Funny I have been here and did not see it as that bad.. actually a very well design hotel. the workmanship is not great but no worse than most. What dem talking about is this politics or what?
Sandals Whitehouse to be temporarily closed
By Al Edwards
Friday, July 31, 2009
Sandals Whitehouse hotel, a joint venture between the Government of Jamaica and Sandals Resorts International (SRI) is to be temporarily closed for major refurbishment and better marketing initiatives Caribbean Business Report has learnt.
The hotel, located on Jamaica's south coast, was supposed to generate a new level of activity in that part of the country but instead stands as a testimony to cost overruns in the construction phase that continue to bedevil the hotel.
Sandals Whitehouse "The hotel is an utter and complete disaster," an industry insider told Caribbean Business Report last night. "You have electricity cables hanging all over the place and in many cases having contact with water. Now, I don't have to tell you about the dangers of that to visitors. There is the distinct possibility of having to contend with several liability lawsuits if this is allowed to continue.
"Not to mention that the decor is substandard and the workmanship shoddy and the marketing efforts employed to date need to be seriously re-evaluated. The hotel needs to be shut down and someone has to go back to the drawing board and return with a better product. Sandals has a reputation as being one of the best all-inclusive hotel chains in the world, and Sandals Whitehouse does not do the brand justice. In fact, as it stands now it will hurt the company's image."
Added the industry official: "Butch Stewart has a reputation for working tirelessly to produce world-class hotels and I am sure he is not happy with this hotel."
Back in 2006 it was revealed that the hotel initially was set to come in at US$70 million but in fact incurred a construction cost overrun of US$43.3 million.
A government-commissioned forensic audit report in the same year found foul-ups and ineptitude by the Urban Development Corporation (UDC) who was a co-partner in the project. Sandals had no authority to give direction for any changes to construction and so has no responsibility for cost-overuns. A party close to the project commented: "The abuses and over-runs has cost the employees of Sandals Whitehouse millions of dollars.
Gorstew, Stewart's holding company, and Sandals eventually sued the UDC and two other developers for US$30 million which may well end up at US$100 million for breach of the terms under which Sandals leased the property, pointing out that the UDC, Ackendown Newton Development Company and the National Investment Bank of Jamaica failed to deliver the property completed and fully functioning when the hotel was opened to the public.
Another source noted: "In fact the NIBJ failed to monitor and keep the UDC accountable. Everything in the hotel was a problem from landscaping, furniture, electrical installation and the air conditioning. It was horendous abuse of taxpayers' money. "The hotel is still not completed and is not fully functioning and will be closed until it is."
Sandals Whitehouse to be temporarily closed
By Al Edwards
Friday, July 31, 2009
Sandals Whitehouse hotel, a joint venture between the Government of Jamaica and Sandals Resorts International (SRI) is to be temporarily closed for major refurbishment and better marketing initiatives Caribbean Business Report has learnt.
The hotel, located on Jamaica's south coast, was supposed to generate a new level of activity in that part of the country but instead stands as a testimony to cost overruns in the construction phase that continue to bedevil the hotel.
Sandals Whitehouse "The hotel is an utter and complete disaster," an industry insider told Caribbean Business Report last night. "You have electricity cables hanging all over the place and in many cases having contact with water. Now, I don't have to tell you about the dangers of that to visitors. There is the distinct possibility of having to contend with several liability lawsuits if this is allowed to continue.
"Not to mention that the decor is substandard and the workmanship shoddy and the marketing efforts employed to date need to be seriously re-evaluated. The hotel needs to be shut down and someone has to go back to the drawing board and return with a better product. Sandals has a reputation as being one of the best all-inclusive hotel chains in the world, and Sandals Whitehouse does not do the brand justice. In fact, as it stands now it will hurt the company's image."
Added the industry official: "Butch Stewart has a reputation for working tirelessly to produce world-class hotels and I am sure he is not happy with this hotel."
Back in 2006 it was revealed that the hotel initially was set to come in at US$70 million but in fact incurred a construction cost overrun of US$43.3 million.
A government-commissioned forensic audit report in the same year found foul-ups and ineptitude by the Urban Development Corporation (UDC) who was a co-partner in the project. Sandals had no authority to give direction for any changes to construction and so has no responsibility for cost-overuns. A party close to the project commented: "The abuses and over-runs has cost the employees of Sandals Whitehouse millions of dollars.
Gorstew, Stewart's holding company, and Sandals eventually sued the UDC and two other developers for US$30 million which may well end up at US$100 million for breach of the terms under which Sandals leased the property, pointing out that the UDC, Ackendown Newton Development Company and the National Investment Bank of Jamaica failed to deliver the property completed and fully functioning when the hotel was opened to the public.
Another source noted: "In fact the NIBJ failed to monitor and keep the UDC accountable. Everything in the hotel was a problem from landscaping, furniture, electrical installation and the air conditioning. It was horendous abuse of taxpayers' money. "The hotel is still not completed and is not fully functioning and will be closed until it is."
Comment