Opposition senator calls for tourism earnings to be reinvested in infrastructure

 

Opposition Spokesperson on Tourism, Senator Janice Allen is calling for a breakdown of how the tourism revenue earned will be used to support infrastructure, small businesses and employees across the sector.

 

Senator Allen made the call in response to Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett's announcement in Parliament on Tuesday, that increased tourism yields were translating to significant growth for the local economy, boasting a $52 million profit from the industry.

 

But while Senator Allen is lauding the gains being made in the sector, she noted there must be a balanced strategy by the government that not only pushes reinvestments for major players but takes into account the environment and wealth gain for other supporting players. 

 

"The minister quoted some very big figures, and that's good. But then you have, on the other hand, infrastructural concerns in major towns and resort areas like Negril or Ocho Rios or Montego Bay. It makes no sense that we earn all of these monies and we don't have a strategy, a policy that specifically determines how monies are reinvested in Montego Bay or Ocho Rios, for example, sidewalk, water supply, management of garbage or the management of waste," she suggested. 

 

"The reality is if you walk in Montego Bay today, you cannot believe that these are the same places that are generating so much money for the country. We need to see in a substantial way how the monies are going to be reinvested in the industry with specific targets to be met and for us to measure against those," said Senator Allen. 

 

She was a guest Thursday on the Morning Agenda on Power 106.