WESTERN BUREAU – Prime Minister P J Patterson yesterday announced that plans are well advanced for the acquisition of a property on the eastern side of the Lucea harbour in Hanover for the construction of a 1,500-room five-star hotel by a Spanish hotel chain.

Patterson did not give a timetable for the development of the project, but said that he hoped that it would get off the ground before he demits office. Patterson has long made it clear that he would retire before the next general elections, which are constitutionally due in 2007 is held.

“I am not going to give any inkling as to timetable but I am hoping to be at least here to break ground,” the prime minister told the large gathering at the commissioning of the $2.2 billion Great River/Lucea Water supply project.

Yesterday’s announcement by the prime minister is the latest of several overseas projects announced recently for the north and western sections of the island.

Projects already announced include the $72- billion complex in Harmony Cove, Trelawny; an 850-room hotel in Oyster Bay, St Ann, as well as the Pinero group’s 600 room property at Pear Tree River, St Ann; and a $5.3-million hotel in the Rose Hall area of St James.

Patterson also told yesterday’s function that design work for the construction of the Lucea Shipping Pier was progressing satisfactorily, and that negotiations were taking place for the acquisition of a parcel of land to facilitate the development.

In June, Transport and Works Minister Robert Pickersgill announced in Parliament that the Ports Authority of Jamaica was planning to build a cruise ship facility in Lucea.

At that time he said that the technical studies for the project had been completed and the Port Authority was about to have the drawings done.

“I am sure that the development of this part of Hanover between the harbour and the hotel makes progress for Lucea and its environs irreversible,” said the prime minister.

The Great River/Lucea water supply project was completed three months before schedule and within budget. It involved the expansion of the capacity of the New Great River Water Treatment Plant from 10 million gallons per day to 15 million gallons daily.

Works included the laying of 22 kilometres of 500-mm diameter pipeline along side the roadway from the water treatment plant on the St James/ Hanover border to Lucea.

The project was financed by BNP Paribas of France, National Commercial Bank and Pan Caribbean Financial Services, as well as through buyer credit guarantees from the French pipe manufacturing firm Pont a Mousson.