'Time to work together'

With Jamaica poised to earn well in excess of the 'elusive' US$2 billion in foreign exchange from the tourism sector this year, Minister of Tourism, Edmund Bartlett, says the time is now right for the three key players - agriculture, manufacturing and tourism - to work together to make the country grow and recognise economic development.

Bartlett said this was the only way the island would retain the wealth the tourism sector was bringing in.

During a Rotary Club of Kingston luncheon at The Jamaica Pegasus Hotel in New Kingston yesterday, the minister encouraged business leaders to invest in the agriculture and manufacturing sectors in order to capture that wealth.

Stating that agriculture represented 60 per cent of the demand in tourism, Bartlett said: "I am prepared to partner with you, taking money from the Tourism Enhancement Fund to create a pool of funds to lend to small suppliers in the agricultural sector who are going to be focusing on organic production to create a particular niche for Jamaica, so that we can market on that as a value added. We can decide that Jamaica is the destination where you can eat the healthiest."