WITH THE legs of bauxite and alumina and remittances weakening, Prime Minister Bruce Golding is convinced that tourism is Jamaica's hope of filling the gaping holes that threaten to derail the country's economy.

Speaking at the opening of the multimillion-dollar Jamaica Tourism Centre at Queens Drive in Montego Bay, St James, yesterday, Golding did not shy away from the controversy surrounding the building that remained locked for months, costing the Government a pretty penny.

The prime minister blamed the delay on a number of inefficiencies in the system, including procurement procedures and errors and omissions that he did not consider excusable. However, he was quick to point out how pivotal the investment was in moving forward.

Critical

The centre has been tagged a 'One Stop' shop by Minister of Tourism Edmund Bartlett.

It will house agencies that fall under the Ministry of Tourism, including the ministry's marketing, the Jamaica Tourist Board, Tourism Development Company, Tourism Enhancement Fund and the agency that drives airline business to the county, Jamaica Vacations .

"This facility is critical to the industry and it may very well be that one may think we should have avoided the cost associated with it, but it might very well be that it's at a time like this that we need to expend this type of expenditure because of the challenges we face," said Golding.