MONTEGO BAY, Jamaica, May 18, 2015:  Minister of Tourism and Entertainment, Hon. Dr. Wykeham McNeill, is pressing for a regional approach to growing the Caribbean tourism market.

“Our regional governments must continue to work together to strengthen our ties with meaningful cooperation as we build a strong, multi-destination industry,” said Minister McNeill ahead of going to Haiti on Tuesday (May 19) to participate in the International Seminar on Multidestination Opportunities for Regional Integration with fellow regional Ministers of Tourism, which is being jointly organized by the Haitian Government and the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO).  

Addressing a regional gathering of more than 600 Rotarians at the Rotary District 7020 Banquet at the Half Moon Resort Saturday night, Minister McNeill noted that he anticipated a high level of collaboration and the sharing of ideas at the Haiti consultation.  “It is crucial that we hold our own in a global industry that necessitates that we keep at the top of our game,” he said.

Meanwhile, Minister McNeill continues to be upbeat on growth prospects for the local tourist industry. "Our industry has been an important part of our economy for many years. As a matter of fact, our marketing arm, the Jamaica Tourist Board, is celebrating its 60^th anniversary this year and we are proud of the work that it has done for Jamaica,” he told Rotarians as he underscored the importance of the industry to the country’s socio-economic development.

With the industry topping the two million mark in visitor stopovers in the last two consecutive years, Minister McNeill said he expects the trend to continue. “Tourism is performing well and we are seeing a resurgence of investment in the country.  Plans are well advanced for the construction of over 3000 new rooms,” he said.

Minister McNeill stressed, however, that “just bringing investments to Jamaica is not what tourism does; what makes tourism important in Jamaica is the impact that it has on the socio-economic life of every single Jamaican.” Consequently, while seeking to bring more visitors to the country, “we are also trying to increase the impact that tourism has on Jamaica,” he said.

Turning to the Rotarians, Minister McNeill welcomed their choice of Jamaica for their 41^st annual District Conference to train leaders in Rotary International District 7020.  The five-day conference ended with Saturday’s night’s banquet.  He said Jamaica was fortunate to be able to attract so many people from so many countries across the region for this prestigious event. 

Minister McNeill described the service organization as one of the world’s most respected and effective volunteer groups. As the push to grow the tourism sector continues, he underscored the need for all parties, government, private sector, NGOs and organisations such as Rotary, to be engaged, adding, “You can readily understand why the work of Rotary is so important to us.  Your high standards of community building and creative programmes support these aspects of the tourism industry. We warmly welcome the work you do in our communities across this entire region of which we are all a part and where tourism is so important.”

Kingston, Jamaica: May 17, 2015 - Minister of Tourism and Entertainment, Hon. Dr. Wykeham McNeill, will moderate a panel discussion at the International Seminar:  Multidestination Opportunities for Regional Integration, to be held in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, from May 19 to 22, 2015.  He departs for Haiti on Tuesday, May 19.

While in Haiti Minister McNeill will also participate in the 58th meeting of the UNWTO Commission for the Americas being held on Thursday, May 21.  Both the Commission meeting and the international seminar are being jointly organized by the Haitian Government and the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO).  

The panel discussion is entitled ‘The importance of Tourism routes as part of regional cooperation agreements’. It includes panellists Cecilia Álvarez-Correa, Minister of Trade, Industry and Tourism, Colombia; Marcela Bacigalupo, Minister of Tourism, Paraguay; Maru Acevedo, Deputy Director, Guatemala Tourism Institute (INGUAT), Guatemala; Manuel Marrero Cruz, Minister of Tourism, Cuba; and a representative from the Silk Road Programme, UNWTO.

Minister McNeill is being accompanied to Haiti by the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Mrs. Jennifer Griffith.  He returns to the island on Friday, May 22, 2015.

A STABLE FOUNDATION FOR GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT

SECTION I

Mr. Speaker,

• Today it is my honour to bring down the curtain on the Sectoral Debate for the Fiscal Year 2015-2016.
   
• This year’s Budget Debate was historic in that it concluded before the start of the Financial Year; that is by the end of March.
   
• We were scheduled to start the Sectoral Presentations on April 7 but delayed this for a week because of the visit of the President of the United States, Barack Obama.
   
•  We therefore started on April 14 and here we are, just three weeks later, and we have finished the Sectoral debate.

 

Mr. Speaker,

• We also started the year with a new format that has worked well. Our presentations were limited to 45 minutes for Ministers and 30 minutes for Opposition Spokespersons. Our not being able to speak for two or three hours compelled us to be more disciplined, selective and efficient
   
• We had to use other means such as Ministry Papers to ensure that various aspects of our work will be placed on the record in Hansard.
   
• These shorter presentations received better than usual coverage in the media and therefore had greater reach. It is also obvious that my colleague Members of this House found the presentations more intriguing and catered to their attention span as almost 70% of us stayed the course for the duration of each sitting – which is not usually the case.  There were some other interesting consequences too
   
• Further, Mr. Speaker, I must also give my support to the introduction of technology as part of our presentations as we must move with the times. This additional innovation no doubt piqued the interest of the technology-savvy younger generation. However, Mr. Speaker, we must balance the technology so that it does not become a distraction but rather an effective tool of communication.
   
• Mr. Speaker, I just want to put on record our congratulations to the Leader of the House, Hon. Phillip Paulwell, who spearheaded this initiative.  We can all agree that we are moving in the right direction.

 

SECTION II

Mr. Speaker,

What we are trying to do is to set “A stable foundation for growth and development”.

We are half way through a four-year medium-term Extended Fund Facility with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). This arrangement was necessary due to the state in which we found the economy when we took office.  

With great discipline on the part of the Administration and the sacrifice and pain of the people of this country we have passed every test. We are now beginning to see a clearer path on which we can build on this stable foundation for growth and development which has been created.

So, Mr. Speaker, the Sectoral Presentations took place in light of the Minister of Finance reporting that:

Our inflation rate is at the lowest it has been since 1968 – that is before some of us were born.

Interest rates are trending down and Foreign Direct Investments (FDI) have rebounded to US$490 million – up from US$218 million in 2011.

Based on this economic performance investor confidence is at its highest since we started such surveys.

 So, Mr. Speaker, this is why the theme of our sectoral presentations was a stable foundation for growth and development. But before we can realize this growth we must first take some other essential steps. We must have an educated populace. Our people must have adequate health care. We must ensure that our energy supply is stable and affordable and we must take care of the most vulnerable in our society.

We intend to put these things in place Mr. Speaker.

 

EDUCATION

Mr. Speaker,

In light of the importance of education in achieving this outcome the Minister of Education in his presentation stated that an educated work force is a prerequisite for growth and development, hence the importance of a relevant education agenda and strategy.

 We have seen improved results in Grade 4 and GSAT tests.

Last year we reduced the number of schools on the shift system by 12 and this year another 22 will be removed.

We are also focusing on those areas that will lead to more and better-paying jobs for our people. We have to train our people to perform in traditional sectors, the emerging sectors and for the global labour market.

We have just learnt of the introduction of the new programme which will see the transformation of selected high schools into the Science, Technology, Engineer and Mathematics (STEM) academies.

HEART/NTA is also being repositioned to focus on the creation of a comprehensive national training agency to drive workforce development.

As the Minister so eloquently puts it – having an educated and trained workforce is more valuable than bauxite in the ground and crops in the field. A good education is an essential tool for national development and personal achievement.

 

HEALTH

Mr. Speaker,

Another prerequisite for a stable foundation is a healthy populace. We readily acknowledge that we have been facing serious challenges in our health sector. That is why the Minister of Health announced yesterday that the Ministry has been allocated J$48 billion for this Financial Year up from last year’s J$40 billion – an increase of 18%. It is the largest increase in the non-debt expenditure in any area of this Budget.

We have doubled the pharmaceutical budget to J$8 billion; the equipment budget has been increased from J$80 million to over J$500 million and the Ministry is acquiring 19 new ambulances. It has also signed a contract for US$14 million to acquire two state-of-the-art linear accelerator machines to move the cost of radiology treatment for cancer to J$0 for the most vulnerable. The Ministry has now begun designing a Ten-Year Development Plan for the sector.

 

NATIONAL SECURITY

Mr. Speaker,

We must unite around the issue of national security. It has a profound and far-reaching social and economic impact.   In his presentation the Minister made the point that  murder and all serious crimes are down from  its peak  of 1692 in 2009 to just over 1005 last year – a decrease of over 40%.  There is no disputing that this is still too high but we are trending in the right direction.

We continue to fight crime with all the tools that we can get our hands on. We continue to pass groundbreaking legislation aimed at assisting investigations and punishing serious offenders while at the same time removing oppressive consequences for minor offences.

The DNA bill tabled during the Minister’s presentation is an important advance in the fight against crime.

MOCA is making serious inroads in combating corruption and improving police accountability.

Mr. Speaker, we have adopted a partnership approach which focuses on building a foundation of trust between police and the citizens.

Mr. Speaker, we are going to continue to fight the scourge of crime as it is an important component for building a stable foundation.

 

PROTECTING THE VULNERABLE

But Mr. Speaker,

While the foregoing information served to underscore that the initiatives being adopted are designed to ensure that we have an educated work force; a functioning health sector and that energy costs are under control.

While focusing on their effective implementation we have not lost sight of the unwavering commitment of this Government to protect the most vulnerable in our society. This is why, as Minister of Social Security reported, we have increased spending on the PATH programme – a cumulative improvement of over 30% in the value of payments;.

There are other initiatives by the Ministry which include the provision of transportation for children who are on the PATH programme who are not attending school because they cannot afford the cost of transportation.

The Ministry has also developed a graduation strategy that provides a training grant and finances to   train and equip young people to move from welfare to work.

Mr. Speaker, we intend to continue protecting the poor and vulnerable while building a stable foundation for growth and development.  We are optimistic that we are going to have growth and this was embodied in the presentations in the sectoral debate.

 

ENERGY

Mr. Speaker,

The cost of energy affects all of us. The Minister stated for the record that to date, the price of electricity is 30% less than it was when we took office as a result of the decrease in oil prices.  However, in an abundance of caution our government has taken steps to hedge against future sharp increases in the cost of oil to ensure stability by establishing a stabilization fund.

We plan also to increase the proportion of renewable energy mix; diversify the fossil fuel sources for the bulk of our electricity needs; and increase the efficiency of generating units through the replacement of old and inefficient units.

Mr. Speaker the Government has established the joint public/private Energy Sector Team (ESET) and has

accepted their recommendations which address the second and third strategies of diversifying our fuel mix and ensuring more efficient power generation.

As this plan unfolds, it will involve an investment of over US$1.5 billion in a three-year time-frame. On completion, Jamaica will be provided with adequate, stable and cheaper electricity.

 

BAUXITE/ALUMINA

We continue to push in the important sector of bauxite and alumina.  Tomorrow (Thursday) the Minister will tour the new mining operations at RUSAL, which are now in progress. When this opens fully it will create new jobs in the area.

 

BPO

Another area with exciting growth potential is the BPO.  This exciting service industry has been making a significant contribution to the IT sector.  It continues to fuel investment and job creation.  The sector is expected to add at least another 6400 jobs in the 2015/2016 financial year. The Government is developing the framework to harness the full potential of this cutting edge industry. 

Our strategic objective is to move Jamaica up in the value chain in the BPO industry from simple call centres to knowledge processing centre.  The focus is on outsourcing more professional services such as legal and accounting support as well as software development.

 

INFRASTRUCTURE

Mr. Speaker,

A number of the sectoral presentations by my colleague Ministers signal a very exciting period in the coming 24 months in terms of growth projections.

 With regard to infrastructure, the Minister of Transport and Housing reported that:

• The construction of the North South Highway is progressing apace.
• The developers have promised that Segment 2 of the Bypass should be open by early next year with completion of the entire roadway by or before December 2016. This represents an investment well in excess of US$600 million.

Other important road works are moving ahead under the Major Infrastructure Development Programme. $1.5 Billion dollars has been earmarked to finance the rehabilitation of approximately 60 kilometres of roadways, and $127 million for repairs and reconstruction of six bridges.

Among some of the notable achievements was the successful implementation of the Jamaica Emergency Employment Programme (JEEP).

Of note, the Minister also announced that bids are in for the divestment of the Norman Manley International Airport (NMIA) and are being considered.

With the opening of the highway this airport will become a more attractive gateway for passengers traveling to destinations such as Ocho Rios as the time to travel from Kingston to that area will be almost the same as traveling by way of the Sangster International Airport.

 

KCT

Another major achievement was the signing of the Agreement with TerminalLink/CMA CGM Consortium for the privatization of the Kingston Container Terminal. The arrangement is a long-term concession, which will include the expansion, financing, operation, maintenance, and transformation of the terminal.

This project will do a lot to enhance Jamaica’s efficiency and competitiveness as a country.

Interestingly, the Minister also spoke of the 1400 new rooms to come on stream to be developed by China Harbour.  This will have a positive impact on our tourism product.

 

TOURISM

Mr. Speaker,

The tourism sector, with our exemplary partnership with stakeholders, continues to hold its own as the country’s chief source of foreign exchange earnings. For the 2014 calendar year, earnings were in excess of US$2.2 billion – a 5.8% increase over the previous year. In the healthy investment climate created by this Government we attracted investment of J$54 billion with the building, renovation and upgrading of several resort properties.

We achieved another major milestone when we welcomed over 2 million stopover visitors and our cruise passenger arrivals were the best ever. We saw an increase of 12%, with over 1.4 million arrivals.

In total, Jamaica welcomed over 3.5 million visitors to the island in 2014.

Construction on the books to begin now will add 1500 to our room stock and several other new hotel projects at the planning and design stages will add another 1600 rooms.  With the addition to the 1400 over the next three to five years projections are that we will have in excess of 4000 new rooms all told.

The Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF) has undertaken significant rehabilitation and upgrading across the country. These developments represent expenditure by the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF) of over J$1.5 Billion. Further significant upgrading work will continue throughout the current year which will be an infusion into the economy and will help develop our tourism industry.

AGRO PARKS

 Mr. Speaker,

The Agro Park programme continues. There are now nine Agro Parks with an output of 1.7 million kilograms of produce and employing 1428 people.

We will continue to expand this programme.  Also, for the first six months of this year we have had a 2.6% increase in domestic agricultural production.  We understand that driving agriculture is important.  We will continue to do so as it is not only an important area for growth in the economy and also because of its potential for foreign exchange earnings.

 

DECRIMINALISATION & POTENTIAL ECONOMIC BENEFIT

Mr. Speaker,

The landmark legislation that made amendments to the Drug Enforcement Act which decriminalized the use of small amounts of ganja understandably attracted great public interest both here and overseas.

It makes legal practices which have been long held by our people both in its use as a sacrament and for its medicinal benefits. In addition to this validation of traditional belief and practice various Ministers examined its implications in reference to their own portfolio responsibilities.  Ministers Paulwell and Hylton looked at it from the perspective of benefits to business and my own interest is in its potential for health tourism.

The Cannabis Licensing Authority has been established to monitor its cultivation and distribution for medical, scientific and therapeutic purposes.

I want to stress again that the smoking of ganja by children and youths under 18 years old is strictly forbidden. It is illegal. The National Council on Drug Abuse will receive increased funding to ensure early intervention in treating any young person caught smoking weed or who show symptoms of addiction.

A public education programme is being developed to explain the amendments to the law.

 

CONCLUSION

In closing, Mr. Speaker, we have made significant steps towards stabilization by putting in place various economic initiatives.  Based on these projects that are now on the books across all sectors we are already seeing progress.

At this time, Mr. Speaker, l must pay tribute to you; my fellow parliamentarians for their vigorous participation; and to the staff of Parliament for their customary efficiency and hard work that has facilitated these sectoral presentations. Thanks to the media for their extensive coverage that kept the people informed.

I close this chapter in our parliamentary history with a sense of real optimism which is shared by our local investors as the survey indicates that we have built a stable foundation for growth and development. All that is left for us is to seize the moment. Take advantage of opportunities as they present themselves.

My final words are to the parents and caregivers of our nation’s children. We can and must do better to protect them. We have long passed the days of slavery when having children was a benefit to our slave masters who regarded us as goods and chattel.  I appeal to everyone, especially to our men to own, to love and care for their children. On this we can and surely must all unite as a people.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

MONTEGO BAY, Jamaica: June 8, 2015: As the tourism sector continues to register growth, moves are afoot to ensure tighter regulation in order to boost compliance with the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) Act and safeguard the sustainability of the industry.

The disclosure was made by Minister of Tourism and Entertainment, Hon. Dr. Wykeham McNeill at the 54^th annual general meeting of the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association, held at the Hilton Rose Hall Resort & Spa recently.

Citing that growth in visitor arrivals has been trending upwards, Minister McNeill underscored that “while we seek to grow our tourism sector we also have to regulate the industry.”

“We are ramping up our efforts to boost compliance with guidelines within the sector.  We have had ongoing consultations and will be amending the JTB Act to make it more effective by introducing stiffer penalties and increased fines,” he expressed.

Minister McNeill said while most of the JHTA members were regulated there were several persons operating within the sector who refused to be compliant and in so doing placed themselves, the industry and Brand Jamaica at significant risk.

“Now it is time for action because we need to address this issue once and for all,” he said, adding that recommendations for changes to the Act will be placed before Cabinet within the next three months.

Minister McNeill highlighted that “the onus is on each and every player in the sector to comply with the relevant guidelines. Compliance with the required standards is very important to the success of our sector as it improves the overall quality of our tourism product.”

MONTEGO BAY, Jamaica, September 22, 2014: The upward trend in tourism which saw the two million-barrier in arrivals broken last year has continued into 2014 and so far there is a 2.6 percent increase over the corresponding period of 2013.

Minister of Tourism and Entertainment, the Hon. Dr. Wykeham McNeill, disclosed Sunday night (September 21) that “we continue to grow out of all our source markets.”

Minister McNeill was delivering the keynote address at the opening of Jamaica Product Exchange (JAPEX) 2014 at the Montego Bay Convention Centre, St. James.  He said, “We expect to maintain our level of stopovers this year of more than two million.”

He also disclosed that for the summer, July saw a record 221,000 stopover visitors, “the most that the country has ever recorded in a single month.”

JAPEX is the premier marketing event for the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA) and its partners, and over the next two days some 250 members and allied members will be interfacing with more than 300 international buyers to sell the varied Jamaican tourism products.

Against that background, Minister McNeill said the continued growth in arrivals was due largely to the work of those attending JAPEX.

He was particularly pleased that some challenges that resulted in negative growth out the United Kingdom (UK) for four consecutive years had been ironed out and at the end of August there was a seven percent positive growth.

 Airlift to Jamaica also continues to improve with Southwest Airlines opening up 48 US states to Jamaica.

Investment in hotels by both local and international investors between 2012 and 2014 now stands at approximately J$54 billion from Sagicor, RIU, Blue Diamond, Melia, Palace Resorts, Hyatt and Karisma. This has also brought new brands to the island’s product offering like Sensatori, Melia, Royalton, and Marriott.

Additionally, said Minister McNeill, several properties which have been undergoing renovation work will soon be brought back on stream such as the former Ritz Carlton which should reopen in November as the Hyatt Ziva.

He said next year summer, Jamaica will be in the market with “90 Days of Summer” capitalising on the country’s well respected creative flair and love for entertainment to provide visitors with a wide array of cultural and entertainment experiences from mid-May to mid-August each year.

The “90 Days of Summer” will package established events, like the Calabash Literary Arts Festival, Kingston on the Edge, the Ocho Rios Jazz Festival, Reggae Sumfest, Dream Weekend, the National Dance Theatre Company’s season, Caribbean Fashion Week (CFW), StyleWeek, our Reggae Film Festival and more. 

“We are also leveraging the value of reggae music in a promotional initiative dubbed Reggae Month: it’s Kingston for February.  The month-long celebration offers a wide array of events, including concerts, festivals, seminars and award shows that celebrate the many dimensions of Jamaican popular music,” said Minister McNeill.

 JHTA President, Nicola Madden-Greig, also painted a rosy picture of the tourist industry and agreed that “the outlook for 2014 looks promising.” She said the growth this year was achieved in “a very tough competitive environment.”

Mrs. Madden-Greig said, “We recognize that for us to continue to not only do well but to truly thrive, having a positive view to change and innovation is critical to us maintaining a competitive advantage.”

She noted that innovations were coming with several attractions, adding, “and with the opening of the North-South Highway the resort areas of the South Coast, Port Antonio, Kingston and the majestic Blue Mountains are in easier access to visitors seeking the diversity that Jamaica has to offer.”

According to the JHTA President, “Jamaica is not someplace you visit just once, Jamaica is a beautiful chameleon that promises unexpected joy again and again.”

Minister of State in the Ministry of Industry, Investment and Commerce, Sharon Ffolkes-Abrahams, lauded the partnership between her ministry, through JAMPRO and the Jamaica Business Development Corporation (JBDC), the Ministry of Tourism and Entertainment, the JHTA, the Jamaica Manufacturers Association (JMA) and Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) for coming together in staging a “Business to Business Linkage Event” at JAPEX 2014.

She attributed this to the concept of “Joined up government and partnership in Jamaica,” adding, “Together, we can make it better and as long as we work together we will accomplish great things in Jamaica.”

Kingston, Jamaica: October 23, 2014 – An impressive cadre of local, regional and international tourism stakeholders will converge in Montego Bay next month to share ideas, examine best practices and discuss strategies for advancing tourism at the Tourism Outlook Seminar (TOS) 2014.

The annual Tourism Outlook Seminar (TOS) will take place from November 20 to 21, 2014, at the Montego Bay Convention Centre, St. James,  under the theme, “Tourism: Enhancing Social and Economic Impact”.  The two-day forum will be hosted by the Ministry of Tourism and Entertainment, the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) and the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF) in association with the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO).

Preparations are in high gear for the greatly anticipated event, which will feature contributions from several local, regional and international experts. It will focus on areas such as enhancing tourism linkages for social and economic impact; crisis management; creating resonance in the vacation experience; developing the local memorabilia sector; and opportunities for partnership with the entertainment and creative industries.

Registration for the seminar is already open. Persons are being encouraged to register online and access additional information at www.visitjamaica.com/tourismseminar.

Minister of Tourism and Entertainment, the Hon. Dr. Wykeham McNeill, said the Tourism Outlook Seminar will provide an ideal opportunity “to discuss how we plan to overcome the specific challenges affecting the tourism industry locally and in the region in order to enhance the social and economic impact of the sector, improve dialogue among stakeholders within the industry, and examine policies and strategies needed to boost competitiveness.”

“Tourism is one of the island’s major foreign exchange earners and is one of our largest employers of labour. It is therefore important that the full impact and contribution of the tourism industry be examined, understood and harnessed” said Minister McNeill. He also pointed out that the Tourism Outlook Seminar will provide invaluable insight to participating tourism stakeholders on how to further develop and grow the tourism sector.

Minister McNeill will give the opening address at the seminar, which will see several engaging presentations and interactive sessions over the two days featuring speakers from the UNWTO, United States Department of Justice, Solimar International, Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA), Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA), Jamaica Business Development Corporation (JBDC) and JAMPRO, among other local and international organizations.

KINGSTON, JAMAICA: October 22, 2014 – Efforts to diversify the island’s tourism offerings have received a major boost as timeshare vacations are set to be added to Jamaica’s tourism product mix with the passage of the Timeshare Vacations Bill. The Bill was passed in the House of Representatives yesterday (October 21) after being piloted by Minister of Tourism and Entertainment, the Hon. Dr. Wykeham McNeill, who said the legislation, will further expand Jamaica’s accommodations offering, while adding another tool to the island’s investment portfolio. 

Timeshare is a form of joint ownership or lease of a vacation property by several people who take turns occupying the premises for fixed periods; often one week. These properties are typically resort condominium units but can also be single family homes. From the purchasers’ point of view, timeshare or vacation ownership allows the acquisition of future holiday accommodation at today’s prices.

Minister McNeill said “Jamaica is keen on developing a more sophisticated tourism product, one that also embraces the timeshare/vacation ownership market.” He pointed out that research has shown that Vacation Ownership is one of the fastest growing sectors of the global hospitality industry. “There is  huge and significant potential for further growth and development of the timeshare product in the Caribbean and especially in Jamaica,” he said.

Noting that currently investment in Jamaica’s tourism sector is high, Minister McNeill emphasized that “prospective investors have shown an interest in developing timeshare in Jamaica and this can be of particular benefit as it includes a mix of accommodation such as integrated leisure resort facilities with luxury condo resorts.”    

Listing the benefits of timeshare, Minister McNeill said that in the last decade timeshare has been viewed as a significant driver of business in the hospitality sector.  “It has the potential of further fuelling the dynamic growth which Jamaica’s tourism sector is currently enjoying,” the Minister added, noting that timeshare schemes also provide employment and can readily inject funds into multi-purpose projects.

The potential benefits of timeshare to Jamaica’s tourism industry also include a reduction in the seasonality experienced in the accommodation sector; improvement in the quality of tourism accommodation as timeshare offerings tend to be high end; maintaining increased occupancy levels as timeshare guests are usually repeat visitors; and attracting some of the world’s most celebrated hospitality brands that are involved in timeshare.

Minister McNeill noted that the Timeshare Vacations Bill is designed to achieve two main objectives. First, it will give legal recognition to timeshare vacation schemes in the form of right-to-use agreements, which are timeshare contracts and deeds issued in respect of these agreements.  Second, it also regulates the marketing, promotion and provision of timeshare accommodation and will entail the establishment of a Timeshare Vacations Registry. The Real Estate Board will serve as the Timeshare Registrar.

During the brief debate on the Bill the legislation was amended to include specific reference to vacation clubs, which Minister McNeill said “is an important marketing tool used by the sector and which is growing in popularity.”

In lauding the many individuals, ministries and entities which helped to develop the Bill Minister McNeill said the passage of this legislation is timely in light of the government’s growth agenda and the fact that global trends show tourism to be one of the fastest growing sectors in the global economy.  He emphasized that the Timeshare Vacations Bill has the ability to help to propel the industry into an even more competitive position. 

 

OCHO RIOS, JAMAICA: October 19, 2014 – The multi-million dollar renovation of the Ocho Rios Cruise Ship Terminal is now complete and already visitors and local tourism interests are benefiting from the work done by the relevant authorities.

The rehabilitation of the facility includes the upgrading and expansion of the parking area and the renovation of the terminal building.

This will facilitate the provision of better service in a more comfortable environment for both incoming and outgoing cruise ship passengers. It forms part of an overall transformational project, which is funded by the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF), and will help to enhance the appeal of the resort town and benefit visitors and locals alike.

The road leading to the marina and the promenade also has a brand new look. The upgrading work on the cruise ship terminal and the adjoining facilities represent the second phase of a $400 Million Ocho Rios Improvement Project initiated late last year by the Ministry of Tourism and Entertainment, with support from the Urban Development Corporation (UDC) and the Port Authority of Jamaica (PAJ).

The first phase, which was completed in March of this year, resulted in the transformation of the Turtle River Road (from Main Street to the terminal) into an attractive corridor. The road now has a dual lane with one section accommodating the usual flow of vehicular traffic, while the other lane is dedicated solely to safe pedestrian use.

A new feature of the upgraded terminal is improvement in the service for the disabled and elderly. Porters with wheelchairs are now employed by the PAJ to ensure easier movement by these individuals in and around the terminal area.

With the completion of both phases one and two, efforts will now focus on completing works on the promenade and Main Street. The promenade  runs east along the coast starting from the port to the Ocean Village Shopping Centre and upgrades along Main Street will target the area from the Ocean Village Shopping Centre back to Turtle River Road and include pedestrian, drainage, aesthetic and similar features.

The promenade will be adorned with small shops to facilitate the sale of food and beverages.

NEGRIL, Westmoreland, October 5, 2014: Work on several improvement projects in Negril are to be ramped up to improve conditions in the resort area as the Ministry of Tourism and Entertainment pursues its programme of transforming resort towns for the benefit of both residents and visitors.

Minister of Tourism and Entertainment, the Hon. Dr. Wykeham McNeill, and State Minister for Tourism and Entertainment the Hon. Damion Crawford, were recently accompanied by representatives of several stakeholder government agencies on a follow-up tour of the western resort town.

Minister McNeill explained that the tour was the latest move in an effort to bring all stakeholders together on site “to take ownership of projects” and involve the wider community to get buy-in from those who stand to benefit. 

In-keeping with recent discussions the group visited the sewage treatment plant which serves Negril and surrounding communities with officers of the lead agencies, the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) and the National Water Commission (NWC).

Although some representatives outlined that based on its design “the sewage plant is functioning as they expected it to,” Minister McNeill said he and others had “certain concerns in terms of how the sewage is being treated.”

Following further discussions the NWC and NEPA are to provide Minister McNeill with a plan for tertiary treatment that he will discuss with relevant Cabinet colleagues for speedy action. “The law that has been recently passed indicates that all the sewage plants have to be at a certain compliance level by December 2015, therefore there is not a lot of time to address this issue,” he said.

Minister McNeill stressed that with the emphasis on sustainable tourism, there has to be community involvement in the process to foster environmental protection.

The touring party also examined work to be done on Norman Manley Boulevard regarding drainage, the shared pathway, as well as improvement work to the Sheffield main road. Among the officials involved were representatives from the Tourism Product Development Company (TPDCo); the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF); the National Works Agency (NWA); the Urban Development Corporation (UDC); and the Westmoreland Parish Council.

Speaking specifically about the main thoroughfare in the town, Minister McNeill said Negril has had a number of problems with medians erected in the road causing challenges for drivers and sidewalks not being properly built. Also, with the expansion of structural developments over the years blocking outlets, drainage has become an issue.

Minister McNeill said it was important that the agencies “see what the challenges are” adding that, “I want to engender a culture where the technocrats and people at all levels of government take ownership of the things that need to be done in the different communities across the island.”

There were several discussions enroute, which Minister McNeill said sought to determine the final outcomes of the various projects as work progresses as “sometimes there may be slight deviations and what we want to ensure is that what we intend as a policy actually comes out as the final product.”

While the NWA is to addess the road issues, attention is also to be paid to ensuring that the town does not lose its aesthetic appeal.

Three of Jamaica’s finest contemporary voices and performance poets, Mel Cooke, Yashika Graham and Richard “Dingo” Dingwall, are gearing up to participate in Jamaica Rising, a series of poetry readings across Bristol, a rising cultural epicentre in the UK. But before starting the trek they will present Colonization in (Re)VERSE at Redbones the Blues Café.

Colonization in (Re)VERSE will give Jamaican audiences a taste of the performances in Bristol (October 10 & 11) which will surround Professor Mervyn Morris’ delivery of the annual poetry reading at the Bristol Poetry Institute.

Cooke, Graham and Dingo are included in Jamaica Rising to bring greater attention and exposure to the wealth of talent emerging from Jamaica by showcasing newer voices alongside the poetic patriarch, Prof Morris. These three poets, who have been making a positive name for themselves on the local market, got on the international radar via the Ministry of Tourism & Entertainment’s initiative “Arts in the Park – the Spoken Word Edition.” The Reggae Month event featuring a range of Jamaican poets was held at Devon House as part of the Ministry’s thrust to promote the cultural industries. 

Unfortunately, the organizers of the Bristol series of events were not successful in raising sufficient grant funding to cover international travel costs of the three poets. The Ministry of Tourism and Entertainment has further cemented their commitment to the initiative and promoting Brand Jamaica by underwriting 50% of the outstanding sum. The poets will be raising the additional funds through the aptly titled night of poetry Colonization in (RE)VERSE, where they will be joined by some excellent guest performers including poet Velma Pollard, comedian/poet Michael Abrahams and singer/poet Jah9.  

Colonization in (Re)Verse gets underway at 7pm on October 6. Entry to the fundraiser is $1000.