Fiesta Hotels ­ good corporate citizen?

Claudia Gardner, Hospitality Jamaica Writer

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."