I am very pleased to see the transformation of this space the re-opening of the Devonshire is a wonderful thing,” Mrs. Assamba said on (July 3) at the re-opening and dedication ceremony.
“It is a refreshing addition to our list of venues, particularly because Devon House is a Jamaican tradition; it’s unparalleled. With the kind of atmosphere that it offers, this place can be branded the modern triple treat,” she added.
The $10 million refurbishing project, which was undertaken over a five-month period, included the repainting of the building, changing of doors, replacement of the flooring and the ceiling, and putting in air conditioning and telephone lines. Work was also carried out on the garden, with the waterfalls and waterway installed.
The newly renovated property is now a multi-purpose facility located in a very central and relaxing garden environment. With three rooms – Lindo, Melhado and Stiebel – the Devonshire and is a perfect venue for dinner parties, weddings, reception and seminars.
Mrs. Assamba further noted that the need for venues in the corporate area has quadrupled over the last 10 years and as such, the Devonshire is expected to fill this growing demand.
“People are looking for conference rooms and the rooms in our major hotels are insufficient.and sometimes you want something that is not a hotel, sometimes you get a little tired of being in the hotel,” she pointed out.
“This Devon House is a historic and prestigious property and it is also geographically positioned to thrive from the growing need for corporate meetings and social engagement venues,” Mrs. Assamba continued. In the meantime, Executive Director of Devon House Development Limited, Carole Fullerton urged Jamaicans to help to preserve the property.
“The Devonshire is part of our heritage and we have to ensure that the place looks good. I just want us all as Jamaicans to maintain the property; it is a beautiful piece of property in the heart of Kingston and I hope that as Jamaicans we can appreciate that,” she stated.
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Jennifer Griffiths, also expressed pleasure about the work done and commended the members of the board of Devon House for their vision in re-creating the property.