St Ann MP slams PNP for failed Palace hotel deal
Published:Thursday | March 19, 2020 | 9:09 AM
Member of Parliament for North East St Ann Shahine Robinson has taken the People’s National Party (PNP) to task over the collapse of the multimillion-dollar deal between Palace Resorts Group and the state-owned Urban Development Corporation (UDC).
Palace recently wrote to the UDC indicating its withdrawal from the deal citing, among other things, concerns about false political commentary which it says is damaging to its brand and reputation.
Palace and UDC had inked a US$7.2 million deal which saw the sale of two beachfront properties in Ocho Rios, St Ann. Palace was to construct a new hotel adjacent to Moon Palace Hotel, which it currently operates.
The deal was slammed by the Office of the Contractor General in a 2019 report, in which it concluded that the country did not get value for money.
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The office cited that the properties were valued at between US$11,830,200 and US$13,550,000 but that an agreement was stuck for US$7.2 million.
The deal was heavily criticised by members of the PNP.
Robinson, who is also the Minister of Labour and Social Security, says the collapse of the Palace-UDC deal is a devastating blow to the people of North East St Ann and the wider parish.
“Through vulgar political jabs and desperation for power the PNP hurt the lives and pockets of the people of St Ann, they will however never hurt our spirit,” she said in a statement.
“Unfortunately we cannot say this investment died of natural causes,” said Robinson.
Robinson said the collapse of the hotel deal comes against the backdrop of the fall out already being experience in NE St Ann because of the new coronavirus.
She noted that the fall-off in cruise visitors has had a debilitating effect on the lives of many locals who service the industry.
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