EDITOR, The Tribune.
I owe a profound and abject apology to the Hon. Dionisio d’Aguilar (FNM-Free Town), the erstwhile Minister of Tourism. Last week, without first speaking to the Minister, as I should have done, I lambasted him in particular and the Minnis Administration in general for “terminating” nine persons, not eleven as I wrongly stated in an editorial, from the Freeport office of the Ministry of Tourism.
Recently, it was brought to my knowledge that those workers “terminated” had been hired by the former administration less than three weeks before the May 10th general elections. These “hires” would have cost the taxpayers at least B$750,000 per year. These hires were, clearly, an electoral ‘bribe’ and should not have happened so close to the elections.
Our staff complement at MOT here at home and abroad exceeds 400. In Jamaica there are less than 150 personnel for that whole Island state. Jamaica has one marketing office in the entire USA. We had six with a staff complement of less than 60. Our USA staff complement was over 120. Tourism is a dynamic and ever evolving industry. Most travel arrangements are now made online or via other electronic platforms. The necessity for heavy body counts is now passe.
Jamaica has more than 2.5 million stop over visitors. We have about 1.5 million and have not seen a measurable increase for decades.
Generally stop-over visitors spend in excess of B$1,400 during their stay. Cruise ship visitors, for whom we are also thankful, tend to stay on board their ships and spend less than B$70.00 per trip. We need to grow our stop-over visitor total. It is as simple as that.
I am more than persuaded, now that I have had the benefit of proper research and intense discussions with stakeholders, that Dionisio will bring something different to the industry. Already he’s had several vital meetings with professionals in the so called African-American travel and entertainment industry to host events and retreats in The Bahamas. The reception, I understand, has been fantastic, so far. The Hon Minister has his job cut out for him, but he will make us all proud once the political dust would have settled.
To God then, in all things, be the glory.
ORTLAND H. BODIE, JR
Nassau,
August 7, 2017.
Comments
Honestman 7 years, 4 months ago
These late hires were well reported in the Tribune.
Well_mudda_take_sic 7 years, 4 months ago
But who in the last government is going to pay 'the price' for having abused their public office and the public trust by hiring these individuals just before the general election? Someone needs to be held accountable and responsible.....d'Aguilar is hopefully having this matter fully investigated.
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