A sod-turning ceremony was held Wednesday for the construction of a Hilton hotel at Ogle, East Coast Demerara.
The investors are Energy Real Estate Solutions (ERES) and Caribbean Marketing Enterprise Inc (CMEI).
The hotel will have all modern amenities such as a miniature golf course, clubhouse, entertainment centre, swimming pool and a solar farm.
Not far from the construction site of the Hilton hotel, the sod was also turned for a Marriott branded hotel last week.
The land for the construction of the international hotel was acquired from the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL).
Chief Executive Officer for ERES and a member of the Caribbean Marketing Enterprises Incorporated, Mike Elliot said it was a long and hard process.
“This is an exciting project for our team. The process to get where we are today has been a long one. Although the approval process was extremely difficult, we appreciate the professionalism NICIL has brought to the project,” Elliot said.
He noted that the vision for the hotel is to be a focal point for the Ogle area.
“It is our hope that this development activity will not only help in the growth of the tourism market of the country but fill the demand of the business and population growth currently taking place,” Elliot stated.
Minister of Finance, Winston Jordan delivered the feature address at the ceremony and noted that the construction of the hotel will provide temporary and permanent employment for a number of Guyanese.
“This investment will in a significant way provide jobs to locals as well as build capacity in the tourism sector and even more tangible way bring hope for the future,” the Minister said.
The Finance Minister also noted that Guyana’s economy grew by 4.7% last year, despite shortfall with sugar and bauxite.
“You know what pulled us through among them were rice, construction and tourism. If that doesn’t speak to the economy weaning itself off its traditional products and varying into a new direction I don’t know what else will be a lead,” the Minister said.
NICIL’s Chief Executive Officer, Colvin Heath-London said the agency is committed to national development and highlighted that with this new hotel the transportation and agriculture sector will benefit.
“We, at NICIL, have had small successes in the past and these have helped prepare us for momentous occurrences like these. We at NICIL embrace this visionary team. We wish you success at every step in this exciting journey and we thank you for the faith you are demonstrating in our country’s future,” Heath-London said.
Meanwhile, one of the investors of the hotel is overseas-based Guyanese Edmond Braithwaite, who is the Chief Executive Officer for CMEI.
CMEI has agreed on a social programme for locals which includes offering grants to educational institutions and scholarships.
Braithwaite said this is his way of giving back to the nation.