There will be an entire transformation of the Diamond area with the construction of the Holiday Inn Express. Minister of Finance Hon. Camillo Gonsalves said the hotel will augment other development in the area, such as the hospitality school, the Sir Vincent Beache Athletic Stadium, the Centre of excellence and soon a community centre.
The hotel will be the “Jewel of that transformation”, Gonsalves said.
The Finance Minister was speaking on Tuesday at the signing ceremony between the Government of St Vincent and the Grenadines and NH International (Caribbean) for the construction of the Holiday Inn Express at Cabinet room).
The 52-million-dollar investment by the Government of St Vincent and the Grenadines is expected to be completed in 18 months.
Also speaking at the signing ceremony, Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves, said the construction of the 92-room hotel should see over 100 tradesmen gain employment at peak period.
In addition, the Prime Minister indicated NH Construction will also help Vincentians on the project to develop particular skills, as they have done in other countries, basically an “effective transference of skills”, which , Dr. Gonsalves, said is the way Caribbean companies should function.
CEO of NH International, Kit Kennedy said his company is a “True Caribbean outfit to develop Caribbean people” and uses construction projects to bring the region together in a time when the region is doing a lot of importing of skills and expertise.
Kennedy said the company is building an internship program for engineers, architects from across the Caribbean, so that there is continuity for the region and this is how skill sets are developed.