Pickersgill
WESTERN BUREAU:
TEMPERS flared at the 41st annual general meeting of the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA) at the Wyndham Rose Hall hotel yesterday, as some members heaped criticisms on Director of Tourism, Fay Pickersgill, over the state of the island's tourism industry.
After presenting a 39-page report on the industry, the director came under heavy fire as it was felt that her two-hour "Eye on the future" presentation lacked depth and projection for the future.
"I am not here to beat up on anyone, but I haven't seen much of a future in your 'Eye On the Future presentation'," said former JHTA Chapter chairman Jeannie Dixon, of Sunshine Villas, Ocho Rios.
Crushing any hopes of keeping a tight lid on the "can of worms" many feared would have been spilled, the very vocal Mrs. Dixon took control of the podium immediately after the director's presentation. She said the piece-meal tourism of the JTB and the ministry lacked solid plans and strategies. "We are still pussyfooting in tourism, constantly doing crisis management," she said.
Swearing never again to become part of any board, after her experience on the committee set up to deliver the still outstanding Tourism Master Plan, Mrs. Dixon said she will now represent the people.
"I wasted one whole year going to Master Plan meetings and where is the plan now," she said.
She was loudly applauded by the members.
However, the director, backed by Minister of State, Wykeham McNeill, explained that it didn't make sense completing the plan without getting most of, or the entire industry in agreement with all its facets.
The meeting threatened to become disorderly as members voiced their disapproval of an announcement by Mrs. Pickersgill, that an agency would be contracted to do a research of the restructuring of the board.
