Jungle Bay Resort and Spa has reopened its doors as a 5-star hotel at Morne Acouma in Soufriere.
The resort was destroyed by landslides caused by Tropical Storm Erika on August 27th 2015, leaving 65 persons jobless as a result. Forty farmers farmers also relied on purchases from Jungle Bay for their livelihood. There was no loss of life or injuries at the time of disaster as guests were relocated to the Delices Primary School.
Developer of Jungle Bay Resort, Sam Raphael encourages Dominicans here and abroad to see this reopening as an opportunity to open more businesses on island.
He spoke at the opening ceremony and official vine cutting on Sunday, June 30th 2019 in Soufriere.
“I encourage Dominicans at home and abroad to see this as an improvement in an enabling environment for business and to seize the opportunity like I encourage the people from Soufriere and the surrounding environment,” Raphael said
“We are going to need additional hotel rooms…there will be spin off businesses for accommodation of guest houses and so on,” Raphael stated. “Certainly, we need a lot of activity because we don’t want our people to be bored. We don’t want them to say we’re tired of eating that hotel food; we want them to get that local food. We want activities, things for them to do, specialty niche activities that they can enjoy.”
He said hotels that are being built all over Dominica can also be used as business opportunities for Dominicans.
Jungle Bay will have 85 rooms, two restaurants, swimming pools, fourteen studio spas, two yoga studios and many other amenities on completion. The first 30 rooms were opened on Sunday (phase one) and the remaining rooms should be completed by next year.
Close to 60 permanent staff members are currently employed at the resort along with a little over 100 construction workers. Overtime the hotel staffing is expected to increase to 160 workers.
Sam has found comfort with the corrupt cabal and therefore can boast of seeing and living his dream in this new Jungle Bay project in spite the impact of Tropical Storm Erika and the losses he suffered in the millions. To bounce back in a new location and at a larger scale, in such a short space of time points to the vast amount of resources made available to Sam. I am happy for the people who will benefit but saddened that the same benefit extended to Sam did not go to the owners of some of the indigenous hotels on island especially those along the newton and castle comfort main road. Sam has the audacity to asked his peers in the industry to step up their game as their will be spill offs from his new empire. He fails to appeal to his friends in his cabal to assist where possible to get those hotels back on their feet. Hotels that have been in existence for well over 40 years with a repeat client base and community flavor. Sam’s failure! is it based on selfishness or just ego!
SHREWD.The Hotel was financed by the CBI.You must do some reading.Ask your BOSS,he is chairman of the PUBLIC ACCOUNTS COMMITTEE.Also ask him what happen to monies collected under the RE-ENGINEERED CITIZEN PROGRAMME The $ 1,600,000 fertilizer BOBOL.The $ 6,000,000 collected from Switzerland for Passports.The 4,000,000 BOBOL on the valley road.As them about the RISE and FALL of the Layou 5 Star Hotel.When you are done ask DNO if they are a part of,ALEX GOEBBELS BRUNO and UWP propaganda machine.Then go question Sam Raphael.If you have a problem ask Viewsexpress,Ibo France,Pipo,Massacre,LaPlaine Observer,Gabriel St.Jean,% to help,all FAILURES,WASTE OF TIME.A bunch of JA’S being led by a bigger JA.
Mr Sam Raphael, can you please tell us how this new hotel was financed, how much money was spent, if Dominica’s passports was sold in other to finance it, is it a loan, how much was the loan, what is the interest rate, who owns the hotel, and is there an outstanding debt on the old jungle bay, Please be transparent.
and how the f*** is that your business??….it wasnt your business when he slaving to develop the first one….so why is it your business now?
Ever heard of insurance??
Doesn’t matter how many stars YOU decide your property is rated . If you cater to international clients and your employees are not trained your online reviews will dicrate your stars and outcome .
Will be interesting to see how they plan to bring in the tourists to fill the rooms?
Well done Mr Sam Raphael, You are a true born Dominican a man with hope vision and passion unlike that negative wicked lots and their followers calling themselves workers ha ha ha these clowns have never done anything for Dominica, only to bashed Mr Skerrit and his government with rubbish Rum talk. As I said Mr Sam Raphael keep the good work going you are blessed!!!
I support Sam Raphael, a born Dominican who is trying. Yes, we want, demand and deserve more transparency in the passport sales business from which Sam benefited. Truth be told that money which financed Jungle Bay should be placed in a loan facility at our National Bank for lending to deserving companies on a merit based system that shows viability of the business. Why I like what Sam has done is because of his focus on sustainable tourism and incorporating locals in the tourism product. He is trying to spread the wealth in the community and buy local. If the passport money was invested transparently in such wise projects which benefited the masses, we would have no complaints. However, the appearance of corruption, cronyism, bias and lack of transparency undermines the passport business and taints good projects like Jungle Bay. I wish Sam and Jungle Bay well and may ordinary Dominicans prosper not just a few.
Congratulations Sam! We wish you all the best. Your investment will bring employment and life to the Soufriere constituency. To all the haters (UWPites), can you for once focus on the positive? I don’t understand how someone can say they love their country but pull down all what is good in the name of politics. Shameful!
Nobody wishing Sam and his new jungle Bay not to be successful. Is just his new found allegiance I question and how much of the money he makes will stay here because all these new enterprises with concessions allowed to repatriate their profits anywhere they like, even off shore account in the BVI. Yes, wages will be paid here and also local supliers but no tax on profits and little import duty.
As usual yours truly was there to give his speech and try to look good. Look at all the foreigners who bought citizenship in the crowd. Will they be getting free rooms?
This is a mixed bag of blessings. What will happen to us financially, when guys like Sam are given free money to develop their businesses, while bypassing the banks? Furthermore, what’s the road like leading to Soufriere? Has it been repaired and widened to include illumination at night? This is what drives a nightlife. The ability to travel easily from one part of the island to the next.
This is a wonderful thing for the country. The question that I pose is: how many locally owned small businesses got the opportunity to provide their services and participate in the financial stakes of this project. On a larger scale, how many locally owned businesses are involved in sourcing to all these grand building projects that are going on? When we look, all we see are foreign companies sharing the milk from this cow, our Dominican workers and businesses are not getting anything. MMCE’s getting all housing projects but with no Dominican contractors, off-island companies buildinh hotels, bridges and what have, but with no Dominican contractors. Dominican CBI money, off-island people getting paid.
Sellout,how much shares does Skerrit owe,just look @ the audience,bunch of wastes.
Make sure to get adequate insurance coverage for your property in the event of the next hurricane.
Thank you Sam for diving us all this information. However, the citizens of Dominica would like to know what stake the country has in your development now since Skerrit gave you passports to sell. Or did he, as he wants us to believe, give you the passports in exchange for you to create jobs, jobs which would have been created one way or another. Sam, since you made such a fine speech why didn’t you update the citizens on your new relationship with this corrupt government??
“Sam Raphael encourages Dominicans here and abroad to see this reopening as an opportunity to open more businesses on island”.
Seriously MyYout??? Open businesses like what, for who and where is folks to come support the Businesses,,,
Just because you were able to get farmers money to rebuild your spot doesn’t mean that all is well at Dominica,,,
For the Umpteenth time Marn warning allyou, allyou putting allyou eggs in the wrong basket,,,
From 2015 allyou got jammed up with Hurricane damages and it’s not 2019 that’s 4 years in any accounting formula allyou use,,,
When David came and knocked down them Bananas in a matter of no time farmers was replanted and things was in full swing again,,,
If allyou had invest in agricultural products allyou would be reopened in a matter of 6 months!!!
What if another major Hurricane hit again this season then what!!!
I hope all of Dominica share in this endeavor financed by their passport money.
The article mention Jungle Bay as a 5 star hotel… PLEASE!!! IT IS NOT. First of all Jungle Bay just opened its doors so it could not be rated by AA, or Forbes, or HOTREC, reputable organizations responsible for hotel 5 star ratings, not even by visitor reviews so please stop misleading the public. When you go to 5 star hotel Your jaw should drop when you walk into a 5-star hotel. The hotel’s lobby will display decorative furniture, expensive artwork, and fragrant flowers. A 5-star hotel will also have highly-rated spas with professionally-trained therapists, a state-of-the-art gym, indoor and outdoor saltwater swimming pools, gourmet restaurants, and inviting check-in facilities. Guest rooms elicit the same excellence, with top-of-the-line beds and bedding, impeccable cleanliness, and an inviting lounge area with the latest technology in both video and audio devices.
Trust me, jungel bay maybe 1 star, but definitely not 5, so please stop misleading the public.
Maybe it is five star rating by the Discovery Dominica authority.
Good luck to you Sam there are some people that just cant stand progress and will do any thing to tear you down like they say if you cant say something good keep your mouth shut some of these comment just hate full some people dont do nothing for their line to help their country but they criticize others that do heads up sam you are a hard worker.
I do not believe any right-thinking Dominican would want this venture to be a failure. Mr. Raphael’s previous operation was a success. However, at the same time people are entitled to ask questions and express their concern. For instance, how will the guests get to the location. Access was always a problem and Mr. Raphael tried to remedy that by setting up his own airline, Humming Bird but soon enough found out that the cost exceeded any gains. Meanwhile, air access to Dominica has not improved since while its infrastructure is still not up to scratch and it would be re-assuring to hear from this entreprising gentleman how he plans to address that this time. I can not rely on promises from the government and I’m sure that neither does Sam Raphael. I wish him and Jungle Bay good luck
Had the Skeritt led Administration done its work, Dominica would have received the test match between West Indies and India. Instead, the match was transferred to Antigua. What would have been a most excellent way to open the Resort, then to have both teams being accommodated at the Resort.
Am happy that many will be employed. But i do hope when business starts booming he’ll pay the money back that was given to him to rebuild. If we have to just give away Dominica money without any one paying back will be in big trouble financially.
The last hotel he build was on passport money. Maria destroyed it and insurance compensated whom? Did he get insurance money or the person who gave him the money to build it aka the govt of Dominica treasury? Now he gets more passport money when is he going to repay? When a bank gives a loan the insurance goes to the bank what happened in his case?
when talking about money and passport we must ask Linton if he going to continue or stop selling them or how he about to raise funds for the country even America selling passport what you think the EV5 in go on line and look it up they are selling for millions every day during the world cup they advertise it and labor party the one that started that so you all should kill that passport talk.
Sam
I was impressed when it was half done, so the finished product must be great .Congratulations to You and all those who made it possible , including the hard front line workers .Please never forget that .
I still do wish to ask though , what percentage belongs to the Government of Dominica, or rather the people of Dominica.
Of course you do know the passports and donated funds were the property of Dominicans and not solely you .
Great work though . You have one of the best locations on the Island , now lets get Hummingbird Air going to avoid guests being stranded by LIAT experience.
Wishes of Success extended .
It’s all about “What is in it for me”. To hell with Dominica!!!
What have you done for Dominica? You have only bashed and belittled Dominica; hypocrite.
It is amazing what our Passport money have done to benefit just a few of us! They have never had it so good and we have never had it so bad. Whaaooo whaoo whaaoo ! How did we get from there to here?
Raphael, God bless that day you did not listen to that MAD MONK of the UWP. Remember he told you do not do business under the DLP government ,wait when, if ever THEY get into office to start your business?! You hear madness!?
Sam, trust me. If you had ever did that mistake, you would be waiting and tired of waiting. But we ALL know you are not that Novice and the kind of bum bum fly. You taught him a lesson. Don’t test your intelligence. Congrats to you sir. Best of luck in your endeavor.
God is good all the time and ALL the time God is good.
Excellent! Excellent! Sam ! Keep up the fantastic work.
Good to hear but how many passports you sold
Hope selling your soul to this corrupt regime boosts your profits immensely
Wow. We have some real diehard negative minds in Dominica. Those are some real enemy of state with only negative wishes for our Dominican people. but what can you expect from those 5th graders.
Why not give Sam his due ? Why not give him words of congratulations and support and wish him success. I am really amaze that uwp and their people are trying to trash and knock down this fantastic contribution to our economic development. Sam is setting a good example/model for Dominicans who want to see us moving forward; for Dominicans who may wish to come home and set up business or work in the hospitality sector.
We need 10 more like Sam. We need more people to tie into the government tourist policy. Great job Sam. CONGRATULATIONS . You are a real path finder and a pioneer. Thanks.