The government reportedly wants to construct a hotel property to increase local ownership in the tourism sector.
“Very shortly, the Ministry of Works will be unveiling the challenge, which the Prime Minister has given to us, our own site, where our own architects, our own builders can demonstrate we can build our own hotel”, announced Lennox Weston, the Minister of Public Works while speaking at a ceremony to hand over the Industrial Court this week.
According to a media report, the project will be in the Willoughby Bay area and the government will offer local investors waterfront land in the area for about US$3.
Advertise with the mоѕt vіѕіtеd nеwѕ ѕіtе іn Antigua!
We offer fully customizable and flexible digital marketing packages.
Contact us at [email protected]
And you say you no know bout June salaries? How dah maths dey will?
Throwing more money into such a fragile industry even while we feel the full effects of that fragility hardly seems wise. But what do I know?
Sounds good but where is the government going to get the money? Are you going to deny civil servants and pensioners there income to benefit a select group of individuals? Didn’t Antiguans own Jolly Beach Hotel at one time and ran it into the ground? Are you getting another loan or are you hiding the people’s money somewhere?
We owned Royal and look what happened .. why Brown want a hotel he done have one and Heritage is still ours
I am just laughing my backsides off at this horrific idea.The Government going into the Hotel Business.Isn’t this the same project Gaston Browne was pushing some months ago.Government cannot even run their daily functions.So how the hell would they want to get into a Hotel property.Why not use those funds to build up the poorer neighborhoods in Antigua and Barbuda.Helping to lift persons out of poverty.In my opinion,that would be a great accomplishment.Are you very smart people running out of ideas.My guess,you did not learn from this Covid-19 pandemic.That investing into your people is the best way to go.Not building more Hotels with hundreds of those workers on the breadline,right now.Look around Antigua,most of the beautiful beaches on the island has a Hotel.While others are earmarked for more Hotels.Soon the Nationals and residences alike would be paying to use the Beaches.Just a matter of time.Weston,since you were elected into Office,as a Representative of that Constituency.You have not done one damn thing.So it is coming up on the calling of the next elections by the TAP DAWG.You coming with this “bull dung” of a project in St.Phillips South.Are you looking to prostitute for votes?
@ TUNA
You are the most PESSIMISTIC PERSON in Antigua. All you care about are social PROGRAMS. The Government must invest to make money. Thank God Antigua has a FORWARD thinking Prime Minister Hon.Gaston Browne. Tuna We DO NOT need your advice . Give your advice to the SHAMBLED UPP. No wonder UPP will never see Govrrnment in Antigua for Long time. With ADVISORS like TUNA the UPP is doomed. Tuna you should study ECONOMICS.
@Frederic
Think you and this government are misdirected. Governments don’t invest to make money. They leave this to the private sector. Name a country that depends on investments to run the country. Name all these so-called investments by this government.
@FREDERIC PAMPERS LAMPTON:What is ECONOMICS? That is too big a word for me to comprehend.I deal and dealt with small words.I have done very well without knowing anything about ECONOMICS.My late mother told me about HOME ECONOMICS.I could not understand that either.I would leave Economics to Gaston Browne.He has a million degrees and running the Country like dung,daily.
@Tuna
You would have still complained regardless of whatever move the government make.
@COIN DADLY: Is that all you could come back with.Are you running out of substance.
I agree @Coin no matter moves a government makes their will always be critics lol
Construction again; pocketing money again? The leader told us previously that the easiest way to ‘thief’ money is through construction, hence all the rush to do roads and structures without submitting credible figures, if any at all.
Really, u have got to be kidding, where is the money
Is the government a one man pony? How come you never hear any debate in parliament about all these projects and how they are being financed. Seems these so-called MPs are afraid of The big boss or they are just happy to collect their salaries and enrich themselves. This is not democracy. This is what happens when a bunch of losers go into government for one reason only, to get rich.
You seems to be confusing Parliament where they pass laws with Cabinet where they take decisions a set policy guidelines. In fact that is where they as to say run the country. The members will debate among themselves.
I think the country would be better served by the continuation of the road constructions and other infrastructure developments and also the beautification of St. John’s itself. The city needs a major face lift which would be more attractive to tourists than another hotel. Spend the money on long lasting investments rather than hotel uncertainties.
Invest, or allow yourselves to regret not taking the opportunity. The government is offering locals a chance to change the dynamic, invest before the CIP Investors take the opportunity.
From The Sideline the whole idea of the government building its own hotel is ludicrous to say the least. Doesn’t the government already own the Halcyon and has 51% of the shares in Jolly Beach. Yes Cabinet makes policy, but going into debt requires Parliamentary oversight and approval. It is you and me who ultimately repay the debt and not the government. This government has been incurring millions and millions dollars in debt without any parliamentary involvement.
Oh yes I forgot you were a sleep during the UPP borrowing spree. What was the debt to GDP ratio than and what is it now? I seem to forget these things. Listen making baseless statement towards me won’t help you. Come better than that. And than there is a difference between capital borrowing and borrowing for budgetary support. The UPP borrowing has not much to show for. This government lending is always for some Capital or infrastructural project. And yes the tax payer is who are paying back and who should benefit in the end. Where the private sector fail to invest it is up to government to take up the slack. And we do need the additional hotel rooms. And perhaps on another time I give you the history of the entire Willoughby Bay project with Cyril Maundy and others
@ TABOR
What the HELL is the matter with TABOR and the UPP. The Government must invest to make money. You Guys just think about social programs . Invest help to develop more social programs. Whenever I listen to TOBOR , KNIGHT , SERPENT and others it sounds like Antigua is falling aoart. On the world stage Antigua is recognized as one of the best GOVERNED Islands in the CARIBBEAN. Tabor stop your BASHING. You are better than what you are saying.
TABOR are you helping the UPP with selecting CANDIDATES ? From your fisrt four CANDIDATES rolled out .UPP have selected a BUNCH of sore losers. TABOR that is what you should be studying and stop your AWFUL narratives against the ABLP that DO NOT make sense. TABOR please help your UPP find PROPER CANDIDATES. I heard that you recommended ALISTER THOMAS.😃😃😃😃
@ TABOR
These are CAPITAL investments. Stop bury your head on the sand .You should know better !!!!!
@Eric Carden
Thought Asot Michael was the one interested in building a hotel at Willoughby Bay. How come the government is now involved in building a hotel. Isn’t there a hotel already at Willoughby Bay. I am sure I visited one there. Seems light bulbs go off in some politicians heads when they hear about construction. One way to make government money disappear.
P-A-CAKE N TUNA WELL SAID N NUFF SAID !!
Am jus here waiting for Mel comment.
What is the history of Halcyon Cove, Royal Antigua and Jolly Beach?
There is ownership and there is ownership.
Concessions and land at market value can be used to have significant equity in any new hospitality project.
Its that simple.
Melchisedec I too was waiting for your comment and I must confess that it does not address the issue raised in the article about the government building its own hotel. Yes, the government can have equity in a hotel as it presently does with Jolly Beach. The question you must, therefore, answer is whether it is wise for the government to be engaging in the building of hotels. As it stands now the government is bitterly complaining of the difficult financial straits that the country finds itself in as a result of covid 19 and I should add its previous mismanagement of the economy. Is is advisable then for the government to be engaging in the dubious financial investment of building a hotel? If the government wants to stimulate the economy, I can assure you that it can find more appropriate infrastructural projects than the building of a hotel. Again, I and others await your comment.
You have to laugh or you would bawl. These ALP fools can’t fix one half-mile road, how can they build a hotel? This will never happen. This is just propaganda for the yard fowls. Also, the last thing we need is more hotels; we need economic diversification.
…and, in the mean time, the SEZ – the Special Economic Zone, or militarized zone, controlled by the Wutan Klan,(BTW – the Kung Flu is still LIVE, and is disrupting many live’s), and many are still being distracted, by the slight of hand, and campaign rhetoric!
The Government’s have had, their share’$, of share in many Hotels, and in more ways, than one have managed them!
Where are they, today?
Why aren’t they Flagship Businesses, that we could be exporting, like Sandals, or other brands?
Will this new hotel, be based on Calvin’s, B’Dawg idea, of getting rid, of the All Inclusive concept, as it pertains to vacationing in Antigua?
Now, this same Government is touting AGRICULTURE, I’m hoping, that serious investments are being considered, for the processing process; from packaging to canning to bottling to marketing to distribution!
Comments are closed.