Edmond Campbell, Senior News Coordinator
Bartlett ... I urge the leadership of the country to fulfil its commitment to the Jamaican people by demonstrating an open Government.
THE OPPOSITION wants the Portia Simpson Miller-led administration to tell the country how it expended $1 billion on the proposed Harmony Cove development project in Trelawny, which at present has no infrastructure in place.
It is not the first time this issue has been raised in Parliament, but on Tuesday, Opposition Spokesman on Tourism, Edmund Bartlett, urged the leadership of the country to fulfil its commitment to the Jamaican people by demonstrating an open Government.
In his presentation to the Sectoral Debate, he told the House that the National Housing Trust (NHT), in its last published accounts, said it spent $685 million on the project. "I don't know what NIBJ (National Investment Bank of Jamaica) or DBJ (Development Bank of Jamaica) has spent to date, yet no one wants to answer the question. As I understand, the purchase price of the land is about $400 million, so what was the other $600 million spent on?" Mr. Bartlett queried.
DISCUSSIONS
When the issue was first addressed in Parliament in June, Leader of Government Business, Dr. Peter Phillips, tabled answers to the Opposition's concerns on the matter. He said at the time that given the stage of negotiations in which Harmonisation Limited was engaged, a disclosure of the total expenditure by Government would jeopardise its position in those discussions.
Harmonisation Limited, a Government-owned company, is involved in negotiations with private developer Tavistock Group with a view to develop the multimillion-dollar Harmony Cove Resort in Trelawny.
Dr. Phillips outlined in his answers tabled early last month that funds were spent to purchase Harmony Cove property; marketing of the property to prospective investors; development costs associated with the property, including the provision of water and security costs.
Harmony Cove Resort will be located
on approximately 1,400 acres of land and consists of four five-star hotels, including a 1,000-room convention hotel.
Approximately 200 upscale villas and manor houses will also to be constructed.
