Ungqongqoshe Wezokuvakasha, uMhlonishwa. U-Edmund Bartlett udalule ukuthi umkhakha wezokuvakasha eJamaica uthole umfutho omkhulu ngesonto eledlule ngesimemezelo sokuthi imali elinganiselwa ku-US$250 million izotshalwa kulo mkhakha ukuze kuthuthukiswe amahhotela ngaphansi kwemiklamo emithathu emikhulu yokuthuthukisa ezokuvakasha.
Ekhuluma emcimbini wokwethulwa kwabezindaba kohlelo olwandisiwe lwe-Spruce Up Jamaica e-Devon House yomlando muva nje, uNgqongqoshe uthe, “isonto lesithathu likaJanuwari belinamandla kakhulu embonini yezokuvakasha yase-Jamaica esikhathini eside. Leli iqoqo elikhulu kunawo wonke lokutshalwa kwezimali esilimemezele esikhathini esingangesonto, njengoba kuhlangene kubiza cishe ama-US$250 wezigidi. Amathuba emisebenzi anqwabelene kulokhu abalulekile njengoba kudaleka imisebenzi ecela ku-5,000.”
Ngesonto eledlule, ngenkathi eseSpain, uNgqongqoshe uBartlett usayine isivumelwano nabamele i-Excellence Group of Luxury Hotels and Resorts sokwakha amahhotela amabili e-Oyster Bay, e-Trelawny, okuzokwengeza amakamelo angaphezu kuka-700 esitokisini samagumbi esiqhingi. Ihhotela lokuqala, elizovulwa engxenyeni yokuqala ka-2018, lizokwakhiwa ngezindleko zamaRandi ayizigidi ezingu-110. Lo msebenzi kulindeleke ukuthi ukhiqize imisebenzi emisha engaba ngu-2,000 ezigabeni zokwakha nezokusebenza.
Kuphinde kwaphulwa inkundla ngesonto eledlule ukwakhiwa kwehhotela i-AC eKingston, ubudlelwano phakathi kweSandals Resorts International, iMarriot International kanye ne-ATL Automotive, enenani elilinganiselwa ezigidini ezingama-US$50.
Lokhu kuqhamuke nesizinda sesimemezelo sakamuva sokuthi imali elinganiselwa ku-US$100 Million izotshalwa yiSandals Resorts International ukuthuthukisa iDragon Bay Hotel ePortland.
UNgqongqoshe uBartlett uthe “maduze sizoba namahhotela amane engeziwe. Amabili eTrelawny. Eyodwa eKingston nenye isePort Antonio. Amathuba omsebenzi anqwabelene acishe abe ngu-5,000. Lokho kungama-2,000 asuka e-Trelawny, ngokwakha bese kuba yimisebenzi engu-600 yanomphela ngemva kwalokho. Okunye okungaphezulu kwenkulungwane okuvela e-Port Antonio ngemisebenzi engu-800 ngenxa yohlobo lwehhotela i-Dragon Bay ezoba yilo. Ngakho isilinganiso segumbi nesisebenzi siphezulu. Khona-ke ihhotela lasedolobheni. "
Egcizelela ukuthi ukutshalwa kwezimali kulo mkhakha kusezingeni eliphezulu wengeza ngokuthi “sizoba nolaka nakakhulu ngoba sizobheka wonke amathuba ukuze sisebenzise isikhundla se-Jamaica samasu kule ndawo yokutshalwa kwezimali nokukhula. Imizamo yethu kuze kube manje ithela izithelo ezinhle futhi nginethemba lokuthi nakulo nyaka sizoqopha abafika abayizigidi ezine.”
LOKHO ONGAKUTHATHE KULESI SIHLOKO:
- Stressing that investment in the sector is at an all time high he added that “we are going to be even more aggressive because we are going to look for every opportunity to capitalize on Jamaica's strategic position in this area of investment and growth.
- Speaking at the press launch of the expanded Spruce Up Jamaica programme at the historic Devon House recently, the Minister said, “the third week of January was the most powerful for Jamaica's tourism industry in a long time.
- Just last week, while he was in Spain, Minister Bartlett signed an agreement with representatives of the Excellence Group of Luxury Hotels and Resorts to build two hotels in Oyster Bay, Trelawny, which will add over 700 rooms to the island's room-stock.
