By Noel Thompson, Freelance Writer
Project Co-ordinator of the Environmental Audits for Sustainable Tourism (EAST) Hugh Cresser, (left) is seen receiving used plastic containers for inspection from Donna Yitshak, the environmental manager at Sandals Montego Bay. - Noel Thompson
WESTERN BUREAU:
TEN HOTELS across the island, including eight in Western Jamaica have been given the Green Globe certification. This means that the hotels have met the required environmental standards of the Green Globe 21 UK.
Green Globe 21 UK, which developed the internationally recognised environmental standard specifically for the travel and tourism industry, is an affiliate of the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC).
The properties in Western Jamaica are Sandals Montego Bay, which is the only Green Globe certified hotel in that city; Negril Cabins Resort; Rondell Village; Seasplash Resorts; Sandals Negril; Couples Negril; Grand Lido Negril and the Swept Away Resort all in Negril, Westmoreland. The other two hotels are Hotel Mocking Bird Hill in Port Antonio and Couples Ocho Rios in St. Ann.
In addition to the hotels certified, other hotels such as the Montego Bay-based Coyaba are also moving ahead in their quest to get the coveted Green Globe certification. Twenty-five small hotels are to be audited under the third phase of the Environmental Audits for Sustainable Tourism projects (EAST), which concludes in December 2002.
These small properties will have the benefit of a new audit assessment protocol developed by EAST, which will apply to hotels having from 15 to over 200 rooms.
The protocol is poised to cover energy; water consumption; waste-water generation and disposal; solid waste generation and disposal; and the use of chemicals, among other things that affect the environment. EAST was developed four years ago as a demonstration of the benefits of improved environmental management in the hotel and manufacturing sectors.
COLLABORATIVE INITIATIVE
It is a collaborative initiative between the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA) and the Jamaica Manufacturers Association.
EAST Project Co-ordinator Hugh Cresser said the certified hotels were either prepared for certification under EAST or by the Washington DC-based independent consultants, PA Consulting Group. The PA Consulting Group is contracted by the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to implement EAST in small hotels.
Cresser said that said since being certified, the hotels are already reporting major gains both in terms of real savings due to more efficient and cost-effective operations in collaboration with a vibrant marketing platform. He added that EAST was hoping to have all the Sandals hotels certified by July this year.
Meanwhile, Donna Yitshak Environmental manager at Sandals Montego Bay, said the project commenced at that hotel in January 2000 by implementing a policy which enveloped all aspects relating to the environment.
These included fresh and waste-water management, chemical and solid waste management, as well as eco-system and energy management. Recognising that the programme was environmentally driven, Miss Yitshak said all the team members were trained accordingly and were told the reasons why they needed to conserve.
