Housing solutions coming for tourism workers

Plans are under way to deliver housing solutions to workers within the tourism sector, through a combination of both public- and private-sector partnerships.

Minister of Tourism Edmund Bartlett said major housing developments are advancing in St James and other resort areas.

“The Tourism Enhancement Fund bought 250 acres from FINSAC to provide and pass it over to HAJ (Housing Agency of Jamaica), that began with a site in Grange Pen, which is across the road from Iberostar,” Bartlett said.

“It was an informal settlement, you know, people call it squatter settlement and we went in and regularised that whole arrangement; put in roads, water, sewerage, electricity, and now we have 535 families that the prime minister will give titles to shortly because they are ready,” he added.

Bartlett was speaking during an interview with the Jamaica Information Service at the ministry’s New Kingston offices. Bartlett further stated that the HAJ is partnering with China Harbour Engineering Company to finalise a joint venture to build 1,500 houses for workers of the industry, “right across the road from Iberostar and in the same area… we’ll have 6,000 hotel rooms”.

“We expect to break ground for it later on this year or perhaps in the first quarter of next year,” he further stated.

Additionally, he informed that workers will be able to benefit from opportunities being offered through the National Housing Trust, which is building another 1,500 houses in Barrett Hall, close to the border with Trelawny.

Highlighting the participation of the private sector, Bartlett noted that several major hotels are also incorporating a housing component in their buildout.

“The hotels are building houses. They’re also building dormitories. Princess [Hotels & Resorts]has built 500 rooms for workers. Palladium is under construction now and building out 600 houses for workers. A number of other hotels have bought lands. I know, for example, that UNICO, Hard Rock they are in the closing stages of buying about 200 acres in the St James area to build houses for the workers,” he informed.

He added that by strategy and policy “we are determining that any investor who comes building 500 rooms or more must have a housing component for the workers”.