MAYOR Charles Sinclair visited the RIU construction site this week, apparently in response to complaints from neighbouring properties of noise and dust caused by the hotel construction and the movement of vehicles and equipment.

SINCLAIR. awaiting building inspector's recommendations

In one case, the general manager of Sandals Royal Caribbean went to the building site to report that his guests were complaining bitterly about the noise and inconvenience after work hours. He was reportedly ignored by site managers who refused to entertain him.

Asked to comment, Gordon 'Butch' Stewart, chairman of Sandals Resorts International which has 2,700 bedrooms in 12 hotels in Jamaica, said it was unacceptable that RIU's construction activities should be disrupting neighbouring properties because of breaches of the building permit.

Stewart, who is on record as welcoming the competition, but suggesting that the RIU buildings were "massive concrete jungles which do not fit into the natural tapestry of the resort areas", added that it was a shame that although the government at the time had "over-assisted RIU" to establish itself in Jamaica, the hotel was recklessly operating without concern for its neighbours.

Stewart, who was obviously angered by the complaints from his guests, said the Spanish hotel chain was "not internationally respected as a quality product" and should refrain from activities that could force down hotel rates.
A second property owner who asked not to be named said RIU, by breaching the building permit, could drive away tourists and cheapen the resorts in which it operated.

"They are doing things which locals could not get away with. They piggyback on the hard work that we have done to build a respectable marketplace and then turn around and ignore the traditional rules of good business," she said.

"They undermine instead of enhancing our tourism product. It is Jamaica which will lose in the end, because when rates fall, workers whose gratuities are based on room occupancy, will take home less money and the economy suffers. They (RIU) are giving the Spanish a bad name in Jamaica," she added.

Mothers can't father

Trousers in Denim

Cream of the 'Crop'