'Vote for my government' - Holness urges tourism workers

Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness has urged Jamaica’s tourism workers to express the same vote of confidence in his Government that foreign investors have shown in the sector.

“We want you to vote for the government because we are doing the right thing for you," he urged the local staff at Tuesday's Grand Palladium Hotel groundbreaking ceremony in Point, Hanover.

His remarks come ahead of the general election, which is due by September.

The prime minister argued that foreign investments are a powerful vote of trust in Jamaica’s future.

“Businesses vote by making investments,” he declared, highlighting the 500 million-euro project by the Palladium Hotel Group. “This is a clear endorsement of the nation’s economic prospects. This isn’t just money on paper; it’s a resounding vote on Jamaica."

Holness argued that the influx of capital does more than erect state-of-the-art resorts, it creates thousands of jobs. He detailed projections of approximately 1,500 construction workers and an estimated 5,600 direct and indirect employment opportunities emerging from ongoing and planned developments.

“These investments signal that the macroeconomic indicators are moving in the right direction,” he noted, underscoring the government’s efforts to secure a prosperous future for all Jamaicans.

Meanwhile, Holness made it clear that the Government is committed to ensuring that tourism development is inclusive, not exclusive. He criticised past practices where luxury developments were created in isolation from the broader community, resulting in a “two-Jamaica” scenario.

“In the past, we might have celebrated the development of 950 new rooms without considering where the workers would live or how they would be served,” he recalled. “Now, we are committed to building an infrastructure that benefits everyone.”

“The tourism product is not just about the impressive buildings,” Holness stressed. “It’s about the warm, welcoming smiles of the people who make every guest feel at home.”

Holness confirmed that directives had been given to tourism minister, Edmund Bartlett, to engage with the hotel sector, ensuring that issues of worker compensation and conditions are addressed transparently and equitably.

He hinted at upcoming announcements that would further bolster the rights and welfare of tourism workers.

The tourism sector was hit by a wave of protests late last year as workers demanded better wages and working conditions.

The tourism industry is a key foreign exchange earner. It directly employs more than 170, 000 persons and generates indirect employment for over 350,000.

- Janet Silvera

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