Three major projects will be launched in Saint Lucia shortly, Prime Minister Philip J Pierre announced on Monday.
At a pre-Cabinet press briefing, the prime minister told reporters that work has started on the Rodney Bay Pope’s Site Shopping Centre and that two hotels will be built on Reduit Beach.
The lease was signed yesterday, according to Prime Minister Pierre.
“The two hotels that are there (Starfish Resort and ‘Mystique’) are going to be demolished. Work has started on the Mount Pimard Hotel so hopefully before the year (ends) we should have more than 500 construction jobs which will also reduce the unemployment levels,” PM Pierre said.
Whilst those jobs will be temporary, the prime minister noted that “all jobs are temporary” including his.
Moreover, various measures have been taken to ensure that these hotels are climate resilient.
“The factors to mitigate climate change have been taken into consideration. Climate change is a real situation so what do we do in terms of things like water harvesting? We are ensuring all these projects have water harvesting capabilities. In terms of environmental safety, all of these are taken into consideration as far as this project is concerned,” he stated.
He also pointed out that currently, “you cannot build” unless these factors have been considered.
When questioned about the negative effects of using the island’s beachfront to build hotels and whether those beachfronts would be insurable in the long run, the prime minister acknowledged that “insurance is an issue” and said, “in fact, I am supposed to be working with Prime Minister Mia Mottley on insurance.”
All in all, the risks have been considered, he added.
“Insurance costs are very high but investors have measured their risks and if investors measure the risks and want to invest,” the government will not oppose, he said.
Further, Prime Minister Pierre stated, “The investors have done all the analysis just like me and they’ve found that the risk can be taken.”