Jamaica’s Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett delivered a keynote address at the ground-breaking ceremony of Montego Bay Resort Development’s new $100-million Vista luxury resort complex along Montego Bay’s famous Hip Strip.
New complex will add 432 rooms to Jamaica’s hospitality sector and offer mixed resort-style living along with residential and commercial spaces.
The complex will also generate 300 new jobs and greatly contribute to increasing the value of Montego Bay’s tourism product.
The development is expected to be completed in 48 months and will be done in four phases.
Each phase will be completed separately with the primary focus currently being on phase one.
The development is a joint venture between C & H Property Development Company Limited and MoneyMasters Real Estate and Infrastructure Investment Limited.
During his keynote address at the ground-breaking ceremony, Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett said that “Montego Bay, as a city, is going to be the most significant in Latin and Central America in the next five years for sure”, considering all new developments that are projected.
“What I can say to you is that this Administration is satisfied that Montego Bay has the potential for a transformation into a resort town development the likeness of which does not exist anywhere in the Americas,” Minister Bartlett declared.
The minister also warned that widespread violence was harming Jamaica’s image and undermining investors’ confidence in the country.
“I really hate to say it, but I have to say it, because this confidence that we are seeing in business is being deeply undermined by the antisocial behavior of our people. It’s not an easy call for a tourism minister to market with these issues. It is not an easy call for an investment minister to bring investment with these issues,” Mr. Bartlett said, while urging Jamaicans to do their part in fighting crime.
