Adrian Frater, News Editor
Entertainers performing at Sizzla's Occasion II held at the Market Place, Constant Spring Road, on Saturday, April 15. - Nathaniel Stewart/Freelance Photographer
WESTERN BUREAU:
SEVERAL MAJOR players in the local tourism and entertainment sector have given their stamp of approval to Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller's decision to join entertainment and culture to the tourism portfolio. However, there are concerns that without the requisite support structure, the desired synergy might not be achieved.
"I think it is a fantastic idea," said Jamaica Hotel and Tourism Association (JHTA) president, Horace Peterkin, the general manager at the Sandals Montego Bay hotel. "All three entities are inter-related so you really can't have one working properly without the other."
'BRAND JAMAICA' STRENGTHENED
Declaring that culture has been underexploited over the years, resulting in millions of dollars in potential earnings falling by the wayside, Mr. Peterkin hoped that the new mix will not only strengthen 'Brand Jamaica', but will put our culture, which he believes is being duplicated in other parts of the world, on a viable footing.
Opposition Spokesman on Tourism, Edmund Bartlett, who has dubbed the linkage a natural synergy, said having all three entities under the same banner would invariably lead to the better planning and execution of programmes.
"For this mix to work properly, we will have to create new state-of-the-art infrastructure and expand those we already have to support it," said Mr. Bartlett. "In addition, we will also need to create more scope for cultural training as at present, we only have one cultural training centre, which is in Kingston. I would suggest that another one be established in Montego Bay."
For noted Montego Bay hotelier, Godfrey Dyer, the linking of entertainment and culture with tourism is yet another opportunity for Government to establish a top-class competitive tourism package, geared towards providing our visitors with enough variety to keep them happy.
CASINOS, OUTLET FOR
ENTERTAINMENT
"Any improvement to our tourism package is welcome as it will ultimately lead to us having more satisfied visitors," said Mr. Dyer. "In addition, an expansion in entertainment and culture will allow us to better utilise the proposed Montego Bay Convention Centre and the new multipurpose stadium in Trelawny, which would both be ideal for major indoor and outdoor cultural events.
Mr. Dyer, a strong proponent of casino gaming, also sees a place for gambling in the new mix. "We have good daytime attractions for our visitors, but we are short of quality nighttime attractions," said Mr. Dyer, noting that Jamaica has lost out to other destinations over the years because of the reluctance to introduce casino gaming. "In addition, casinos will offer an addition outlet to expose our music and culture."
FUSION LONG OVERDUE
Top western Jamaica promoter Worrell King, of Western Consciousness and Tribute to Peter Tosh fame, thinks the fusion of entertainment, culture and tourism is long overdue and he sees it as a perfect platform from which to wage the battle to end the exploitation of Jamaica's culture by outside forces.
"Tourists basically come here to enjoy Jamaica," said Mr. King.
"Music and culture represent the best we have to offer. If we present what we have in an orderly and professional manner, the scope to generate additional revenue is limitless."
Opposition to the merger has come from Carl Matthews, the man behind Herbert Morrison Technical High School's multi-award-winning choir and school band, who is somewhat wary of the decision to annex culture from education as according to him, both have been working quite well together over the years. He said the annual Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC) festival activities, which are generally dominated by the schools, is one of the success stories of the old union.
"If moving it from education to tourism is going to result in an improvement on what we now have then I would be all for it," said Mr. Matthews. "However, if it is going to result in culture being taken out of the education and by extension the schools, I would see it as a big mistake."
