Fiesta Hotels good corporate
citizen?
Claudia Gardner, Hospitality Jamaica Writer
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CLAUDIA GARDNER/STAFF
PHOTOGRAPHER
The cool and calm Busta Square. |
PRESIDENT OF the Hanover Chamber of Commerce (HCoC), Anthony
Marks, is upbeat about the interest Spanish Hotel developers, Fiesta
Resorts, have expressed in participating in social development projects
for the parish.
"They (Fiesta) have indicated from day one, that they want
to be a part of the Lucea and Hanover landscape, which surprises
me, because sometimes we have investors who use that when there
is a problem way down the line and they want to integrate,"
Mr. Marks said.
"They (Fiesta) want to see how best they can interact and
interrelate and make things happen."
SIGNATURE PALLADIUM HOTELS
Fiesta Resorts is to construct one of its signature Palladium Hotels
on 200 acres of land at Point Estate in Hanover. The Environmental
Impact Assessment (EIA) for the 1800-room five-star resort is to
be presented in Lucea this Friday (February 24) and ground-breaking
is slated for mid-March.
The hotel is expected to have seven restaurants, an entertainment
centre, a disco, a convention centre, a smoking bar and a commercial
gallery in addition to 6,000 square metre fitness centre.
"They have come to Lucea and they are actively saying they
want to become good corporate citizens from day one, which is a
welcome sign," Mr. Marks stated, adding that the group has
also indicated a willingness to facilitate training of hospitality
workers.
"I also recommended that they become members of the chamber
and they are excited and were actually ready to pay their membership
fees."
FIRST PREFERENCE
The chamber president said he had already indicated to the group
that because of the parish's unemployment problem, there was a need
for skilled artisans and craftsmen in the area to get "first
preference in terms of jobs".
"We indicated to them that we would like to ensure that some
of the workers and contractors (on the project) are out of Hanover,
because many times there is no guarantee that the subcontractors
are from the parish.
So, the Fiesta operations manager indicated he is willing to work
with us on that side of it. We have to go on a serious drive as
many of our workmen are not certified," he added.
"There is a need for training to take place to ensure that
those workers who will be a part of the workforce after the construction
are ready. The hotel is going to be built over a two-year period
so there is ample time in which this training can take place to
really fit people for the jobs."
Last August, Minister of Development Dr. Paul Robertson, while
speaking at the Hanover Homecoming Foundation's Annual Awards Dinner,
indicated that the impact of the hotel would be immediately felt
by the jobs it will provide during the construction phase.
OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE
He said at the time that there would be opportunities for local
entities to supply goods and services, during the construction phase.
The Government also said that upon completion of the hotel, at
least 3000 direct jobs will be created for the residents of the
parish to work in the hotel as managers, supervisors, entertainment
coordinators, sports coordinators, housekeepers, chefs, cooks and
tour guides.
Dr. Robertson also said there would also be indirect jobs for local
farmers, taxi and tour bus operators, and personal care and personal
service providers.
Fiesta Hotels and Resorts are based in Ibiza, Spain, and own 40
luxury hotels worldwide. In the 1990s the group expanded to the
Caribbean where they opened luxury hotels in Playo Bovario, as well
as another in Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic.
"They have come to Lucea and they are actively saying they
want to become good corporate citizens from day one, which is a
welcome sign."
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