In a few weeks Barbadians could expect to see 300-plus vacancies on offer as the multi-million dollar Wyndham Sam Lord’s Castle, the island’s largest hotel property, gets ready for a January opening.Chief executive officer of the Barbados Tourism Investment Inc. (BTII) Stuart Layne disclosed on Monday in an update on the project.Stating that “all hands were on deck” and every effort was being made to complete construction in the next four months, Layne anticipated that in the initial stages, there would be need for more than 300 staffers. That figure, he said, could more than double to 1 000 as the operation gets going.“This starts in September [recruitment] so probably towards the middle of next month you will see ads going out.”The operators of Wyndham Grand Resort, have indicated that job fairs will be held, added Layne. “Requests will be in various media so that they can start interviewing people and get ready for opening,” he said.
Small hotel operators are pleading with Government to “dig deeper” and bring meaningful change to the sector, including making it easier to do business.In response, Minister of Tourism and International Transport Senator Lisa Cummins has given the assurance that Government is committed to ironing out the issues facing the industry, and that by the end of this summer there should be significant progress to report.Indicating that tourism was still “the number one area” of economic activity for the country, operator of Adulo Apartments Kashka Haynes, speaking directly to Minister Cummins during the annual general meeting of the Intimate Hotels of Barbados (IHB) on Wednesday at the Island Inn Hotel, said he believed the time for talking about the issues facing the sector was long past.“There is a lot of talking all the time and I think we need to start acting so as we move forward we can have a really solid industry for the next 20 or 30 years, from which all of us will benefit,�
The associations representing taxi operators in The City are expected to put several issues on the table next week when they meet with Government officials.Officials of the Alliance Owners of Public Transport (AOPT) and the Barbados Taxi Alliance are expected to raise issues relating to the lack of bathroom facilities and shelter, as well as displacement of some taxi operators, when they meet with representatives of the Barbados Tourism Investment Inc. next Thursday.Chairman of the AOPT Roy Raphael said the displacement of taxi operators along the Fairchild Street location was yet to be resolved.The taxi drivers, who used to ply their trade in the vicinity of the Jordan’s Supermarket, were displaced when work started at the Fairchild Street Vendors’ Market across the street.
Member of Parliament for the City of Bridgetown Corey Lane is fighting to ensure that residents of his constituency benefit from as many job opportunities from the upcoming capital works projects. He also wants to ensure that there is no gentrification when projects such as the Hyatt Ziva Hotel and the Pierhead Project begin. Lane is hoping to meet with chief executive officer of the Barbados Tourism Investment Inc. (BTII) …