Construction managers for the Marriott-branded hotel say they are aiming for an April month-end completion date for the structure and they expect that the project can be commissioned by August 2014.
A Government Information Agency (GINA) report said during a visit to the site on Wednesday, President Donald Ramotar was impressed at the rate at which construction was progressing.
Ramotar was accompanied by Chinese Ambassador to Guyana Zhang Limin, officials from Shanghai Construction Group (SCG), Minister of Finance Dr Ashni Singh and Minister of Public Works Robeson Benn on a tour of the ten-storey facility.
The 197-room hotel, overlooking the Atlantic will boast a large ballroom, conference centre, casino, entertainment complex, restaurant, concrete walkway, swimming pool, sport facilities and other amenities suited to a world-class hotel, GINA said.
A night club will be built at the western end of the facility and the ballroom will be on the eastern end. About 30 rooms will be built on either side of each floor while the presidential suite will be on the tenth floor.
According to GINA, the tour party noted “the unique safety features the Chinese have applied in the construction process that are common techniques in mainland China, but are also supplementing efforts at promoting speed and efficiency.”
Deputy Project Manager Xu Jei was pleased to report that there have been no accidents among the team of 127 Chinese nationals working on the project. Suppliers of concrete blocks, lumber, sand, gravel and cement have also been delivering on request, he said.
According to GINA, security, waste disposal and other services for the project will be sourced locally and plans are in train next year to contract qualified and professional local subcontractors for drainage and other works. As such, the SCG denies the notion that local workers are being denied employment. The deputy project manager gave assurances to Ramotar that the project has in fact provided employment opportunities here.
The project had its genesis in December 2009 when a Letter of Intent was executed between Atlantic Hotel Inc and Marriott. Ramotar had said that it was important for the tourism sector.
“We have great possibilities for making the tourism sector a major contributor to the economy of our country and you know that our government has been constantly focusing on broadening the base of our economy that was too narrowly dependent on a few products,” he said.
