MORE THAN 82 acres of land at Harrison's, St Lucy, are to be turned over to the Barbados Tourism Investment Inc. (BTI) for tourism development.

Minister of Tourism Richard Sealy is expected to announce details of the planned project on the lands which had originally been acquired on March 6, 1986, for use in agricultural training in the National Youth Service Scheme and for recreational purposes, but were no longer required for that purpose.

Sealy is expected to pilot a resolution in the House of Assembly today to vest the Crown lands – which comprise 131 080.6 square metres (32.39 acres) in one parcel and 20.40 hectares (50.41 acres) in another – in the BTI.

It was recently reported that the BTI was expected to close a deal that would see the construction of a five-star hotel in a joint public-private sector venture with the Texas-based Rosewood Hotel & Resorts starting between August and September.

Rosewood, which is branded across North and Latin America as well as in Asia, also has a property in Antigua – Jumby Bay – and others in the US and British Virgin Islands.

Also expected to be dealt with today is a bill to change the composition of the 13-member board of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital.

The sitting starts at 10 a.m. (AB)