By Andrew Green, Staff reporterNEVILLE BLYTHE, chairman UGI Group, is bringing another hotel under his wing.
Member of Parliament (MP) of East Kingston and Port Royal, Phillip Paulwell, last night confirmed that businessman Neville Blythe is in the final stages of acquiring the Morgan's Harbour Hotel. The UGI Group already owns the 79 room Golden Seas Beach Resort in St. Mary.
"It is an excellent acquisition by Neville Blythe," said Mr. Paulwell. "He has an approach that will see to the renovation of the premises and its expansion."
Mr. Blythe acknowledged just over a week ago that he was interested in buying the property. Wednesday Business was unable to get confirmation of the development from the UGI head yesterday.
HOLDING COMPANY
The UGI Group Limited is the holding company for several entities involved in key sectors of the Jamaican economy, namely finance, general insurance, tourism, printing, communications and related enterprises that form the UGI Group of Companies, the company stated on its website. UGI Group Limited was incorporated on the 4th June 1971, in the name Westmore Insurance Agency. The name was chanced to UGI Group Limited on 15th February, 1989. "Morgans Harbour will be enhanced with a major attraction being Port Royal," Mr. Paulwell said. The nearby Port Royal community has met with him, and he has co-opted their view for the overall development of the area.
The 45-room Morgan's Harbour is in the East Kingston and Port Royal constituency of Mr. Paulwell, who is also Minister of Commerce, Science & Technology. Plans for a massive development of Port Royal as a cruise ship resort were stalled by a lack of funding. Former tourism director Robert Stephens, who had spearheaded that project, has said in the new environment, the development could be done by developing the elements separately.
