NASSAU: $250 Million Hotel Project Breaks Ground In Nassau

A new $250 million dollar development has broken ground in Nassau.

Pointe, as it is known, is slated to include 200 guest rooms, world-class shopping, fine dining options, and a 1,000-car garage.

China’s state-owned China Construction America will be the primary investor, developer and contractor on the project.

The company has been in the news of late as the contractor on the now-troubled Baha Mar project.


“The Pointe represents another substantial milestone for us in that, different from our other project in the Bahamas, China Construction America will be the sole investor, developer and contractor for The Pointe Project,” Pointe President Daniel Liu.

Its parent company, the state-owned China State Construction Engineering Corporation, purchased the project lot and the adjacent British Colonial Hilton hotel in 2014.

“I would like to thank the Developer, China State Construction and Engineering Corporation, and Mr. Ning Yuan, its chairman, for the investment of $250 million in this harbour-front project, the 250 construction jobs being undertaken by Bahamians and the future employment prospects for 500 Bahamians in the operation and management of the hotel and residential units,” said Bahamas Prime Minister Perry Christie. “This does not include the number of Bahamians who I expect will be employed by retail owners when the facility is fully subscribed and stores are operational.”

Pointe has announced a planned completion date of 2017.

CURACAO: Upgrade Project At Curaçao’s Kontiki Beach Resort

Curaçao’s Kontiki Beach Resort has embarked on a major upgrade project, according to the country’s tourist board.

The 80-room property has announced a full room product upgrade.

The project includes changes to a variety of in-room amenities, including flat-screen TVs, walk-in rain showers and new colors.

The upgrade project is slated for completion by the end of the summer.

The hotel first opened in 2010.

ST MAARTEN: At St Maarten’s Sonesta Ocean Point, A New Kind of All-Inclusive

ST MAARTEN — The hotel room.

There are so many, big and small, in the Caribbean, and to this day no one really seems to be able to define what a “Caribbean” hotel room should look like.

At the end of the day, though, does it really matter? What a traveler wants is good design, functional design and the little things that make him or her feel special. That and a spectacular view, of course.



That brings us to the new Sonesta Ocean Point, the high-end all inclusive that opened just a few months ago in the Maho corner of St Maarten.

And this 129-suite hotel, located in a cliffside behind the famous Sonesta Maho, is a stunner — and it all begins with a new take on the all-inclusive bracelet — instead of irritating paper, it’s a soft cloth. But it also doubles as the room key.

Because, here, it’s all about design — from the high-backed chairs in the lobby to the modern, striking cliff-side restaurant called Azul to one of the coolest pools in the Caribbean: a sloping, flat pool edged with sand that just nigh replicates the feeling of a beach.

And then there are the suites, which are, by far, this hotel’s party piece: large, modern, crisp, but with all the little touches that take things the extra mile.


That means a Nespresso machine in every room; Molton Brown toiletries; a slick flat screen; a wine cooler that, if you stay more than five nights, is stocked with a different bottle each night; four full bottles of top-shelf liquor like Appleton VX; a large, beautiful soaking tub. And instead of a table and chairs, a big clamshell cushion that feels like your own private cabana.

The rooms have an immense build quality, whether you’re in a rooftop butler suite or the rather clever swim up suites on the first floor.


And then there’s the view – a shot of the teal waters of Maho and the always entertaining landings at Princess Juliana International Airport.


This is a well designed hotel, which comes with a jaw-droppingly cool sunset bar and some unexpectedly great food like snapper cooked in coconut milk.

The verdict? This is a very cool all inclusive, and makes a big statement about what the all inclusive category should look and feel like.

JAMAICA: Jamaica Secures 60,000 New Airline Seats

Jamaica’s set for a major airlift boost this tourist season.

The island has secured more than 60,000 new airline seats, according to Tourism Director Paul Pennicook.

The director announced the news during the JAPEX conference in Montego Bay.

Of the new seats, about 50,000 are coming out of the United States.

“Some of those (flights) will be new to Jamaica and we are very excited about them,” Pennicook said. “Come Dec. 18, American Airlines introduces a non-stop service from Los Angeles into Montego Bay on weekends. Come November 1, South West Airlines introduces daily service from Houston into Montego Bay and come Dec. 1, Frontier Airlines comes into Montego Bay for days per week from Philadelphia.”

Some of the flights include increased service out of Minneapolis on Delta and flights from Gothenburg, Sweden, Oslo, Norway and potentially one out of Dublin next summer.

“We are very excited about the future, because we are having new rooms built, we are having rooms refurbished, products are being upgraded, there are attractions…and we have the airline seats to go with it, so we are looking forward to a wonderful 2016,” Pennicook said.

LIAT’s Newest Hire

Regional air carrier LIAT has named Captain Arthur Senhouse its new Director, Flight Operations.

The appointment, which took effect Sept. 1, includes responsibility for “all aspects of the airline’s flight operations.”

Senhouse has been with the company since 1987, having held a number of senior positions including chairman of the Leeward Islands Airline Pilots Association.

“We are pleased to announce the appointment of Captain Senhouse in the role of Director Flight Operations, overseeing one of the most important aspects of our airline’s operations,” said LIAT Chief Executive Officer David Evans. “His extensive experience within the airline will certainly add strength and depth to our senior management team.”

In a statement, Senhouse said he was “humbled” by the decision.

“I have joined the management team of LIAT when the airline is at the crossroads of completing its fleet renewal programme and totally reinventing itself into a Caribbean entity we can be proud of,” he said.

DOMINICA: LIAT Returning To Dominica

LIAT will resume flights to and from Dominica’s Douglas-Charles Airport beginning Friday, September 18, the airline said in a statement.

LIAT was forced to suspend its services to Dominica on August 27 following the passage of Tropical Storm Erika, which resulted in widespread damage to the island and the closure of the airport.

The airline will operate one flight to Dominica on Friday, and then increase its services to two daily flights beginning Saturday.

“We are extremely happy to be returning to Dominica,” said Chief Executive Officer David Evans. “This would not have been possible without the spirit of community and resilience for which Dominica is well known.”

LI 581 will depart V.C. Bird International Airport in Antigua at 7:10 a.m. daily and arrive at the Douglas-Charles Airport at 7:50 a.m., while the return service, LI 580, will depart Dominica at 8:30 a.m. and arrive in Antigua at 9:10 a.m.

Beginning Saturday, LI 364 will depart Grantley Adams International Airport in Barbados at 2:20 p.m. daily, and arrive in Dominica at 3:20 p.m.

LIAT’s service to Guadeloupe and Antigua will continue on Saturday, Tuesday, and Thursday, and its non=stop service to Antigua will continue on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

The airline recommends that customers traveling from Dominica arrive at the airport at least three hours prior to the scheduled departure time to account for the increased security and baggage checks at the Douglas-Charles Airport.

ARUBA: InselAir Launching Flights To Quito

Dutch Caribbean carrier InselAir is launching another new destination: Ecuador.

The carrier will be launching nonstop flights from Aruba to Quito, beginning Oct. 29.

The three-hour flights will operate on Thursdays and Sundays.

“Quito has proven to be a popular destination in past, but InselAir also expects to transport many passengers from other destinations to Quito and vice versa,” the company said in a statement.

InselAir will be operating the service on Fokker 70 aircraft.

The return flights will operate on Fridays and Mondays from Quito to Aruba.

GUADELOUPE: Winair Increasing Service to Dominica, Guadeloupe

Regional air carrier Winair has announced the launch of additional schedule service to Dominica and Guadeloupe, the company announced.

The twice-weekly service, which will begin Oct. 3, will feature a flight originating in Guadeloupe, stopping in Dominica and returning to the carrier’s hub in St Maarten.

The flights out of St Maarten will stop in Dominica then Guadeloupe.

Winair will operate the flights on ATR 500 aircraft.

The company is also operating DHC 600 Twin Otter flights to Canefield in Dominica five times a week until Oct. 25.

VIRGIN ISLANDS: The US Virgin Islands Is Suing Hess for $1.5 Billion

The US Virgin Islands government is suing the Hess Corporation for shuttering the HOVENSA refinery in 2012, Governor Kenneth Mapp announced Monday.

According to a complaint filed in Superior Court, the USVI is alleging that Hess committed “serious violations of the law” in closing what was the Caribbean’s largest refinery.

The lawsuit is seeking at least $1.5 billion in damages, a figure it says covers at least $150 million per year in benefits to the people of the territory from 2012 to 2022. The latter date was the time through which Hess “was obligated under the law to continue operating the refinery,” the government said.

The damages triple under Virgin Islands law.

“The is not about a business disagreement. It is about Hess breaking the law,” Mapp said. “The Territory of the Virgin Islands expect that the law is followed by every entity that does business here. Hess violated the law and its obligations to the people.”

The closure of the refinery was devastating to the Virgin Islands’ economy, as HOVENSA had been the USVI’s single-largest private employer.

But while Hess shuttered operations in 2012, then-US Virgin Islands Governor John de Jongh helped broker a deal under which a new company, Atlantic Basin Refining, would have purchased the refinery.

Under the terms of that proposed deal, which was later rejected by the USVI Senate, the government would have received $1.6 billion in fixed payments, with at least 700 jobs created.

HOVENSA was first launched in the mid 1960s on St Croix.

In its complaint, the USVI said that the Hess Corporation violated “the law that dictated operations through 2022.”

“This is about one thing: Hess breaking the law and the resulting hardship to the Territory of the Virgin Islands,” Mapp said. “There are consequences to breaking the law and Hess must fulfill its legal obligations to the Territory.”

The suite alleges that Hess violated the Criminally Influenced Corrupt Organization Act and other laws.

Hess has not yet released a statement on the lawsuit.