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TPDCo language course reaping success for tourism workers

Published:Saturday | May 10, 2014 | 12:00 AM
An animated Byron Chung dances with Landine Brown to the strains of the popular Jamaican folk song 'Dis Long Time Gal Me Never See Yu (Hace Tanto Tiempo No Te Veo)' done in Spanish by his fellow graduates of the Ministry of Tourism Language Training programme. - Photo by Barrington Flemming

WESTERN BUREAU:

The first cohort of tourism workers who participated in a Russian and Spanish languages skills training programme say they are already seeing positive results from their interaction with visitors.

The programme was introduced in November by the Ministry of Tourism and Entertainment through the Tourism Product Development Company (TPDCo) and saw 262 craft traders, tour operators, drivers, and tour guides from Negril, Montego Bay, and Ocho Rios participating.

The six-week programme targeted front-line tourism sector workers who interface with visitors from Russia and Spanish-speaking countries. Another objective was to sensitise service providers to the various cultures of these visitors.

Graduation

The participants graduated last week at the Western Jamaica Campus of the University of the West Indies and were able to show off their newly acquired language skills as the ceremony was conducted in English, Spanish, and Russian.

For participant Lewin Haughton, a Red Cap porter for the past 14 years, being able to communicate with Russians in their own language "is an eye opener". He described the experience as "a life changer for me in terms of improving my service to visitors. It helps you to interact with them because sometimes they need the service, and if you don't know even a little bit of their language, you seem cold".

'People are happy'

Having had the opportunity of using what he has learnt, he said, "The people are happy I've been able to assist them."

President of the National Craft Traders and Producers Association, Melody Haughton-Adams, said participants in the training programme have been able to use their newly acquired language skills to make more money in their trade.

Althea Bennain, an employee with TPDCo who took the Spanish course, said, "It has helped me a whole lot because in conversing with the Spanish speakers, it has helped me to assist them more with directions and information on places to go ... making them feel more comfortable that they are welcome in Jamaica."