McNeill confident in new Jamaica Tourist Board

TOURISM MINISTER Dr Wykeham McNeill has expressed confidence that the team he has put in place to lead the Jamaica Tourist Board will help to ensure continued growth in the sector.

"The new board, under the astute chairmanship of Dennis Morrison, possesses the right skills set to steer this entity into the future. I think he did a good job before and I repose great confidence in him to lead this organisation once again," McNeill is quoted as saying in a media release.

"I hope that as we seek to move forward, as a board we can ensure continued positive effects for Jamaica such as increases in our arrival figures and tourism earnings, as well as the diversification of our tourism product."

In issuing his charge to the board Dr McNeill outlined, "I think the Board has a good blend of members with valuable experience led, of course, by Mr Morrison and the director of tourism and former chairman John Lynch. Likewise, we will also benefit from the experience of former president of the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association Wayne Cummings and the current president, Evelyn Smith, to name a few. In addition to those persons, we have an excellent mix of young, vibrant members such as the vice-president of Jamaica Tours Limited Noel Sloley Jr and managing director at Chukka Caribbean Adventures, Marc Melville."

The other members of the board are former director of tourism Paul Pennicook, Carolyn Wright, Zein Issa-Nakash and Kevin Hendrickson.