Jamaica Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett. has thrown down the gauntlet against disorderly behavior, especially in resort areas.
“I want to say very loudly that Destination Assurance is fully predicated on public order. And the Ministry of Tourism and the tourism sector stand squarely behind the Ministry of National Security to secure and ensure public order in the public spaces of Jamaica,” he declared.
The Minister stressed, “We repudiate and we absolutely have disdain for a view or a practice, in fact a philosophy, that suggests that because of class, color, race, creed or economic station, you should be excused from good public conduct.”
His comments to the St. James Destination Assurance Council (DAC) at the Montego Bay Convention Centre on Thursday, March 30, 2023, drew sustained applause from the crowd. “I believe that Jamaica’s future is doomed if we have, on any side, political or otherwise, religious or otherwise, purveyors of thought that continue to give the impression that you must be excused because you’re poor, for poor behavior and for disruptive and disorderly conduct,” the Tourism Minister continued.
Minister Bartlett said no argument about the historic process “and the fact that we are a creature of some historic experience should excuse us from the responsibility to ensure that each and every individual has the right to access public space with freedom and peace.”
Minister Bartlett said people travel to fulfill the five passions points of food, shopping, health and wellness, entertainment and sports, and knowledge; however, there are elements of assurance that a destination must give to a visitor to ensure confidence to visit, stay and return after their vacation.
On the question of harassment, he said people want to know that when they move around, they can do so with confidence, ease and respect for their rights and their person. They also want to be assured that they will not be abused either because of their class, color, race, or their orientation.
He said Destination Assurance, therefore, calls for a team of competent people to ensure that the touch points that will enable a visitor to have a safe, secure and seamless vacation, are in place.
Tourism of itself could not do it, said Minister Bartlett: “…because we don’t exist as an entity unto ourselves. We only exist because all the key players in these many activities that I mentioned are doing a good job, and that is very critical.”
Accompanied by the Minister of National Security, Hon. Horace Chang, representatives of the Ministry of Tourism and its public bodies as well as the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association, Urban Development Corporation, St. James Municipal Corporation and the Jamaica Constabulary Force, Minister Bartlett undertook a marine and land tour of Montego Bay prior to the DAC meeting.
The boat toured the coastline from Pier1 to Dead End Beach, where there are plans to construct a boardwalk. There was also a walk-through of Montego Bay’s newest mixed-use commercial development – the US$10 million Harbour City complex now under construction. The complex, which is slated to be completed in June of this year, will comprise 54 shops, including restaurants and studio apartments for Airbnb rental. It will also be Montego Bay’s first commercial complex with roof parking and a sky pool. The officials also visited the Old Fort and Montego Bay craft markets, the Cultural Centre and other sections of downtown Montego Bay.
The tourism capital is also to benefit from the Tourism Product Development Company’s (TPDCo) spruce up program. TPDCo will be working with the security and fire services as well as the municipal corporation to clean and prepare areas that could become centers of excellence. There are also plans to incentivize users of public spaces, commercial and otherwise, to ensure the creation of a culture of public order within the tourism spaces of Montego Bay.
The tour is part of an island wide destination assurance drive by the Ministry to ensure that Jamaica’s tourism product remains first class and that the country can maintain its competitive advantage in the global marketplace.
