The anticipated sod-turning ceremony to commence construction of the US$50 million AC Marriott Hotel was held on Thursday and will boast of 150 rooms.
The facility is being constructed by Trinuyana Investment and China Harbour Engineering Company along the Ogle Airstrip Road on the East Coast of Demerara. The hotel is expected to be completed within the next 27 months.
The investors have been trying to commence the project since 2018 but John Aboud, the Chairman of Trinuyana, told the News Room that there was a lengthy delay in procuring the title for the land.
“There was a lot of delays we didn’t get title to the land and so we couldn’t start anything until we get title to the land and so no approval could take place unless you have a title,” Aboud explained.
Interestingly, in February 2020, a sod-turning ceremony was also held for the construction of the hotel but the project was at a standstill.
“We didn’t get the title until recently like seven months ago,” Aboud said.
Triyuana is a Guyanese and Trinidadian incorporated company with the shareholders bringing a wealth of experience in real estate development from throughout the Caribbean and Florida in the United States.
It is expected that over 400 temporary jobs will be created when the construction of the AC Marriott Hotel commences. Once opened, approximately 140 permanent jobs will be created with Guyanese nationals filling 95 per cent of those jobs. To fill these vacancies, training will be provided to improve the available supply of employees in all areas of the hospitality industry.
Some of the amenities of the new facility will include a swimming pool, fitness room, lounge, library, media salon, meeting room, reception area, a courtyard, and an outdoor area.
Aboud acknowledged the work of the Office of the President, the Guyana Office for Investment (GO-Invest), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA) and the National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL) in providing guidance and direction to ensure that every activity undertaken by Trinuyana was legal.
“Over the many years that I’ve been in business, I’ve had the opportunity to interact with many government agencies throughout the Caribbean region and I can tell you without fear of hesitation, and with pride, Guyana stands tall,” Aboud said.
Additionally, Trinuyana has also identified several investment areas where they believe they can make a meaningful contribution to developing Guyana.
Meanwhile, President Dr Irfaan Ali also delivered remarks at the ceremony on Thursday and said with this development, the real estate value in the area will be enhanced tremendously.
And, to support the investment being made, some 300 acres of land will be developed for upscale housing by private developers and in addition, 2,000 acres of development for middle, high and low-income houses.
“In addition to that, not too far from here, in La Bonne Intention we will have an important industrial commercial zone, all of this will bring new traffic, people who will need the services of a hotel,” the Head of State said.
President Ali further highlighted that building the sector is part of building a robust sustainable and resilient plan linked to many new products such as wellness tourism.
“The goal is not a narrow goal of building more rooms if we believe that is the goal we are all wasting time. That is just an output of the goal, the goal is to build a sector in which hospitality is the main cornerstone of growth and development.”
