Gareth Manning, Gleaner Writer
Michael Muirhead,executive director of the Tourism Product Development Company.
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR of Tourism Product Development Company (TPDCO) Michael Muirhead says the craft sectors in Montego Bay and Ocho Rios are being improved.
Market infrastructure and increased product marketing are to be developed, he said. Immediate infrastructure improvement is to cost some $700, 000 in Montego Bay.
So far only representatives of the Harbour Street market have submitted a proposal for upgrading facilities in the Montego Bay area, Mr. Muirhead says. The Ocho Rios committee established to formulate plans for its craft markets has not yet been fully developed.
But the TPDCO has had to abandon development plans for the sector in the past because of strong opposition from vendors.
Original plans to amalgamate craft markets in different resort towns to develop one-stop craft villages is one plan that has not yet materialised. The TPDCO proposed this initiative to centralise markets in every resort town in 2000 so the vendors could cater to the needs of visitors in improved conditions. But Mr. Muirhead says vendors have been strongly opposing centralisation, mostly because of ties to the now existing locations.
However, the Port Antonio Craft Village, however, is almost complete. Mr. Muirhead says the village is 85 per cent ready, and only minor infrastructure work needs to be done. Some vendors refuse to move, but some improvement is to be carried out in the next four weeks.
RESTRUCTURE BUSINESSES
The Jamaica Exporters' Association has also been actively helping the sector through the Jamaica Business Recovery Programme (JBRP). The programme was instituted after the passage of Hurricane Ivan in September last year to help restructure businesses in the craft, fishery, poultry and non-traditional agricultural industries.
"The craft and gift sector has received assistance where damaged buildings have been replaced," JEA president, Dr. Andre Gordon told the Financial Gleaner. "A lot of training has gone in. The craft sector has been speaking very highly of the programme because many of them have been able to change their product range including their production practices."
The sector is to receive more help from the competitiveness company launched in September. The company was launched to establish changes in the approach to production by placing emphasis on high quality production instead of high quantity. Dr. Dr. Gordon says the company has already secured funding for some of these ventures.
