Local hoteliers needing funds to upgrade existing hotel rooms have access to ten million dollars from the Government to do so.
Prime Minister and Minister for Finance, Hon. Roosevelt Skerrit says this move is in an attempt to assist hoteliers to enhance their current stock of rooms.
The Prime Minister made that disclosure during his 2012-13 budget presentation to the House of Parliament last week.
“Even as we attempt to increase the number of rooms, Government is mindful that there are a number of rooms currently available which are not export ready,” PM Skerrit said.
He disclosed that there already exists a special regime of concessions which are provided to assist hoteliers to enhance their current stock of rooms.
“Some have made use of this facility but there are those who have not been able to do so, because of their inability to make the necessary investments. Towards that end, Government has agreed to make available an amount of $10 million at special interest rates to assist those hoteliers who are willing to upgrade their rooms,” he added.
Available data from the Discover Dominica Authority (DDA) indicate that during 2010/11, eight new hotels and guest houses became operational, out of sixteen that had been granted concessions. Ninety one (91) permanent jobs were created and three hundred and thirty-two (332) people were employed during construction.
Meantime Government is confronting head on the challenge of increasing the quantity and quality of the hotel plant in Dominica through a number of initiatives.
The Prime Minister expounded on those initiatives during his recent 2012/13 budget presentation.
“Government had previously mentioned its intention to facilitate the construction of a new hotel in the Roseau area. In fiscal year 2012/2013, Government will commission designs, for constructing a hotel on the site occupied by the Public Works Corporation. The intention is to erect a one hundred and twenty room hotel in that location,” he confirmed.
The second project according to the Prime Minister will be the completion of the new hotel in the Cabrits.
“This facility is being constructed with financing from the Kingdom of Morocco. Upon completion, the hotel will comprise 58 rooms and will also create about 100 new jobs.”
Prime Minister Hon. Roosevelt Skerrit said his Government is seeking to erase the image that Roseau is the only capital within the OECS with inadequate hotel accommodation and facilities for hosting regional and international meetings.
PM Skerrit added that “the ongoing project involving the construction of a new and modern State House Complex with conference facilities is a first step in debunking this image.”