-Min Gaskin hails investment as part of govt’s plan of diversification

THE Upper Corentyne area got a face-lift with the commissioning of a GY$1 billion hotel at lot 137, Number 79 Village, Corriverton, East Berbice, Corentyne.

The Classic Hotel and Suites is owned by businessman Hareshnarine Sugrim of HNS Property Investment and received funding from parent company, GuyTrac. The hotel was officially opened to the public by Minister of Business, Dominic Gaskin, on Thursday; it is the first of its kind to be powered by a 250 KVA wind turbine electrical system.

The hotel towers above its surrounding buildings, sits on prime real estate and has a breathtaking view of the Atlantic Ocean. With 28 rooms, four suites, including a Presidential suite, pool, bar and an international full-time chef at the restaurant, guests can look forward to a comfortable stay with modern amenities without taking away from that county’s hospitality. The hotel boasts 40 trained staff in the hospitality sector with spin-off employment for another 50 persons.

In delivering the feature address, Minister Gaskin stated that in order to have visitors, suitable accommodation must be provided as he applauded the efforts of Sugrim, noting that the investment is in keeping with the government’s plan of diversification.

“Congratulations to the Sugrim family for stepping up to open this facility which will accommodate people in this spanking new facility. Berbice has one of the longest beaches, its longer than some Caribbean islands. I understand that about 15,000 people visit 63 Beach for the Easter and that is a serious amount of people; and some of those persons will be coming from other regions and even from overseas, so when we speak of the potential of tourism, we are speaking of something that is very real and that is happening in our country,” the Business Minister said.

He further noted that Berbice has tremendous opportunities for tourism.

“Berbicians should not underestimate the contributions that tourism can make to this region’s economy. We must stop thinking in terms of a single industry and start looking to see how we can diversify. Tourism, agro-processing and other value-added activities, including services, must be promoted and investment opportunities created, so that we can have sustainable industries right here in Berbice.”

He highlighted that Guyana has recorded the third highest growth rate for visitors in the Caribbean, with approximately 30,000 more visitors arriving than the previous year. This figure represented a 12.7% increase which was a record year for visitor arrivals in Guyana.

The Minister of Business concluded his presentation by reiterating the government’s commitment to work with all relevant stakeholders for the betterment of Berbice and Guyana.

DEVELOPING BERBICE
Meanwhile, in explaining his decision for such a massive investment, Sugrim told the media that while he does the bulk of his business in Georgetown, he is a Berbician and has always had a passion for developing his hometown.

Sugrim further stated that he was motivated by President David Granger’s drive for a “green economy” and went ahead and purchased a wind turbine to use renewable energy to fully power his hotel, which would significantly reduce operating costs. He however is perplexed as to why he has not yet been given approval for installation of the said turbine, despite it being in the country for over a year.

“I was motivated with the green economy which the President speaks of. We are the first people in the country to think of fully powering our hotel via the wind turbine. We bought it, it is in the country and we are yet to get a response for permission to install. It is very costly to run the generator set and electricity cost,” the businessman said.

Sugrim stated that at the moment, his hotel is fully booked for the Easter holidays and he already has plans in place to add an additional 32 rooms. This, he said, was envisioned from the beginning and the foundation was laid to accommodate same. In addition, he plans to boost water tourism with the addition of two yachts to facilitate tours to the Atlantic Ocean as well as to Orealla and Siparuta. The tours will be managed by the hotel.

According to the businessman, while such initiatives take years of planning and designing before the execution, his is no such story. He said he was relaxing one day and he thought of the project and its potential and within a month he had started construction, since he was the architect of the edifice.

“The design and everything was my vision, no one made the blueprint and gave it to me. It was my vision and because of that I was able to complete this in such a short period, since I am on site. Even the name ‘Classic’, I dreamt of one night and that is what I decided to name the hotel.” Among future plans for the hotel is a casino of international standards and a 3D movie theatre.

Also making remarks at the opening ceremony was Mayor of Corriverton, Hemchand Jaichand, who was high in praise for the investment and commitment made by Sugrim. He said it is testimony to the confidence the investors have in the township.

“Classic Hotel during construction provided meaningful jobs for many persons and now in its operational phase will continue to service the source of employment, thereby significantly curbing the nagging problem of joblessness in Corriverton …its impact on the prosperity of the town cannot be underestimated, as it shines as a beacon of hope for people worrying about the prevailing economic uncertainties,” the mayor said.

Minister of Social Cohesion, Dr George Norton; Minister of Social Protection, Amna Ally; Minister of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan, Mrs. Sita Ramjattan as well as regional representatives were also present at the grand opening.