News

Mexican Hotel Chain Announces Us$900 Million Investment

Published

8 years ago

October 16, 2015

Providenciales, 16 Oct 2015 – KINGSTON, Oct. 14 (JIS): Mexico-based Karisma Hotel and Resorts has announced plans to invest more than US$900 million to develop nine hotels in Jamaica, adding 4,000 rooms to the country’s stock over the next 10 years.

The 228-acre Llandovery beachfront property in St. Ann will be the site for this massive development, which is also intended to create 8,000 new direct posts and about 5,000 jobs indirectly.

Karisma’s Vice-President for Corporate Affairs and Business Development, Ruben Becerra, made the announcement yesterday (October 13), during a press conference at the offices of the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) in New Kingston.

Mr. Becerra informed that the first of the nine hotels is scheduled to open for the winter 2018 tourism season.
He noted that the hotels are intended to offer an all-inclusive package featuring a dolphin experience, water sports, and nature attraction with horse trails.

Mr. Becerra further informed that Karisma expects to attract a number of new international hotel brands into Jamaica, noting that “our interest is to try to increase the market, instead of shifting or stealing the market.”
He said an increase in airlift is also part of the “master plan” for the development project.

Karisma Hotel and Resorts has been investing in Jamaica since April 2014, with the acquisition and renovation of an existing property in Negril, which is being operated as Sensatori Jamaica.

The company is investing US$45 million to expand that property, with 149 suites being added to the existing 138; as well as construct another hotel at an adjacent property, to be named Azul Seven.
Mr. Becerra said Azul Seven will bring 328 direct and 197 indirect jobs to the area.

He said the company is honoured to have been welcomed by the Government, industries and communities, which have helped to make the Karisma brand a success in the country.

He informed that Sensatori Jamaica was sold out for the entire year, less than a month after opening.
Mr. Becerra further noted that its partnership with travel company, TUI, was instrumental in increasing the airlift for tourists coming to Jamaica, with more than 108,000 seats per year.

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Magnetic Media covering World Travel Awards at Sandals resort in Exuma

Deandrea S Hamilton

Magnetic Media is a Telly Award winning multi-media company specializing in creating compelling and socially uplifting TV and Radio broadcast programming as a means for advertising and public relations exposure for its clients.

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New Look, New Tactics as TCI Border Force set to start October

Published

26 mins ago

September 30, 2023

Deandrea Hamilton

Dana Malcolm

Staff Writer

#TurksandCaicos, September 29, 2023 – The Turks and Caicos Border Force will be up and running by next month according to Arlington Musgrove, Minister of Immigration and Border Services who gave a national update on the progress of the squad during a recent parliamentary meeting.

“We now have a date of October 30^th, 2023 for the launch of the first phase,” he explained. The force has been described as ‘revolutionary by Anya Williams, Deputy Governor.

Musgrove was speaking in the House of Assembly on September 20th and revealed that this initial phase will incorporate the Customs and Border Protection agencies as well as the Intelligence and Corporate Units.

Musgrove explained that the Corporate Unit would serve as a sort of auditor for the Border Force and the Ministry.

“Our Corporate Unit will include our assurance functions that will audit our processes and our actions to ensure that we are upholding the mission, vision, and principles of our Border Force,” he said.

The minister is promising updated operating structures, agents with new skills and a new look with updated uniforms, all in an effort to tighten the country’s security at its very porous borders.

The Force is aiming to secure the TCI against human and drug trafficking (which in recent weeks have shown an alarming correlation), arms trafficking, poaching and more.

“Not only will we look different, but we will also work differently – and that is what is key,” the minister promised.

The Force will be under the control of Emilio Seymour who was appointed Director General back in April.

More security features, including the long-awaited container scanners for the country’s ports, are also on the Minister’s agenda.

Bahamas News

CUBAN MIGRANTS DETAINED ALONG EXUMA CHAIN

Published

35 mins ago

September 30, 2023

Deandrea Hamilton

Defence Headquarters 28 SEP ’23: HMBS P-45 under the command of Chief Petty Officer Acadia Smith detained a group of Cuban migrants in Cistern Cay, Exuma on September 27, 2023, due to information received from a Good Samaritan vessel in the area that handed them over to the Royal Bahamas Defence Force.

Members of HMBS P-45 retrieved twenty-eight (28) Cuban nationals and transported them to HMBS Coral Harbour in New Providence. All individuals appeared to be in good health and will undergo further processing and assessment by Immigration officials.

The Royal Bahamas Defence Force remains dedicated to the pursuit of excellence in guarding our heritage and appreciates the sharing of information and intelligence provided by the boating community to affect migrants and other unlawful interdictions at sea.

(For additional information, contact the RBDF Public Relations Department or visit our official website at www.rbdf.gov.bs. Connect with us on Facebook and Twitter for the latest updates and explore our engaging content on our YouTube channel).

RBDF

News

Budget Boost, $437.6 Million for fiscal year as Supplementary tabled in Parliament

Published

2 hours ago

September 30, 2023

Deandrea Hamilton

Dana Malcolm

Staff Writer

#TurksandCaicos, September 30, 2023 – The first Supplementary Appropriations Bill for the 2023/24 financial year will add $13.4 million to the National Budget, sweeping the record $424 million allotment to $437.6 million.

The bill was tabled in the House of Assembly by E Jay Sanders, Finance Minister on Tuesday September 26th and the bulk of the cash will go to recurrent expenditure which commands $12.8 million. Capital expenditure came in at just over $700,000.

That extra cash will help with several initiatives stated below:

$4.2 million dollars will go to community development, including road improvement and more.
$1.4 million dollars will be spent on a Community Centre in Bottle Creek and 450 thousand on the long-awaited refurbishment of the sports field in South Caicos.
$1.4million dollars for consultancies,
$1 million dollars will be sent to bolster the repatriation budget as the country experiences record migration.
$1 million goes to Social Programs.
InterHealth Canada will get another $1.8 million.
The country’s Climate Resilience Coastal Protection Study will get a $500,000 injection.
The software being built and consultancy being carried out to get the Turks and Caicos off the EU blacklist will cost $851,000.
$2 million dollars is earmarked for the cleaning of government agencies.

Laid under the theme, Strengthening Resilience Enhancing Community Welfare through Strategic Investments and Sustainable Development, Saunders said this bill was created with the community in mind.