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Gov't announces major tourism project for south coast
To revisit plan for causeway linking downtown Kingston/airport
INGRID BROWN, Observer staff reporter browni@jamaicaobserver.com
Thursday, February 21, 2008
GOVERNMENT intends to establish a tourist resort development in Luana, St Elizabeth following a decision by Cabinet on Monday to terminate the contract of an oil refinery company which had been given the go ahead by the previous administration to explore for oil.
Prime Minister Bruce Golding, who made the announcement at the inaugural Tourism Outlook Seminar at the Hilton Kingston Hotel yesterday, said he has since indicated to Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett that the property is now available for development.
"I have never been on that property until shortly after election and I was amazed at its potential for resort development and what a wonderful addition it could make to South Coast tourism," Golding said.
In the meantime, the prime minister, who revisited the age-old talks of developing Port Royal into a cruise ship port for some time, said representatives from the Carnival Cruise line last week visited the area and were impressed about the prospects. "They spent an entire afternoon out at Port Royal...and they are excited about it," he said.
Also, he said there are plans to de-silt the six acres of the 'Sunken City' so that persons on glass bottom boats could see Port Royal,
In order to kick start that project, Golding said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has just acquired the Old Myrtle Bank Hotel site in downtown from the Urban Development Corporation (UDC), where their new home will be.
Golding said in every major city in the world foreign embassies like to be close to the foreign ministry.
"We have already spoken to a number of missions here and those who are renting buildings have indicated that if we can make the land available to them they would be prepared to put up their embassies in downtown, Kingston," the prime minister said.
The government, said the prime minister, would be putting great emphasis on ensuring that Jamaica has the quality and variety of attractions to match the variety and quality of accommodations being offered.
"We decided that the same kind of excitement and enthusiasm that we put into building a hotel and seeking to attract investors to put up hotels, we want to put that same energy in attracting investors to put up the things that the persons who come to the hotels will want to do," the prime minister said.
Golding also announced that government would be revisiting plans drafted 30 years ago for a causeway across the harbour to link the Norman Manley International Airport to downtown Kingston.
"That project was never activated and I have instructed Minister (Mike) Henry to find the design, open it up and have it reviewed and we are already talking to a potential investor about developing that causeway.
The prime minister, however, said that the causeway would have to be tolled as it would be the only way it could be paid for.
To revisit plan for causeway linking downtown Kingston/airport
INGRID BROWN, Observer staff reporter browni@jamaicaobserver.com
Thursday, February 21, 2008
GOVERNMENT intends to establish a tourist resort development in Luana, St Elizabeth following a decision by Cabinet on Monday to terminate the contract of an oil refinery company which had been given the go ahead by the previous administration to explore for oil.
Prime Minister Bruce Golding, who made the announcement at the inaugural Tourism Outlook Seminar at the Hilton Kingston Hotel yesterday, said he has since indicated to Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett that the property is now available for development.
"I have never been on that property until shortly after election and I was amazed at its potential for resort development and what a wonderful addition it could make to South Coast tourism," Golding said.
In the meantime, the prime minister, who revisited the age-old talks of developing Port Royal into a cruise ship port for some time, said representatives from the Carnival Cruise line last week visited the area and were impressed about the prospects. "They spent an entire afternoon out at Port Royal...and they are excited about it," he said.
Also, he said there are plans to de-silt the six acres of the 'Sunken City' so that persons on glass bottom boats could see Port Royal,
In order to kick start that project, Golding said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has just acquired the Old Myrtle Bank Hotel site in downtown from the Urban Development Corporation (UDC), where their new home will be.
Golding said in every major city in the world foreign embassies like to be close to the foreign ministry.
"We have already spoken to a number of missions here and those who are renting buildings have indicated that if we can make the land available to them they would be prepared to put up their embassies in downtown, Kingston," the prime minister said.
The government, said the prime minister, would be putting great emphasis on ensuring that Jamaica has the quality and variety of attractions to match the variety and quality of accommodations being offered.
"We decided that the same kind of excitement and enthusiasm that we put into building a hotel and seeking to attract investors to put up hotels, we want to put that same energy in attracting investors to put up the things that the persons who come to the hotels will want to do," the prime minister said.
Golding also announced that government would be revisiting plans drafted 30 years ago for a causeway across the harbour to link the Norman Manley International Airport to downtown Kingston.
"That project was never activated and I have instructed Minister (Mike) Henry to find the design, open it up and have it reviewed and we are already talking to a potential investor about developing that causeway.
The prime minister, however, said that the causeway would have to be tolled as it would be the only way it could be paid for.
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