Tag: Ed Bartlett

ICYMI in Jamaica, September 22, 2020: A Small Asteroid, Yeng Yengs, The Return of Kanye, and Any Further Questions?

September 23, 2020

The violent thunderstorms of the previous week diminished, but we are in troubled times, bad weather or no. COVID-19 seems to be overwhelming us all. It’s the main topic of every newscast and almost every discussion on Twitter, WhatsApp, everywhere. Meanwhile, a small asteroid will be passing quite close to Earth soon – read more … More ICYMI in Jamaica, September 22, 2020: A Small Asteroid, Yeng Yengs, The Return of Kanye, and Any Further Questions?

ICYMI in Jamaica, August 16, 2020: Andrew Says Let’s Go, el-Faisal Says Goodbye, and JAMP Says Sorry

August 16, 2020

This week was a momentous one for those who get excited about elections. On Tuesday, the Prime Minister announced the date in Parliament (not in front of a large crowd of frenzied supporters, as is normally the case): Thursday, September 3. Nomination Day will be next week – Tuesday, August 18. Thankfully, it will not … More ICYMI in Jamaica, August 16, 2020: Andrew Says Let’s Go, el-Faisal Says Goodbye, and JAMP Says Sorry

ICYMI: August 9, 2020: A Pair of Desert Boots, A SWAT Team, and More Weak Fences

August 10, 2020

Well, the past week has been pretty intense, with politics, crime and COVID-19 vying for the headlines (and sometimes getting mixed up together). Click on the highlights for links to the stories. Your feedback is always welcome! Agriculture: Here’s a good piece in Forbes magazine about the challenges for Jamaica’s small farmers in the face of climate change … More ICYMI: August 9, 2020: A Pair of Desert Boots, A SWAT Team, and More Weak Fences

Revitalizing the Caribbean Tourism Sector: The IDB’s Innovation Challenge

July 14, 2020

Our tourism sector has not yet emerged from the doldrums. In Jamaica, while battling COVID-19 with what appear to be depleting resources, we “opened up” to tourism on June 15. Now, close to one month later, we seem to be just feeling our way. Nevertheless, our ever-upbeat Minister of Tourism Ed Bartlett told us a few … More Revitalizing the Caribbean Tourism Sector: The IDB’s Innovation Challenge

“The Virus Is Still Out There”: COVID-19 in Jamaica – Travel, Tourism, More

June 15, 2020

Some people have asked me if I am going to do another update on COVID-19. We had two back-to-back press briefings and an online event with the Minister of Tourism, which I missed, at the end of this week. But first here are the latest numbers: We have two new cases today – June 14 … More “The Virus Is Still Out There”: COVID-19 in Jamaica – Travel, Tourism, More

“If a Dirt, a Dirt”: COVID-19 and a Reopening of the Jamaican Economy

May 13, 2020

“If a dirt, a dirt.” There is a fatalistic streak in the Jamaican psyche. The point is sometimes reached where people shrug their shoulders and say, “Suh it guh” (that is how things go). In this COVID-19 era, this tendency has kicked in. “Dirt” refers to death. As this current saying suggests (there are many … More “If a Dirt, a Dirt”: COVID-19 and a Reopening of the Jamaican Economy

Jamaica Turns Away a Cruise Ship: Is the Tourism Industry Affected by COVID-19?

February 27, 2020

It is quite clear that the coronavirus (COVID-19) is having an impact on the travel industry. Yesterday a cruise ship, the MSC Meraviglia, was turned away from the Jamaican cruise port of Ocho Rios. Subsequently it was denied access by the Cayman Islands. It has, however, been given permission to dock in Cozumel, Mexico this … More Jamaica Turns Away a Cruise Ship: Is the Tourism Industry Affected by COVID-19?

The Amaterra Development: Is This Sustainable Tourism?

April 17, 2019

A tweet dropped into my timeline earlier this week from Prime Minister Andrew Holness. Nothing unusual about that as he, like other government ministers, is a regular tweeter. This one gave me pause, however: Jamaica is open for business. The time is now. I want to thank the Amaterra Group for investing in Jamaica. The … More The Amaterra Development: Is This Sustainable Tourism?

A New Police Commissioner, a New MP, No New Taxes and a Sick Old Hospital: Jamaica on March 11, 2018

March 14, 2018

Warm breezes have been blowing in Kingston. Heavy rain showers on the north coast brought more flooding in their wake. Agriculture: and JAMPRO to the rescue? The agriculture sector has been in decline for a while now, with the constant excuse of “the weather” trotted out (anyone heard of “climate-smart” agriculture?) Late last year the Planning Institute of … More A New Police Commissioner, a New MP, No New Taxes and a Sick Old Hospital: Jamaica on March 11, 2018

Jamaica’s Tourism Dilemma: A BBC interview with Minister Bartlett

November 20, 2017

Originally posted on Jamaican Journal:
The BBC did an interview with Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett this weekend. Minister Bartlett is defending the nation’s tourism industry, citing a retention rate of 42 per cent. He is denying that tourists are in danger. This is probably true, as most tourists leave Jamaica unscathed. However, I find the…