MONTEGO BAY, St James; Monday, September 7, 2015:  The linkage between tourism and agriculture will begin to benefit a number of historic rural communities in southern St. James soon, with the Tourism Enhancement Fund financing the rehabilitation of a roadway in the area, to the tune of just under $84 million.

A contract for the road works was signed at the Mocho Community Centre recently and the document presented to the contracting firm, S&G Road Surfacing Materials, represented by Director Bobby Smith, by Minister of Tourism and Entertainment, Hon. Dr. Wykeham McNeill.

Work is to get underway in two weeks and be completed satisfactorily in four months. The scope of work includes repairing breakaways, replacing walls and drains and giving the 7.4 kilometre roadway from Mocho to Arcadia double surface dressing. The road traverses four communities.

Explaining how the funding of the project by TEF came about, Dr. McNeill outlined a number of ways in which tourism impacted the community.

“It affects us in a lot of ways; it affects us depending on our linkages and the extent to which the vegetables and foods which you grow up here are consumed in the hotel sector; it affects us because many of us have relatives who work in the hotels or worked on the hotels when they were being developed, or because we are in a community near Accompong where visitors are passing back and forth and to the extent that they can stop and enjoy the environs… it’s a good thing,” he pointed out.

The Minister said, “we have an important role to play here because you can’t ask visitors to come into the community and partake of the economy here if they can’t reach here by road.” He told residents that the TEF was the agency which was giving the National Works Agency the money to repair their road, so whenever they see a TEF sign saying “Your tourism dollar working for you” they should understand what that meant.

Dr. McNeill said he fully understood the importance of having good roads in rural communities, adding, that “especially for you in this community because you have a major attraction up here, the extent to which we can get visitors to come here, the better the road, the more visitors you’re going to see.”  

Member of Parliament for South St James and Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Derrick Kellier welcomed TEF’s support.

He also emphasized the tourism linkage. “This road leads to Appleton which in itself is a tourist attraction. The road also leads to Accompong Town which is a major historic site in the area. It leads also to YS Falls via Maggoty and from the other end it leads to Flagstaff which is a big historic site. Also Kensington where there is a Sam Sharpe Monument and where the 1831 Rebellion started.”

He agreed that, “there is tremendous potential for tourist development in this area – the artifacts are here, the places are here and we need to open it up to the public. There are also areas such as trails that are named after Maroons like Tacky and Cudjoe in the Camoro Mountains and they lead back from Flagstaff to Accompong Town. It’s really a charm for people to go there and explore them.”

Minister Kellier added that, “it really is very important that this road project has come on stream and, of course, the residents are very happy and those who support the tourist industry with their farm products also have a better opportunity.”

Mayor of Montego Bay and Councillor for the Maroon Town Division, Glendon Harris also welcomed the support of the Ministry and the TEF.

Meanwhile, Minister of State in the Ministry of Transport, Works and Housing, Hon. Richard Azan supported Mayor Harris in his call for the citizens to play their part in protecting the road from deterioration by keeping their gateways clean at all times and not waiting until Christmas or Independence periods to do so. He also suggested a return to the days when people would voluntarily clean drains in their communities.

Minister Azan expressed appreciation to the Ministry of Tourism and Entertainment and TEF for providing the funds for the project. “They have been helping us out at the National Works Agency to do a number of projects across the island and if it was not for the TEF the NWA couldn’t be driving and driving so well,” he said.

Kingston, Jamaica: September 6, 2015 – Lawmen in the resort town of Ocho Rios have been given added resources to aid in their efforts to maintain law and order as the parish capital became the latest area to be outfitted with a cutting edge Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) surveillance system. The system was officially handed over recently at the Ocho Rios Police Station, where the monitoring centre is located.

The project forms part of the government’s overall mandate to improve public safety and security across the island by: deterring criminal behaviour, reducing the fear of crime and assisting the JCF in its enforcement and regulatory functions.

The system in Ocho Rios is worth over J$107million and was partly funded by the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF), which provided J$57 million dollars.

Head of Modernization Initiatives and Strategic Projects at the Ministry of National Security, Dr. Canute Thompson shared that the impressive system, which provides detailed surveillance of the resort town, includes numerous ‘high tech’ cameras, which include a mixture of pan, tilt and zoom (PTZ) and fixed cameras.

The cameras are also equipped with solar technology to avoid interruptions that may occur during a loss in power. The system is monitored 24 hours per day by a select team of 12 duty surveillance officers who are able to access footage in real time as it has a 36 terabyte storage capacity.

Minister of Tourism and Entertainment Hon. Dr. Wykeham McNeill stated that “our tourism master-plan mandates that the TEF ensures the full development of our traditional resort areas.” He added that the CCTV system is a welcome initiative by the Ministry of Tourism and Entertainment and stressed that he hopes “the security system will improve the public safety of Jamaicans and visitors alike and help us in our mission to fight crime.”

He also shared that TEF has provided and additional J$2.6 million for the extensive renovation of the Ocho Rios Police Station, which began on August 26, 2015.

Minister of National Security Hon. Peter Bunting explained that the Jamaica Constabulary Force recognizes the importance of improved technology to fight crime across the island.

“Making greater use of technology available to the security forces is one of the deliberate strategies employed by the Ministry of National Security in the interest of citizen security and the reinforcing of a culture of lawfulness in Jamaica,” said Bunting.

He also shared that the installation of the CCTV systems in select areas is the first stage in what he hopes will become a part of a national plan to improve security across the island.

“Rather than having a distributed system, we could have a wide area network so that we can have a national monitoring centre where all the CCTV systems, not just the ones being used by the police but the ones being used by the National Works Agency, Parish Councils, and private operators, who are willing, because the value of the system increases exponentially based on the number of cameras,” Bunting explained. 

The Commissioner of Police Dr. Carl Williams expressed gratitude for the new system in Ocho Rios. “With the CCTV we are applying technology to help fight crime, but we are unveiling a lot of other initiatives to ensure that we make this country safer not only for our citizens but those who grace our shores every year,” explained Williams.

He also disclosed that “the system will also be used as an evidence gathering tool where the cameras are not only used to film incidents but also police response and conduct in their interaction with citizens.”

The Commissioner also expressed appreciation for a new motor bike which was handed over by Chairman of the Ocho Rios Resort Board, Dr. Roosevelt Crooks, to boost the rapid response capability of the lawmen in the area.

In addition to Ocho Rios, CCTV surveillance systems have also been installed in Montego Bay, Mandeville and May Pen.

The Poet Laureate of Jamaica programme under the directorship of the National Library of Jamaica (NLJ), will bring to life for this year’s Emancipendence celebratory period the launch of a weekly poetry feature called: From Our Poetry Books. The feature, which will bring poetry to the fingertips of Jamaicans, showcases one published Jamaican poem to the public through the Sunday Gleaner, as well as through various radio stations. From Our Poetry Books will run in the Arts and Education section of The Sunday Gleaner each week, starting Sunday, August 2, 2015 and will also be aired on the The Arts Page, a production of the Jamaica Information Service (JIS) Radio starting Friday, August 7. 

Poet Laureate of Jamaica, Professor Mervyn Morris stated, “At my investiture last year I said I would try to persuade some of our media houses to give more space and time to significant, well-crafted poems; From Our Poetry Books is an attempt to make good on that promise, acknowledging in every instance the book from which the item was selected.”

He continued, “So starting on August 2, Emancipendence Sunday, Jamaicans can look out and listen out each week for a poem I believe they will find accessible and meaningful.”

 The new feature, From Our Poetry Books falls within the ambit of the Poet Laureate of Jamaica programme, which primarily aims to aid in the relighting and rekindling of national pride and love for Jamaican poetry. The poems are selected by the Poet Laureate himself, and will capture the essence of our rich Jamaican literary heritage.

Following its initial launch in the Arts and Education section of the Sunday Gleaner the feature will take permanency with a new poem being published each week.

Additionally, From Our Poetry Books will air every last Friday of the month on various local radio stations as a feature on JIS’s Arts Page. The Arts Page will first launch From Our Poetry Books on Friday, August, 7, 2015, the day after Independence.

The National Library of Jamaica serves as the Secretariat to the Poet Laureate of Jamaica Programme, as well as the home for the publications, recordings and other materials emanating from the programme’s activities. The Poet Laureate of Jamaica Programme is funded by the Tourism Enhancement Fund, the CHASE Fund and the NLJ.

 More information about the Poet Laureate of Jamaica Programme and upcoming features can be found at http://www.nlj.gov.jm/poetlaureate/index.htm.

Kingston, Jamaica: July 14, 2015: The Ministry of Tourism and Entertainment’s Tourism Linkages Hub has undertaken an innovative initiative to boost the purchase and use of more Jamaican made items as corporate gifts locally. This as the hub has moved to host a unique event to get corporate Jamaica holiday shopping very early this year and to encourage the purchase of more locally made gift items, through the its new ‘Christmas in July’ initiative to be held on Friday, July 24, 2015, at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel, New Kingston.

Some 80 local producers of authentic craft, gifts and souvenirs will showcase a wide selection of items to buyers from the hospitality sector and corporate Jamaica in general who are looking for suitable gifts for clients and staff. Among the items which will be on display are ceramics, office and home accessories, paintings, bags, processed foods and aromatherapy/spa products.

“The Tourism Linkages Hub is constantly working to ensure that Jamaica’s tourism sector becomes better integrated with other sectors. ‘Christmas in July’ is another initiative to bring together local suppliers and buyers and we look forward to a positive response from our businesses and hotels,” said Minister of Tourism and Entertainment, Hon. Dr. Wykeham McNeill.

“This event provides an excellent opportunity for persons in corporate Jamaica to see firsthand the creative gift and souvenir items made by our talented local producers, and buyers can order on the spot or initiate discussions and business negotiations,” expressed Chairman of the Tourism Linkages Council, Donavon Perkins.

Christmas in July is a collaborative effort of the Tourism Linkages Hub and its partners, the Jamaica Promotions Corporation (JAMPRO), Jamaica Manufacturers' Association (JMA), Jamaica Business Development Corporation (JBDC), and Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA).

The primary goal of the Tourism Linkages Hub is to ensure that Jamaica’s tourism sector becomes better integrated with and creates local opportunities for other sectors such as entertainment, agriculture and manufacturing. The hub’s activities are guided by the Tourism Linkages Council. The Council includes representatives of JAMPRO, the JHTA and the JMA and other stakeholder groups.

Kingston, Jamaica: July 7, 2015: State Minister for Tourism and Entertainment, Hon. Damion Crawford is urging more Jamaicans to dedicate time and effort to documenting aspects of our unique culture. Speaking recently at the official ceremony to mark handing-over of 100 digital tapes containing priceless interview and concert footage from the Legends of Ska documentary project, Minister Crawford underscored the need for more Jamaicans to produce films, features  and documentaries showcasing our culture such as the successes of our cultural icons and musicians.

The Legends of Ska documentary, which was produced by American film producer Brad Klein, captures the growth and evolution of Ska as a distinctive Jamaican musical genre. It also examines the impact of Jamaican music globally and gives unique insight into the lives and careers of some of our most legendary Ska performers. Mr. Klein dedicated over 12 years of his life to creating the film.

In thanking Mr. Klein for handing over the tapes to the Jamaica Music Museum, Minister Crawford said “this vast catalogue of archival footage and images is truly a national asset. The significance of this footage resonates with those of us who understand the importance of capturing and preserving aspects of our history for the benefit of current and future generations alike.”

Minister Crawford added that “as a country Jamaica continues to captivate the world through our unique culture and music but more Jamaicans need to dedicate the time and effort to telling our own story, to capturing our history and culture on tape so that more people can truly appreciate the achievements of various talented Jamaicans.”

Mr. Crawford underscored that “the Ministry of Tourism and Entertainment and its agencies are committed to fostering the continued development of the entertainment industry and the preservation of our cultural heritage. It is this commitment that has guided our decision to finance this initiative through the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF), in order to bring these valuable tapes to Jamaica.”

For his part Minister of Transport, Works and Housing and noted music aficionada, Dr. Hon. Omar Davies, expressed similar sentiments, noting that “even as I express gratitude to Brad on this initiative I hope that within Jamaica we will seek to start doing this in a more systematic way, in terms of documenting the work of artistes and ensuring that the next generation will be aware of this rich piece of our history.”

In accepting the footage Director/Curator of the Jamaica Music Museum, which is an arm of the Institute of Jamaica, Mr. Herbie Miller said “I would like to thank Brad for his very generous and committed donation. In accepting this I do it on behalf of the ancestors and the survivors who we call the Legends of Ska, as well as the Jamaican people.”    

The Legends of Ska is among the many films which will be viewed during the Jamaica Film Festival, which runs from July 7-11, 2015.

TEF Provides Over $13 Million to Support Venture

KINGSTON, JAMAICA: July 3, 2015 – The Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF) has expressed delight at news that the push to have the Blue and John Crow Mountains designated as a World Heritage Site has yielded significant success. This follows the UNESCO World Heritage Committee’s unanimous decision to have the site inscribed on the prestigious World Heritage List. The decision was made at the 39^th session of the World Heritage Committee Meeting now underway in Bonn, Germany.

The inscription resulted from a strategic partnership between the Ministry of Tourism and Entertainment and its agencies, and the Ministry of Youth and Culture. The Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF) has provided over $ 13 million to date to support the venture. Overall the TEF has allocated some $761 million to heritage and cultural projects over the last two years, some of which has been used to finance the upgrade of several heritage sites across the island.

The designation marks the first World Heritage site for Jamaica and is also the first mixed (cultural and natural) site for the Caribbean sub-region. The Blue and John Crow Mountains is now one of only 32 mixed sites, which include several world renowned sites such as the The Taj Mahal of India, Australia’s Great Barrier Reef and the Great Wall of China.

Included in TEF $ 13 million allocation, is a tranche of over $ 4.6 million, which facilitated the trip by the Jamaican contingent led by Minister of Youth and Culture, Hon. Lisa Hanna to Bonn, Germany where they successfully defended Jamaica’s nomination at the meeting, which runs from June 28 – July 8, 2015.

In expressing satisfaction at the achievement Minister of Tourism and Entertainment, Hon. Dr. Wykeham McNeill, said “I am elated that the initiative was successful and it is proof of the far-reaching impact that partnerships can have. I am confident that the designation will help to enhance the appeal of Jamaica to travellers with a special interest in culture and boost our standing as a competitive destination in accordance with the Word Economic Forum’s Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Index (TTCI).”

Executive Director of the TEF, Mr. Clyde Harrison, said “we are very pleased with the outcome of this project and our support for the venture has yielded significant dividends.” He added that “this designation will significantly boost our efforts to develop heritage tourism locally, which is in-keeping with TEF’s drive to safeguard heritage sites and points of interest.” 

Kingston, Jamaica: July 2, 2015: The Ministry of Tourism and Entertainment is ramping up efforts to establish entertainment zones island-wide as it seeks to address the issue of noise disturbances caused by entertainment events held in and around residential areas. This as the Ministry moves to have experts conduct sound level tests in key locations in Downtown Kingston to guide the development of the first in a series of entertainment zones.

State Minister for Tourism and Entertainment, Hon. Damion Crawford, emphasized that “this forms part of an overall initiative to tackle the issue of night noises. We are working along with partner Ministries and agencies such as the Ministry of Local Government, the Urban Development Corporation (UDC) and the Kingston and St. Andrew Corporation (KSAC) to establish these entertainment zones. This is a pilot project and if it is successful it will be replicated in key locations across the island.”

The tests will be conducted Friday July 3, from 8:00 pm to 12 midnight in six parking lots and open spaces in Downtown Kingston which have been identified as potential entertainment zones. Minister Crawford reiterated that “this is in-keeping with our plan to retrofit the UDC and KSAC owned parking lots in the area to accommodate entertainment events, using temporary fencing.”

Minister Crawford explained that “we will be using six sound systems in the locations which we have identified in order to simulate an actual entertainment zone. We have hired sound experts who will measure the point at which the level of the music is likely to cause a disturbance to residents living in the area.”

The venues where the tests will be conducted include the Pechon Street parking lot; Lot 20 located along the Kingston Waterfront; the bus terminus located on Darling Street; and the Water Lane Transportation Centre. Residents of communities in the area will be given the opportunity to contact Ministry representatives to report noise disturbances caused during the exercise.

Kingston, Jamaica: July 2, 2015: Minister of Tourism and Entertainment, Hon.  Dr. Wykeham McNeill, has urged the nation’s farmers to plan strategically to benefit from the increased demand for local produce expected as the tourism sector continues to experience strong growth.

With tourism arrivals continuing to trend upwards, 1600 new hotel rooms being added to the accommodation inventory in the next 18 months, and thousands more rooms in the advanced planning stages, Minister McNeill asked the audience of some 100 famers, agricultural produce suppliers, and representatives of agricultural organizations from across the island, “Who is going to feed all these visitors?”

Minister McNeill was giving opening remarks at a meeting hosted by the Ministry’s Tourism Linkages Hub yesterday (July 1) to sensitize the farmers and suppliers to the anticipated boom in tourism  and the need for them to effectively plan production to meet the increase in demand.  The meeting was held at the Golf View Hotel in Mandeville, Manchester.

“Someone has to feed these people.  We can either bring in the food or grow the food,” Minister McNeill stated.

“We cannot continue to look at tourism success from the angle of tourism arrivals and investments. I want the benefits of tourism to reach the Jamaican people too. That is my priority,” the Minister stated, adding that “tourism must be used as a tool to decrease poverty and give more Jamaicans wealth.”

“But it is not going to happen just like that.  We have to work together to make it happen,” said Minister McNeill.  He pointed out that the Tourism Linkages Hub is on a mission to ensure the tourism sector becomes better integrated with and creates more opportunities for local agriculture.  The Minister said he would like the day to come when nearly everything consumed in local hotels is produced in Jamaica.

In addition to charging farmers and suppliers to pay careful attention to quality, quantity and pricing, Minister McNeill pointed to fruits, premium products and the “farm to fork” concept as three areas of opportunity from which they could benefit.

In his address, the Minister of Agriculture, Labour and Social Security, Hon. Derrick Kellier, praised Minister McNeill for his vision not just in establishing the Hub but in ensuring its vigilant stewardship as it seeks to increase the supply of agricultural products to the tourism market.

“Jamaica can only prosper on a sustainable basis when we develop and maintain linkages to ensure that every industry and economic activity allows as many people as possible to prosper,” said Minister Kellier, adding that “one han’ cyan clap so collaboration remains critical”.

He concluded by saluting the efforts of the linkages hub as the two ministries continued to work together to identify the market demand for agriculture produce in the tourism sector and effectively plan production and distribution to meet those needs.

Leading discussions at the meeting were Tourism Linkages Hub Project Manager, Carolyn McDonald Riley; Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, Mr. Donovan Stanberry; and Tourism Linkages Council Member, Dr. Derrick Deslandes.

Representatives from the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA); Agro-Investment Corporation (Agro Park); Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA); Jamaica Agriculture Society and JAMPRO were also in attendance.

Kingston, Jamaica: June 26, 2015: Minister of Tourism and Entertainment, Hon.  Dr. Wykeham McNeill, has charged tourism and sports stakeholders to work together to maximize the potential of sports tourism and its benefits to Jamaica.  He stated that, “given the strength of Brand Jamaica and our prominence in sports there is no limit to the success we can achieve if we come together.”

Minister McNeill was addressing the stakeholders at a JAMAICA Sport workshop held yesterday (June 25) at the Knutsford Court Hotel, New Kingston.  The workshop introduced two models for evaluating the economic impact of sports events, STEAM Jamaica and Media PRO.

“The value of sports tourism is said to be over US$600 billion internationally. Given Jamaica’s prominence in sport and the strength of our brand we have to ensure we can get a slice of this pie,” said Minister McNeill.

He pointed out that sports tourism affects the host country in two ways, the direct effect of attendance of competitors, spectators and other accompanying persons and the indirect effect that comes from marketing the destination. As an example of the power of sports as a marketing tool, Minister McNeill cited the successful Jamaica House concept, an initiative that leverages the global focus on the Jamaican track and field team at major sporting events to market Destination Jamaica.

To underscore his point, Minister McNeill noted that “prior to 2012, we had experienced four consecutive years of negative growth in visitor arrivals out of the UK. In 2012, we hosted Jamaica House at the London Olympics.  In 2013 we saw the positive impact in an increase in arrivals; in 2014 arrivals increased by 17.5% and since the start of 2015 we have had a 27% increase in arrivals out of the UK.” He emphasized that, while not the sole reason for increases out of this market, the concept played a significant role in boosting arrivals.

The Minister welcomed the introduction of Jamaica STEAM (Sport Tourism Economic Assessment Model), which will project and measure the economic impact of both sports and entertainment, and Media PRO, which will measure the media value and reach of these events. “We want to ensure there is an empirical mechanism to ensure the sports events have maximum impact on tourism given our financial constraints,” said Minister McNeill.  He encouraged all sports organizations to embrace the use of these evaluation models to measure their events for various purposes including sponsorship.

The sport evaluation workshop was conducted by Anthony Fisher from the Canadian Sports Tourism Alliance and Derek Mager from Canada’s Data Jungle, who have a proven record in both fields.

JAMAICA Sport Chairman, Chris Dehring described the models as “tried, tested and true” and said that in a very competitive environment it is important to professionalize sports investment and properly assess how the money is being spent.

JAMAICA Sport is a multi-sectoral body established in 2014 to examine the commercial opportunities provided by sports tourism; leverage Brand Jamaica and sporting events held locally and internationally to ensure that Jamaica maximizes marketing and promotional opportunities while encouraging additional visitors to our shores.  

KINGSTON, JAMAICA, June 24, 2015: Minister of Tourism and Entertainment, Hon. Dr. Wykeham McNeill, has credited Jamaica’s Tourism Master Plan for Sustainable Tourism Development with providing guidance for the development of the industry, its current success and ability to contribute significantly to the nation’s economic growth.

He was addressing a six-person tourism delegation from Belize yesterday (June 23) that is being hosted by his Ministry to assist that country with further development of its tourism industry.  The weeklong visit is an initiative of the Interregional Cooperation in Tourism. 

“Because of how Jamaica has been positioned, there is now a great demand for the island as a vacation destination,  with measurable growth in both stop over and cruise arrivals as well as investment by both international and local investors,” the Minister stated.

Head of the delegation, Belize’s Chief Tourism Officer, Abil Castaneda, explained that his country is a crossroads with regard to its tourism development.

“We need inputs on how to structure our tourism sector to move forward. Over the course of this week we hope to discuss institutional challenges and how it affects policy and framework in the long run,” he stated. 

“Our hope is that the exchange of knowledge and ideas will help to build and strengthen my country’s tourism industry,” he stated.

The delegation will hold consultations with the Ministry, its agencies and stakeholders – the Tourism Product Development Company (TPDCo); the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF); and the Jamaica Tourist Board.  Their itinerary also includes meetings with senior staff of Jamaica Trade and Invest (JAMPRO); the Jamaica Business Development Centre, (JBDC); the Micro Investment Development Agency (MIDA), and the Self-Start Fund. The team will also be hosted by the Passport and Citizenship Agency on a site visit to the Sangster International Airport where they will observe visitor facilitation systems at international points of entry.

 Belize, which has a relatively new formal tourism sector compared to Jamaica. Located on the Eastern Coast of Central America,  the country is 22,800 square kilometres with a population of 340,844. More than 1.2 million persons visited Belize in 2014.

The delegation’s mission to Jamaica was sponsored by the Inter-American Development Bank (IADB).