Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett (left) is given a tour of the construction site of the new 2000-room Princess Resort Jamaica by Chairman and owner of Princess Hotels and Resorts, Robert Cabrera.
Jamaica: Both the Hanover parish capital, Lucea, and the popular resort of Negril are being earmarked for major development to enhance them as tourist towns.
With key hotel developments currently underway east and west of Lucea, Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett says much is in store that will make this area rival other existing resorts.
Construction is underway on the 950-room expansion of Grand Palladium Resorts as well as the new 2000-room Princess Jamaica Resort. Also, work is expected to commence shortly on construction of the Viva Wyndham Resort in Hanover.
Further details on these developments will be known when Minister Bartlett makes his Sectoral Presentation in Parliament on April 18. Meanwhile, he has also signalled that one of Lucea’s historical treasures, Fort Charlotte, is to receive attention and play an important role in marine life in the west.
On Thursday (March 23), Minister Bartlett, accompanied by Permanent Secretary Jennifer Griffith, Senior Advisor and Strategist Delano Seiveright and other senior personnel from the Ministry, toured the two hotels and the old fort from which an aged canon seemingly stands guard over the town.
The two-day tour of tourism entities and attractions in Hanover and Westmoreland is part of an island wide destination assurance drive to ensure that Jamaica delivers on its brand promise to visitors, which assures an authentic, safe, and seamless experience that is respectful towards the community and the environment.
Minister Bartlett echoed announcements made by Prime Minister Andrew Holness in his budget presentation, noting that “Negril is one of our premier tourist destinations and in need of a major injection of resource support to realize its full potential. Within the upcoming fiscal year, the Government will present a comprehensive development plan which will include an international airport, a public beach park, a craft village and, with the help of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), a restored Royal Palm Reserve.”
As a fast-growing town, Negril is without any major commercial, industrial or civic complexes and “the Prime Minister has tasked the Factories Corporation of Jamaica (FCJ) with developing an urban centre for the resort town like that of Morant Bay. Land strategically located in the centre of the town has been identified and consultations started with the relevant stakeholders regarding its use. Soon Negril will be the jewel of Jamaica and the Caribbean,” added the tourism minister.
Additional infrastructure developments that will benefit Negril tremendously are the recently announced bypass road arrangements from Hopewell and Lucea, which will ease traffic congestion and make for faster travel time, as well as significant upgrades to the water and sewage systems. These major projects will start this financial year.
