Marriott hotel’s framework to be completed by April – President visits site

Managers of the Marriott Guyana Georgetown at Kingston told President Donald Ramotar today that they are aiming for April month-end to complete the structure of the hotel and that the project will be ready for commissioning by August 2014.

President Ramotar was amazed at the rate of progress of construction since his last site visit three months ago.

President Donald Ramotar at the Marriott construction site

in the company of Minister of Finance Dr Ashni Singh,

Minister of Public Works Robeson Benn, Chinese Ambassador

to Guyana Zhang Limin and members of the construction

management team

In the company of Chinese Ambassador to Guyana Zhang Limin, Shanghai Construction Group (SCG) and their local counterparts, Minister of Finance Dr. Ashni Singh and Minister of Public Works Robeson Benn, the President toured the ten-storey facility.

The 197- room hotel, overlooking the breezy Atlantic Ocean will boast a large ballroom, conference centre, a casino, entertainment complex, restaurant, concrete walkway, swimming pool, sport facilities and all other amenities to outfit a world-class hotel.

President Donald Ramotar touring the Marriott hotel

construction site at Kingston in the company of a team

that included Chinese Ambassador to Guyana Zhang

Limin and the Shanghai Construction Group

On the western end is situated the night club and casino while on the eastern end is the ballroom. There are about 30 rooms on either side of each floor with the presidential suite on the tenth and final floor.

Note was taken of the unique safety features the Chinese have applied in the construction process that are common techniques in mainland China, but are also supplementing efforts at promoting speed and efficiency.

Deputy Project Manager Xu Jei was happy to report that there have been no accidents among the team of 127 Chinese nationals working on the project. He said local suppliers of concrete blocks, lumber, sand, gravel and cement have also been delivering on request.

Chinese Ambassador to Guyana showing illustrations

of the Marriott Hotel to President Donald Ramotar in

the company of Minister of Finance Dr Ashni Singh,

Minister of Public Works Robeson Benn and members

of the Shanghai Construction Group

The use of Chinese labour to construct the hotel was the topic of much criticism and protest demonstrations that were largely influenced by a grudgeful opposition political agenda to undermine the project.

The Chinese Ambassador had recently called on the media to be cautious of the type of media coverage that has been attributed to the project and the Guyana/China relations.

During today’s visit to the site, the Ambassador reiterated the same call and also the willingness of SCG to answer queries the media may have once permission is granted for such information to be divulged.

But with security, waste disposal and other services sourced locally and plans next year to contract qualified and professional local subcontractors for drainage and other necessities, the SGC is rebutting the notion that local labour is being negated.

A section of the Marriott hotel under construction at

Kingston

SCG’s Deputy Project Manager told President Ramotar during talks today that the company is of the firm belief that the project has actually contributed to employment opportunities locally.

The Project that has its genesis in December 2009 when a Letter of Intent was executed between Atlantic Hotel Inc., and Marriott and is important for Guyana’s economy, particularly the tourism sector, President Ramotar said.

“We have great possibilities for making the tourism sector a major contributor to the economy of our country and you know that our government has been constantly focusing on broadening the base of our economy that was too narrowly dependent on a few products,” President Ramotar said.

In its pursuit to gain prominence in the tourism and hospitality sector, President Ramotar stressed on the need for Guyana to acquire skills that can only be facilitated through training.

He also used the occasion to laud the support of the Chinese Government to the project and their fruitful relationship with Guyana over the last 40 years.