Janet Silvera, Senior Tourism Writer

Horace Peterkin and William Tatham

WESTERN BUREAU:

Executives of the All-island Craft Vendors' Association are disassociating themselves from their president, Mildred McCalla, who has called for the resignation of William Tatham, vice-president of cruise shipping and marine operations at the Port Authority of Jamaica (PAJ).

"We wish to distance ourselves, because she should not have used the national banner to make her voice heard," vice-president of the association, Melody Haughton, told The Sunday Gleaner.

Ms. Haughton, who serves as president of the Harbour Street Craft Market in Montego Bay, said that when she consulted the executive of the national body, they were extremely upset that the president had misrepresented them. "They have asked me to correct the damage that Mrs. McCalla has done to the craft industry and apologise to Mr. Tatham."

The Sunday Gleaner of March 4, carried an article titled 'William Tatham under pressure ... calls for his removal intensify' in which a number of tourism and business interests called for the resignation of the PAJ executive, alleging that under his watch, not only has the local industry not kept pace with other Caribbean destinations in terms of growth, but that Jamaica lost over 300 calls last year due to inadequate berthing facilities.

Mr. Tatham was also blamed for being at the forefront of the PAJ's decision to build a marina in Port Antonio, which is reportedly now one of the biggest white elephants in the Caribbean. But the Sunday Gleaner has learnt subsequently that Mr. Tatham was not employed to the PAJ when the marina was built.

In addition, a number of tourism stakeholders have come out in support of Mr. Tatham's stewardship. These include president and vice-president of the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA), Horace Peterkin and Judy Schoenbein, respectively; president of the Ocho Rios Chamber of Commerce, Norma Walters; and, chairman of the cruise-shipping committee of the Montego Bay Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MBCCI), John Byles. All four, in collaboration with their respective members, have objected to the accusations levied against Mr. Tatham, with the JHTA, demanding that Ocho Rios businessman Michael Belnavis publicly retract his comments as a result of "irrefutable evidence". Mr. Belnavis was quoted in an article in The Gleaner on Monday, February 28.

Did not reflect the facts

In a letter to Mr. Belnavis, JHTA president Horace Peterkin said his organisation felt that the businessman's views did not reflect the facts and even more importantly, were diametrically opposed to the views of the cruise industry itself. Mrs. Schoenbein, who came out in defense of Mr. Tatham, said: "It is clear that the information for the article was dated. Quotes from Carnival executives or business people from six years ago, has no bearing on what the issues are today."

She noted that the Florida Caribbean Cruise Association had a projected growth for the Caribbean of some 4.5 per cent in 2006, but Jamaica had a growth of 17.7 per cent over the same period in 2005. "When we look at the accomplishments of the cruise sector to Jamaica over the last five years, there is no doubt that this type of growth has taken place because of the careful planning, marketing initiatives, security placements, engineering of the Ports to house mega lines and the hard work of Mr. Tatham," Mrs. Schoenbein stressed.

John Byles, chairman of the cruise-shipping committee MBCCI and co-managing director of Chukka Caribbean Adventures, dismissed the criticisms of Mr. Tatham as unfounded, stating: "It is the very fact that William has done a very good job in marketing the ports that the shortfall in the capacity is now under attack."

I am not trying to defend the PAJ, which should have foreseen the need for increased capacity and be further advanced, but the attacks are groundless on William Tatham," said Byles.

He added that the attack from the head of the craft vendors' association seemed to point to a disconnect from what was taking place on the ground, as Tatham had been instrumental in improving the business to the craft markets that now enjoy proximity to the cruise industry.

"He has also succeeded in getting the same benefits afforded to the Ocho Rios craft vendors to the Montego Bay ones, of access to the port. Fifteen rotated vendors are now able to go on the port to sell twice per month," Byles reported.

His comments were echoed by Melody Haughton who told The Sunday Gleaner that had it not been for William Tatham, craft vendors could not have made the giant steps made today.

Get markets up to standard

"He advised us to get our markets up to standard before approaching the cruise lines. He was frank with us, we took it hard, but today we can boast that we are associate members of the FCCA and are enjoying programmes such as the 'Hot Spot Shuttle' and other recommendations from the cruise lines."

She said that through Tatham's intervention, the monopoly has been broken: "Some people believed that the cruise lines were for them only. William Tatham has changed that with his open-door policy."