ST JAMES, Jamaica (JIS) — Mayor of Falmouth, Councillor Colin Gager, says the opening of the 315-room Excellence Oyster Bay hotel in Trelawny on June 1 is timely for residents of the parish and neighbouring communities.

In an interview with JIS News yesterday, Gager said he is happy Trelawny will once again be the beneficiary of a major tourism development, noting that the Excellence Group Luxury Hotels & Resorts is “an excellent fit” in the plans that are in store for the parish.

“The opening of the Excellence resort in Oyster Bay comes at a time when billions of dollars will be pumped into the town of Falmouth by the Port Authority of Jamaica for infrastructural development,” Gager pointed out.

“It also comes at a time when cruise shipping is starting to once again gain traction and when there are plans to clean and beautify our historic buildings, including our famed Water Square area, and where we are ready to take on the mantle as the premier destination anywhere in the Caribbean,” he said.

The mayor said he is most pleased with the knowledge that the people of Trelawny, “who have waited patiently for their turn,” will be benefiting greatly from “the vote of confidence”.

“I think I speak for the entire parish in that no one could in good faith begrudge us for all the wonderful things that are happening,” he added.

The Excellence Group Luxury Hotels & Resorts will on June 1 become the newest member of the country’s growing number of luxury brands with the opening of the US$110-million hotel.

This follows the ground-breaking ceremony last March where the luxury chain first announced its intention to enter the Jamaican market, joining Royalton White Sands and Blue Waters, and Melia Braco as the three main internationally recognised properties to set up operations in Trelawny.