Published 2 October 2017
Buckie Got It, St. Kitts and Nevis News Source
In preparation for November 1st opening,
locals arrive for duty at Park Hyatt St. Kitts
BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, OCTOBER 2ND 2017 – With the November 1st 2017 opening of the Park Hyatt St. Kitts on the horizon, it is evident that the philosophy of the then St. Kitts-Nevis Labour Party (SKNLP) administration, that locals must be hired first, is taking place.
The agreement for the construction of the multi-million resort on St. Kitts’ Southeast Peninsular was signed in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, by then Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis, the Rt. Hon Dr. Denzil L. Douglas and then Minister of Tourism, Sen. the Hon. Ricky Skerritt in July 2012.
The ground breaking for the construction of the Park Hyatt was held on June 3 2013 with then Prime Minister Douglas, then Governor General of St. Kitts and Nevis, His Excellency Sir Edmund Lawrence, Senator Skerritt and Vice President of Range Developments, Mr. Mohammed Asarai participating.
October 2ndt, an elated and excited Ms. Waveney Benjamin posted photos of new employees, several of them locals, arriving for work.
Park Hyatt St. Kitts is not only be the first Park Hyatt in the Caribbean, but also St. Kitts’ first luxury beach resort.
The Park Hyatt St. Kitts is one of the many St. Kitts-Nevis Labour Party (SKNLP) Government-initiated projects which were under completion it left office in February 2015.
At the groundbreaking ceremony in 2013, Prime Minister Douglas said the decision to establish a Park Hyatt Hotel in St. Kitts was in keeping with his Government’s commitment to expand the number of high-end resorts and boutique hotels, not only to enhance the Federation’s appeal to stay-over travellers, but more importantly, to ensure that the stay-over visitors travelling to St. Kitts and Nevis would be able to have the type of overall impact that is being sought.
“This collaboration between your government, the Government of St. Kitts and Nevis, the owners of Christophe Harbour, Range Development, and Park Hyatt to transform Banana Bay from a beautiful part of St. Kitts that has lied dormant for some time, to a-beautiful-part-of-St. Kitts that generates employment, that will be a joint-venture, and which will be having other business opportunities for Kittitians and Nevisians; of course a beautiful part of St. Kitts that will increase revenue flows to the Federal Treasury; and expand the number of exquisite global offerings that Park Hyatt will be able to present to its discerning patrons,” said then Prime Minister Douglas.
Minister of Tourism at the time, Sen. the Hon. Ricky Skerritt was praised by Dr Douglas for his vision and his skill at leveraging the unique attributes of St. Kitts to benefit those who live on St. Kitts and Nevis.
Skerritt said the collaboration between Range Developments, the developers of Christophe Harbour, Park Hyatt, and St. Kitts really represents a very good marriage.
“Your Government has “worketh like hell” in recent years to build the partnership and co-ordination necessary to achieve this development. We have been working especially hard to attract credible investors to undertake a number of economically and socially beneficial projects in the Southeast peninsula and elsewhere. As was predicted to be a critical need by Dr. Towle, this Park Hyatt resort project is the result of the coming together of a number of international and local individuals and groups, partnering with Government in order for this development to actually happen,” said Sen. Skerritt.
Photos
Photo – Rt. Hon Dr. Denzil L. Douglas and Sen. the Hon. Ricky Skerritt at the signing of the Park Hyatt Agreement in Dubai in July 2012.
Photo – Ground breaking for the construction of the Park Hyatt on June 3 2013 – (left to right) – President of Range Developments, Ali; Deputy Prime Minister and Parliamentary Representative, the Hon. Dr. Earl Asim Martin; St. Kitts and Nevis’ Prime Minister the Right Hon. Dr. Denzil L. Douglas; (unidentified person); Governor General of St. Kitts and Nevis, His Excellency Sir Edmund Lawrence; Minister of Tourism, Sen. the Hon. Richard “Ricky” Skerritt and Vice President of Range Developments, Mr. Mohammed Asarai.
