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| Tourism Minister, Edmund Bartlett (centre), along with (L-R) Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Jennifer Griffith; Executive Director of the Tourism Product Development Company, Dr Andrew Spencer; Executive Director of the National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA), Audley Gordon; and Executive Director of the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF), Dr Carey Wallace, participate In the signing of a contract on Monday, to implement the Tourism Resort Maintenance programme. |
Kingston, Jamaica - The Ministry of Tourism, through their beautification programme, Spruce up Jamaica, has embarked on a Three Hundred and Forty Million dollar ($340,000,000.00) programme to provide a clean and aesthetically appealing environment to increase attractiveness for visitors and businesses in Jamaica’s resort areas. The 5 month collaboration with the National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA) to implement the Tourism Resort Maintenance Programme has been funded by the Tourism Enhancement Fund and will be administered by the Tourism Product Development Company Limited (TPDCo).
The partnership between the NSWMA and the Ministry of Tourism includes the provision of labour, tools and planting materials, and will focus on beautifying the resort areas of Jamaica and maintenance of the North Coast highway.
Speaking at the contract signing on Tuesday July 09, 2018 at the Ministry of Tourism’s office, Honourable Edmund Bartlett, Minister of Tourism, highlighted the importance of beautification to enhance and maintain the tourism product.
“The business of environmental safety and beautification is a vital part of the product of the tourism sector. The experience that we sell to the world is not just about bed and breakfast or sun, sand and sea, but it also about the aesthetics and environmental integrity of the area. It is about enabling visitors to come to Jamaica and breathe fresh, clean air. Our job is to make the destination assured, and a big part of that assurance is our partnership with the providers of the services that secure the infrastructure of our country.” He said.
Minister Bartlett went on to express his confidence in the partnership with the NSWMA, as the agency functions as the custodians of the country by providing a clean and safe environment. He added that the programme will focus on the resort areas, making specific mention of Negril, Montego Bay, Port Antonio, Falmouth, Ocho Rios, Treasure Beach and Kingston as these areas are frequented by visitors for the Jamaican culinary experience. These areas therefore need to be clean and sanitary to meet not only local, but global standards.
Executive Director of the NSWMA, Audley Gordon expressed his delight at the partnership and the importance of the public service role it plays.
“The NSWMA is delighted to partner with the tourism sector, not only because of the weight we place on the environmental aesthetics of the country, but also because we deem this a privilege to serve the people and will ensure that we play our part to assist in the improvement of Jamaica’s tourism product.” He said
The all island Tourism Resort Maintenance programme will be conducted under the Spruce Up Jamaica programme which was first implemented in 2007 by the Ministry of Tourism to ensure that resort areas are kept in pristine condition.
