AS MANY AS 320 jobs that were expected to be generated this year for the refurbishing of a South Coast hotel and later, for its operation, are now on hold.
Sources close to the project have attributed the delay to difficulties in acquiring certain permissions to import duty-free materials as promised by Government.
Yesterday, a spokesman for Sugar Bay, the owning company for the former Amaryllis Hotel in Hastings, Christ Church, confirmed the $4 million refurbishment plan for the 145-room hotel was delayed, and the planned 2014 winter season opening had to be shelved until the winter of 2015.
As a result, 200 hotel jobs, and about 120 in construction between June and November/December this year are no more.
Not only that, the $5 million in foreign currency which the hotel anticipated to earn during its operation over the period is now lost.
Hoteliers, who spoke to the DAILY NATION on condition of anonymity, revealed that some South Coast hotels are struggling to carry out upgrades in time to meet the start of the winter season.
