Good Housing move

[Assasin]

I hope the money goes to Jamaican contractors. Lazie you see what I have been preaching all along? Hotel sector can play a greater role.

MOU signed for tourism workers’ houses
Wednesday, 31 December 2008 A Memorandum of Understanding has been signed between the Ministry of Housing and Rose Hall Developments for the construction of houses for tourism workers.

They will be built on 100 acres of land.

The MOU was signed Tuesday by Housing Minister Dr. Horace Chang and the Head of Rose Hall Developments Michelle Rollins.

Dr. Chang said the move is of major significance as tourism workers are in need of housing in close proximity to the tourism belt.

He said some of the land earmarked for development is already occupied by squatters and the Ministry will be formalising the tenancy of those persons.

Mrs. Rollins said proper housing for hotel
workers was always a dream of her late husband John Rollins.

The lands are slated for development early next year.

[Lazie]

I don't buy into it. Hoteliers are in the hotel business, not home delivery.

[Historian]

I don't buy into it. Hoteliers are in the hotel business, not home delivery.

I have to agree with you on this one, Lazie.

Sentimental socialist-type policies would make this a popular move. Also, hotel workers need homes. However, as you correctly stated, the hotels should focus on the hotel business! Are we expect every other business enterprise now to start providing homes for their workers?

[Assasin]

No. that is not the case.
What use to happen is some of these hotel had quarters or gave free room to essential staff.

It is good for any company to make sure their workers get food clothing and shelter.

What the hotelier have to do is put up the money to build the houses, form cooperative and subsidaries to deal with this and make it possible. There is a gurantee profit on this as the money has to be paid or else the worker get evicted and lose their jobs.

This will result in hotels getting the best possible workers for their vacant jobs. I remember when I got a job at halfmoon there was absolutely no place in mobay to live despite I was willing to pay a decent price for a room or house.

This is not about socialism, but about venture capitalism. There is the need for housing for Jamaican middle class workers in tourism. These people have no form of owership, and many will resort to squatting if they can. I can remember people working in hotels in mobay was buying "squatters land" from don because they couldn't buy anything legal.

Now this is an orderly program and the hotel itself don't have to provide day to day management. Hotels in Jamaica have farms, and other venture. I think it is a win-win for the hotelier, the government and the workers.
What we must talk about is these people are contributing to government NHT and will never be able to draw down enough money to buy a brick, that is socialism.

[Assasin]

This is how you transform a ghetto. Good move.

Housing solutions for tourism workers
700 families to benefit from Rose Hall Developments land donation
BY KERIL WRIGHT Observer staff reporter kerilw@jamaicaobserver.com
Thursday, January 01, 2009


Montego Bay, St James - Water and Housing Minister Dr Horace Chang on Tuesday signed an agreement with Rose Hall Developments Limited to provide housing solutions for tourism workers on 93 acres of land in Rose Hall, St James.
The land, which is valued at US$1 million, was donated by Michelle Rollins of Rose Hall Development. It is located within the Rhyne Park South area, adjacent to the new Rose Vale housing development and will provide much-needed housing for some 700 families.
Michelle Rollins of Rose Hall Developments Limited laughs as Minister of Water and Housing Dr Horace Chang signs the joint-venture agreement to build housing solutions for tourism workers on 93 acres of land donated by Rollins in the Rose Hall area in St James Tuesday. (Photo: Keril Wright)
"This joint venture to provide quality housing for workers in the industry, especially those associated with the Rose Hall developments, is of significance, major significance," said an enthused Chang Tuesday prior to signing the multi-million dollar agreement.
He said the project, which in commercial terms represented a $2-billion development, but would cost significantly less due to the nature of it, would begin later this year following the surveying and design process, expected to last some four months.
"It's a massive project," Chang said. "You can get up to 600 solutions, maybe more, in mixed solutions of lots and two-bedroom units." He said the housing units would be made available to all categories of tourism workers, from young professionals just entering the industry to middle managers and supervisors, and that priority would be given to workers employed to Rose Hall Developments properties.
Additionally, he said the housing arrangements of some 60 families already living on the property would be formalised within the larger development.
Michelle Rollins, who along with her husband John have been described as the driving force behind the many hotel developments in the Rose Hall area (recently named the Elegant Corridor), including the prestigious Ritz Carlton hotel, the Rose Hall Resort and Country Club (Hilton), Iberostar and Holiday Inn, said it was her husband's dream to incorporate tourism workers into the Rose Hall community.
"It is part of what we have always dreamed for Rose Hall, to combine tourism with a higher standard of living for the people who provide that tourism to visitors," she told reporters Tuesday. "We all know that tourism can't exist without the people and so Jamaicans are a part of our tourism, be it the most vital part of that," she declared.
Chang, in the meanwhile, lauded the move and said he hoped it would set an example that would be emulated elsewhere. He said the provision of affordable housing for tourism workers on the north coast would certainly be a deterrent to the expansion of informal settlements that had become a scourge in the region.
"The failure to provide an affordable level of housing for workers on the north coast has contributed significantly to the development of informal settlements and I hope that the Rose Hall example becomes the norm for others in a short while," he emphasised.
This development, he said, would form part of a greater move by the Government, come next year, to provide housing solutions on the north coast to reduce squatting in that area.
"The Government has the intention of moving aggressively in the new year to provide housing on the north coast for we are not going to stop people from squatting by force. You have to provide affordable housing solutions," he said, adding that this would take in the parishes of St Ann, Trelawny and St James.

[Don1]

I don't buy into it. Hoteliers are in the hotel business, not home delivery.

The article does not indicate that Rollins is building houses.... only that they are donating land (that was largely donated to them by Patterson) for the GOJ to develop.

Nothing wrong with that at all. It will take cooperation from all sectors to move the country forward.

[Don1]

I have to agree with you on this one, Lazie.

Sentimental socialist-type policies would make this a popular move. Also, hotel workers need homes. However, as you correctly stated, the hotels should focus on the hotel business! Are we expect every other business enterprise now to start providing homes for their workers?

It takes a village......

[Hortical]

This is an excellent move! Working to provide housing for their workers is extraordinary in providing humane living conditions!

[Hortical]

I see nothing wrong in helping to assist those living in zince fence jungles.

[Hortical]

Historian you are mistaken. There is no assumption every business can, or should provide housing for their workers. Any company that seeks to assist their employees to live in a safe, clean environment should be commended.

[Assasin]

It provide
better security
ownership
paying owners who get them NHT benefits.
Good relationship for the company
Workers who are even more dedicated
planned developement

Way to go.