In praise of the JTB

THE EDITOR, Sir:

THE HON. Gordon Stewart OJ is truly an interesting and surprising fellow - sometimes he makes sense and sometimes he doesn't.

His recent continuing battering of the Jamaica Tourist Board is truly ridiculous. The Hon. Stewart claims that the JTB is unco-operative with Air Jamaica (of which he is still a majority shareholder) but in my recent experience it is quite the opposite. JTB has been generous in its support of Air Jamaica Programmes and promotions, including co-op support for Air Jamaica Vacations advertising.

Air Jamaica is, of course, critical to this island nation and credit must be given to the general improvement in service since divestment, but as the Prime Minister had to point out recently to Butch Stewart in Florida, the JTB has a responsibility for advertising and marketing Jamaica abroad as a destination and, therefore, cannot limit support to any single carrier or, I presume, any one resort hotel chain, of which there are three or four. Likewise, the island's dedicated Tour Operators must know that they and Air Jamaica Vacations are on a 'level playing field' .

People in glass houses shouldn't throw stones and Air Jamaica, is not known for paying debts on a timely basis. The public knows that Air Jamaica has been the beneficiary of enormous loans and guarantees. These have come from the public purse - the taxpayers of Jamaica - and so much of this is still outstanding.

I suggest that entrepreneur and marketeer par excellence Butch Stewart give his first and full attention to ensuring that this considerable debt be lifted as soon as possible - thereby hopefully allowing the Government to increase the JTB's promotional and advertising budget in the future.

In spite of local critics, internationally the JTB has an outstanding track record of global achievement, both in the present and in the past, I set out below just a few recent examples.

In October 2000 JTB was named Caribbean's Leading Tourist and Convention Bureau by the World Travel Awards.

In April 2001 JTB, at the 3rd World Travel Awards was voted by 100,000 travel agents: a) Caribbean's Leading Destination; b) Caribbean's Leading Tourist and Convention Bureau; c) Worlds Leading Honeymoon Destination.

In January the JTB was awarded nine Golden Bells Awards, including the prestigious Platinum Award.

While the JTB cannot claim to be perfect, nevertheless, these extraordinary accolades tell of international respect, recognition and yes, also admiration for a Jamaican government agency, run by Jamaicans around the world.

"A prophet is not without honour save in his own country, and in his own house" - Matthew Ch. 13 Vs. 57.

I am, etc.,

FRANK PRINGLE

P.O. Box 42

Montego Bay

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