The Jalousie Plantation resort, nestled between St Lucia�s World Heritage-listed Pitons, has introduced the island�s first environmentally-friendly hybrid solar-powered golf cart to transport guests around the 192 acre property with zero emissions.

The new cart, designed and built in China, is among the first such vehicles in the Caribbean and will eventually replace all of the petrol powered carts and mini-buses currently used to shuttle guests around Jalousie.

The Kor Hotel Group, which manages The Jalousie Plantation, is dedicated to programmes which ensure environmental sustainability, and maximum involvement and benefits to the local communities where their properties are based.

Kor�s Second Nature programme embraces initiatives with a strong eco-conscience and encourages hotels in the group to source produce, arts, crafts and other supplies locally to reduce the over-all carbon footprint of hotel operations and minimize the impact on the local and global environment while at the same time maximizing the benefits to the local community.

�We want to play our part at The Jalousie Plantation in supporting the environmentally-conscious initiatives of Kor and the new hybrid solar-powered golf cart is seen as a first step in helping us to do this,� Jalousie�s General Manager, Rodrigo Caldeira said.

The new cart has a large photovoltaic cell on its roof which converts the St Lucian sunshine into the electricity used to power the vehicle. On rare rainy days, the vehicle can be plugged into the main electrical outlet for charging.

�Eventually all of the vehicles we use at Jalousie will be gasoline-free and this will help us to lessen our emissions of green house gases which are having a tremendous impact on eco-systems around the world and contributing to climatic change and global warming,� Mr Caldeira said. �The new cart also significantly reduces noise pollution and makes a great contribution in our efforts to reduce our consumption of fossil fuels and in ensuring our operations are environmentally sustainable.�

In addition to the new solar-powered golf cart, other environmental initiatives at The Jalousie Plantation include the introduction of energy efficient appliances in all of its new luxury villa suites; using locally sourced and organic fruits, vegetables, fish, meat and other produce in the resort restaurants whenever possible; and making use of local arts and crafts both as in-room amenities and in the hotel�s public areas.

-Ends-

Note to Editors: Located in the Val des Pitons (Valley of the Pitons), a UNESCO World Heritage site, the Jalousie Plantation in St Lucia has a spectacular setting with 192 acres of rainforest and a stunning white sand beach.

While there had been plans to close Jalousie this summer for a US$100 million renovation and relaunch as The Tides Sugar Beach, the hotel's management company, Kor Hotel Group, and the property owner Roger Myers, as a result of a request from the St Lucian Government, have decided to continue operating the hotel in tandem with the development of new luxury villa suites.

The majority of the 150 new luxury villa suites are expected to be completed by the end of 2009, with a brief closure period scheduled for the summer of 2010 to facilitate final enhancements to the hotel�s public areas. Once works are complete, The Jalousie Plantation will be relaunched and re-branded as Tides Sugar Beach, St Lucia, part of Kor's acclaimed 'chic by the shore' Tides hotel brands, which also includes properties in Miami's South Beach and Mexico's popular Riviera Maya and Zihuatanejo resort areas.

The new luxury villa suites are available for freehold purchase through a buy-to-let arrangement, which gives owners four weeks usage per year while also receiving a percentage of the hotel room profits. Prices range from $700,000 to $2,100,000. For real estate enquiries contact Lisa Basire at Sugar Beach Villas on +44 (0)20 8812 4773 and www.sugarbeachvillas.com

www.thejalousieplantation.com Press Contact: Molly McDaniel, PR Director, The Jalousie Plantation Cell: +1 758 485 1464, Tel/fax: +1 758 458 0931, Email: mcdaniel.molly@gmail.com