Will Richard Sealy Take Heads In Barbados Tourism – Or Work With The Current Crew?
If the Barbados economy has a lifeblood, it is tourism. Don’t fool yourself: everything else is built upon that foundation. No matter what you do for a living on this island, chances are that it is either directly or indirectly associated with those sunburned tourists walking around in Bridgetown.
Even our offshore banking industry would not continue to flourish without the same pre-conditions that make tourism viable.
A friend of mine who is active in the banking sector told me something that had never occurred to me before. She said that the foreigners who establish offshore companies and bank accounts in Barbados largely choose our country because it is a pleasant place to go on vacation or to visit on business.
I had to think about that one, but then she explained that rich foreign folks can establish companies and bank accounts anywhere they want in the Caribbean or the rest of the world. The many countries that embrace international banking are competitive with Barbados in that they afford much the same financial benefits and tax breaks. So there must be some compelling reason for rich folks to choose Barbados over other countries… and that reason is that we are a great vacation spot when compared with many other banking centers.
Which is all to say that tourism is probably the most important ministry in our government because without a vibrant and healthy tourist industry, everything would suffer.
Richard Sealy Has Quite A Job Ahead Of Him
The previous Minister of Tourism, Noel Lynch, took much well-deserved criticism for the many disasters and deterioration that took place on his watch. And although he proved time and time again that he didn’t have a clue as to the true situation, let alone what to do about it, we have to wonder about the quality of his staff at both the Ministry and the Barbados Tourism Authority.
And we’re not talking just the management. Judging by the performance issues, there must be staff members who deserve to get the boot under the new administration.
Tourism will not be able to reach its full potential unless our Tourism Minister and the industry are provided with accurate data upon which to make decisions.
Will Richard Sealy have the wisdom to get rid of those at the Ministry and the BTA who are beyond redemption?
Answer: He’d better!
Meanwhile, Mr. Sealy could take a lesson from the Nigerian Tourism Minister. Perhaps this story should be pinned up over a few desks at the BTA?
Minister sends tourism corporation boss on compulsory leave
Lagos, Nigeria (eTN) – The Nigerian minister for Tourism, Culture and National Orientation, Mr. Adetokunboh Kayode, last weekend directed the director general of the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC), Olusegun Runsewe, to proceed on compulsory leave. This move comes barely few hours after Chief Runsewe was suspended from office by the minister over alleged insubordination.
…the minister has written thirteen letters to Chief Runsewe requesting for records of financial dealings of the corporation and the number of tourists entering the country, but never got any reply.
Excerpt from eTurboNews (link here)
Barbados Free Press 