By Serena Grant
KINGSTON, Jamaica, (GIS) – Minister of tourism, Edmund Bartlett, has noted that tourism remains central to Jamaica’s recovery efforts following hurricane Melissa.
Minister Bartlett was addressing a special church service held at the Burchell Baptist Church in Montego Bay, St James, on December 14, where he was joined by officials from the Ministry and the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB), along with civic leaders and members of the tourism fraternity. He emphasised that tourism remains Jamaica’s most powerful economic catalyst in times of crisis, citing the sector’s proven ability to recover rapidly from global disruptions.
“Tourism represents for us the single most potent agent to enable thriving in any kind of economy that has been impacted by any global disruption,” he said, pointing to the sector’s performance during the COVID-19 pandemic as evidence of its inherent resilience.
The tourism minister outlined that recovery efforts following hurricane Melissa were deliberate and structured, supported by clear targets and coordinated actions across public and private sector partners.
“The recovery of tourism was determined, deliberate and calculated, because that’s what we do. We make KPIs [key performance indicators], we set targets, we give goals to individuals to meet,” he said. Linking tourism recovery to national well-being, minister Bartlett assured congregants that the sector’s rebound would directly benefit citizens.
“As we recover tourism, we recover the economy. As we recover the economy, we recover your well-being. As we recover your well-being, we recover your capacity for prosperity,” he said.
Minister Bartlett further noted that a Tourism Recovery Task Force was established to lead on-the-ground efforts, engaging stakeholders across hotels, attractions and communities to ensure the seamless restoration of the tourism product.
Reflecting on the impact of the hurricane, the minister said Jamaica had faced what could have been an “existential threat,” particularly in western parishes, but noted that the country’s response demonstrated its strength and capacity to rebound. He noted that the devastation left by the hurricane now stands as “an active driver of our own resilience and our capacity to recover and bounce back, not just to bounce back, but to bounce back quickly, and then to thrive.”
Minister Bartlett also used the occasion to express gratitude to several agencies and frontline workers for their role in the recovery process, including the Jamaica Public Service Company, the National Water Commission, the security forces, local government authorities and health professionals.
“We want to give thanks overall for our government and a prime minister who is here for a time such as this,” he said, adding that Jamaica’s response to successive crises has been guided by collective action and strong leadership.
