The 160-room Cabrits Resort Kempinski. which will be located at Douglas Bay between the Cabrits National Park and the community of Tan Tan, is expected to be completed in 2018.
Vice President of Range Developments, Mohammed Asaria made that announcement while addressing the ground breaking ceremony held at Portsmouth on October 16.
The Government of Dominica signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Range Developments for the construction of the resort Back on November 7, 2014 and in May of 2015, the Range Developments announced that thus far schematic construction designs have been approved by Kempinski and necessary legal and administrative requirements have been honored.
“We are even more focused on ensuring an expeditious completion. We have a 30-month construction programme quarter to 2018,” he said. “All our preconstruction studies, whether it is financial, feasibility, environmental and geotechnical, have been completed.”
He added, “We are single-minded and focused in our aim, to build a resort on this site that will be the envy of your neighboring islands.”
According to him, the Resort which is expected to be a major economic driver for the north and the rest of Dominica will employ close to 500 people during the construction phase.
“This resort will employ close to 500 people at the peak of construction and a similar number during operations. Twice this number will be employed indirectly servicing the hotel,” he indicated.
Asaria welcomed local vendors and entrepreneurs with open arms and called upon them to introduce themselves to the company to work together.
“This is not just a hollow statement for the media who is gathered here today and your benefit. Give me a chance and you will see this promise come to light. Indeed, hold me accountable to this promise,” he remarked.
He pointed out that after the devastation caused by Tropical Storm Erika the project shows the world that Dominica is fighting back.
“Dominica is not just relying on the international community for aid, it is encouraging investment and ensuring foreign investment materializes,” he stated. “This project has already generated millions in government taxes through the Citizen by Investment Project and will continue to generate tens of millions in government taxes over the next 30 months. This project is a testament to our combined vision and hard work, a journey which started a few years back with my meeting in Dubai.”
Asaria revealed that middle and senior management of the hotel/resort must comprise of Dominicans.
“We cannot wake up and 2018 and start this process, this process must start now,” he explained. “This cooperation will continue and enhance as we focus on training individuals from Dominica, both at the state college and through scholarships and internships to other Kempinski Hotels over the coming months and years.”
Meantime, Minister for Trade, Energy, and Employment, Dominica and MP for Portsmouth Ian Douglas said the northern part of Dominica has always been established as best suited for hotel and tourism development.
Furthermore he noted that the resort which will be a major game changer for the north and Dominica in general.
“We have always believed that this area is one of Dominica’s prime locations for tourism development,” Douglas explained. “This hotel will certainly establish, disclaim and bring to reality the dreams and aspirations of many leaders of the north and more specifically.”
Douglas also highlighted the economic impact of the hotel both during and after the construction phase.
“Much needed employment for many of our people, a major consumer of our agricultural crops, vegetables, meats and fish and other services. Stimulation of interest in pursuing careers in tourism and tourism management…increase sales and revenues to businessmen and merchants, a general improvement in the sense of pride and well-being of our people, not only those who will work at this establishment, but all of those who will be associated with this development, ” he indicated.
Kempinski is a European hotel company established in 1897, with at least 73 hotels around the world and the construction of the Luxury Resort at Cabrits will be the first hotel Kempinski will construct in the Caribbean.
The resort is being constructed under the Citizenship by Investment Program.
How will 120 rooms be filled without an international airport and what about the swamp lands? The cemetery of the cabrits is full of soldiers who came to live in the swamps but didnt get on too well; I fear tourists might not fair any better. Dengue is in this area it is not a place to sleep.
Douglas bay was a treasure for snorkelling, diving and nature it is not an ideal location for a swimming pool the storms will make short shrift of this…like they have the sand some years; the road others….
Sad day in Dominica’s history. National Historic Site?
I will remain Positive and not Negative. Dominica Will Prosper Indeed despite negative statements. I\’m Optimistic like Nehemiah , Caleb and Joshua in the BIBLE.
How does one apply for a job on this project?
I have a small machine and want to know the process to apply.
Does anyone know?
Bob Marley reminds us in song, “Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery.”: Our black brothers and sisters refuse to heed the righteous call.
It’s Independence time again. 37th anniversary of political Independence. Our Kalinago and Black Freedom fighters, Jacko, Congoree, Pharcelle, Bala, Angelique struggled against, resisted colonial oppression.
History tells us that they fought relentlessly to preserve this land, so rich and beautiful. This land, provided the Indigenous Kalinago and ‘Negre Marons with shelter, food, water,. They built communities. Fed their families. They understood Waitikubuli was their home, their land TO PROTECT AND DEFEND FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS.
Today, Skerritt’s DLP Gov’t, carved out 15 acres of our land from our Cabrits National Park, give to the foreign Co. Range Dev.’We moo-moo. Passports even given for Range Dev. to sell to make millions. Our land given away, our passports selling. Dominicans will own nothing. Moo-moo…
Hope they bringing in people to work at this hotel when it’s completed because Dominicans malkasay and have NO customer service.
To have a healthy sense of humour is a necessary survival aid in Dominica. First of all there is no white, or even yellow beach in front of the proposed hotel’s location. Instead there is a main road. That artist’s impression is a misrepresentation. As for the Hon. Ian Douglas, well there is where my sense of humour kicks in and makes me laugh…..if I didn’t I would cry!!
Right down the road from this new project is a half-finished hospitality project, much less ambitious in scale, popularly known as the Moroccan hotel. It was started (…oh yes, with a groundbreaking!) in oct. 2011 , four years ago with a projected completion time of 18 months. The last word by Hon. Douglas in May 2014 was that it would be completed during the first quarter of 2015 but today is languishing amidst the weeds. Keep on laughing guys and pray for a miracle for incompetent ministers to be sacked and this hotel to be completed, and up and running in time.
so why start a new one when two is incomplete and the other has not even seen a brick? Alas one day Dominicans will stop allowing themselves to be fooled over and over and over and over.
This ground breaking ceremony should have been for a much needed Hospital. My people are we losing insight? Where is our common sense , so many Hotels around and they are all empty. Who will full that Hotel? The health of the people is the wealth of the country.
An American movie (Field of Dreams) told us that “if you build it they will come.” Perhaps this resort will be a driver for increased tourism. However, I notice that the Dominica Tourism Association and Destination Dominica Authority have been oddly silent on the question of this Dominica Government funded (but foreign owned) resort. What say you Mr. Nassief?
https://dominicanewsonline.com/news/homepage/news/economy-development/savarin-praises-coast-guard/
Keep it real. There are people who will still find nothing wrong with the deception and the opaque operation of our government.
time will tell, I hope that’s not a typo though 2018 instead of 2081, but hoping it comes true… 2018 shall be waiting
Not being against development and jobs for our people,but this area is not fit for this project,it is a protected sight,and the floods we have been getting.More disaster and destruction.
it completed already
These socalled developers take us for fools. This is pure nonsense that the hotel will be completed in 3 years. They know that and I do not know why they insist on taking us for a ride. This type of development is fraught with challenges. First and foremost is the sale of the units. Remember the developers rely on the pre-sale of units to raise capital. They do not come in with any significant capital. Their pockets are empty and they pay themselves hefty amounts and live lavish lifestyle on proceeds from the sale of the passports.
Why is Skerrit not present for such a grand occasion? I sure will not be fooled in believing the wife under medical observation story. Folks, take a look at these dates:
1. the ground breaking ceremony held at Portsmouth on October 16, according to DNO. Note October 16.
2. Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit is set to leave Dominica tomorrow, Thursday, October 15th, for approximately 10 days. Note OCt. 15, according to DNO.
3. A Chinese billionaire accused of taking part in a complex scheme to bribe United Nations officials will be allowed to post bail and enter home detention after a ruling on Friday- The New York Times. By the way, Fridays date was the 16th ok? Bear in mind date of his release was expected since on the 14th.
Note the address for NG’s home arrest: “on East 47th Street, near the United Nations” http://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/17/nyregion/chinese-billionaire-accused-in-un-graft-scheme-is-given-home-detention.html.
Passing cloud I\’m not so smart, please elaborate
@ Lipper, I am not to smart either, I am simply a passing cloud tat happens to be passing all over. But those dates above should live us wondering if those passing clouds turned into rain
Is either Dominicans are drunkards, blind, naïve, bewitched, fools, ignorant, or just flat out say given up. At 7:08pm, I have 1 thumbs up verses 12 thumbs down? These issues I raised should have caused us to ask ourselves some serious questions. But I guess the nation has fallen asleep and can’t understand a thing. Keep on being fooled
The question Dominicans should be asking themselves is, why is PM Roosevelt Skerrit tot present during this ground breaking ceremony, that will be adding 500 jobs to our economy?
I know we will say is because his wife is under medical supervision. But please people, it’s high time to stop being fooled by skerrit. First of all he did it through a press release and didn’t face the media. The excuse given is, wife is under “medical observation”. What is medical observation? It sure is not the same as hospital supervision. I leave in the US and all three of my children were born here. It is a fact that all expecting moms are to be under “medical observation,” at list three months after pregnancy is confirmed. It is just routine to get checkups, vitamins and delivery classes etc. So don’t take it to mean that Mrs. Skerrit is not well because he did not say that.
Godspead. Dominica needs five- stars hotels. Let us all keep in view June 2018 or thereabout as the contracted completion date. Transparency and accoutability to Dominicans require the following information,fortwith: (1)total number of passports to be sold for this investment;(2)agent(s) for this investment;(3) size of the investment AS IT RELATES TO the sale of Dominican passports;(4)is an heliport to be included on the compound to facilitate patrons via Antigua, Guadeloupe, Martinique, St Lucia, St Martin airports by helicopter service?Hope there is no CONSTRUCTION FRAUD to bedevil this economic citizenship project. Let the works begin in earnest.
How does one apply for a job on this project.
I have a small machine and want to know the process to apply.
Does anyone know?
DNO, what is wrong with this blog? I find you are very unfair to me and for some unknown reason you just refuse to moderate my blogs, no matter how hard I try. I will paste it below again and if you do not want me to comment please tell me so I will not interfere with your site, because I posted on Friday about 4:15pm
But there is something very fishy about that ground breaking thing you know. I mean the GB is today at 3:pm and the prime minister left the country yesterday? Boy according to Ian D they fooled me already not once not twice, not three times, and therefore I will not be fooled again.
I do not want to sound negative but Ian is right it will be a game changer but I don’t think is for the best, a game changer for the worst I believe. Who can blame anyone for sounding negative on this project.
1…Layou River Hotel
2….The one which was supposed to be built at Soufriere
3….One which was suppose to be by the public works area
4….The one which is on a 2 year stand still at Cabrits
We have been taken for so many rides and it seems like we will continue if Dominicans do not open their eyes and see what is happening around them. Con men after con men getting wealthy on us while we are getting poorer and poorer and the sad thing is, we are actually embracing the fact that we are getting poorer. I really do not know what we have done to get this treatment form our leaders.
Sad Times In Dominica…sad times
Every Dominican would like to see this project successfully completed however, the portion of our brain that stores memory, tells us otherwise. We can recall the Guinness Development Plan in Pointe Round, the proposed free port under the former Labor Party, the Layou River Hotel debacle under Mamo, the Moroccan Guest House that is still incomplete today and of course, the grand luxury edifice on the grounds of the former Public Works Garage. In essence, I will believe it when I see it. Don’t tell us anymore. Just show us.
This hotel will attract visitors to come to our shores, and it will benefited other hotels in Dominica because Dominica will be a wonderful detination for tourists, when yuge numbers of tourists start coming to Dominica this hotel gonna over booked and they will booked to other hotels here, Folks any company that create jobs in a country it’s great like it or not.So please stop saying negative stuff towards this new hotel.
This sounds very promising. One can only hope that this time is not just talk.
hope this one is completed