Govt. to do ‘whatever it takes’ to bring Marriott here

Jul 02, 2010 News

An artist’s impression of the Marriott-branded hotel which is scheduled to be opened in 2013

…but remains tight-lipped on project cost, investors

The government yesterday said it will do whatever it takes, including financial backing, to bring the Marriott hotel project to Guyana, but remained silent on who the potential investors are or how much the project would cost.
“Essentially, whatever it takes to get a Marriott-branded hotel for which, they Marriott, are assuming responsibility for standards and their reputation, the government of Guyana is prepared and has indicated its preparedness, to be supportive and to be the willing partner in this engagement,” Head of the Presidential Secretariat Dr Roger Luncheon stated yesterday.
Marriott International recently announced it will open its first Marriott-branded hotel in Guyana in 2013. According to Marriott International, the hotel will operate under a management agreement with Atlantic Hotel Inc (AHI), a company “currently owned by the Government of Guyana (GoG) as part of a public-private partnership between the Government of Guyana and private sector investors.”
However, the government has so far remained tight-lipped about the private sector partners. In mid-May, the government reacted angrily when Grenada company Zublin Grenada announced that it was seriously considering “a very attractive offer” by the Guyana Government to build the Marriott resort and casino.
Atlantic Hotel was incorporated on September 3, 2009 for hotel development and hospitality services. The incorporator was Marcia Nadir-Sharma, who is also the secretary, with Winston Brassington as Director. Brassington also holds numerous portfolios for the government, including Head of the Privatisation Unit and Executive Director of the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL).
“The government has assumed a formidable role, financial and otherwise. This is an engagement I would say similar in its importance in the government dispensation about developments in Guyana like hydro and LCDS (Low Carbon Development Strategy) and it derives the same type of focus, the same type of investment, political and capital investment, in its success,” Luncheon stated yesterday.
In a statement released by the Government Information Agency, President Bharrat Jagdeo is quoted as saying: “Guyana looks forward to a first class branded quality hotel operated by Marriott International.”
He said “this public-private partnership project will transform the hospitality landscape and can be expected to encourage more travel and tourism development for our nation.”
But yesterday, Luncheon refused to give any details about who the potential investors could be.
Marriott International said the 160-room Georgetown Marriott Hotel is on track to receive LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and is on track to be Marriott’s first LEED hotel in the Caribbean & Latin America.
The hotel’s state-of-the-art architectural and interior design concept will be created by the firm of Urbahn Architects (New York).
In May, the Privatisation Unit said the Grenada company is but one prospective investor.
According to the Unit, the Government advertised for Expressions of Interest (EOI) for a joint-venture for a hotel development project to be located at the corner of Kingston and that a number of Expressions of Interest (EOI) were received.
Asked about the potential cost of the project, Luncheon said: “You have to go to tender to get any ideas of costs.”
But he added: “This is an activity, a project to which we are committed.”
“It is for us a defining engagement in this sector and we are saying as we move on, we’re investing political, financial capital in ensuring it comes to fruition,” Luncheon declared.