KINGSTON, JAMAICA – Jamaica’s Minister of Tourism and Entertainment, the Hon. Wykeham McNeill, has lauded the Organization of American States (OAS) Craft Enhancement and Business Planning Training Project as a strategic initiative which will enhance the human capacity within the tourism industry through the provision of extensive training opportunities for local artisans.
Minister McNeill was speaking recently at the opening of a one-day Craft Enhancement Project Exhibition to showcase craft made by project participants from indigenous fibres like jippi jappa and thatch. The exhibition, held along the walkway beside the Ministry of Tourism and Entertainment in New Kingston, was hosted by the Tourism Product Development Company (TPDCo), in association with the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF) and the OAS.
It is the first of five exhibitions which will be held under the project, which seeks to enhance the local arts and crafts industry, enable artisans to become more sophisticated in their trade, as well as improve competitiveness and meet consumer demand for authentic artisan products. Future exhibits will display craft made out of recycled materials such as coconut shell, calabash, paper, bamboo and textiles.
“The craft industry is very important to Jamaica and we at the Ministry of Tourism and Entertainment are working to enhance its sustainability,” Minister McNeill said to the audience of craft producers, tourism industry stakeholders, OAS representatives and government officials.
“One of the complaints that we get is that all craft vendors are selling the same thing. Our ministry is working to diversify the industry and get craft producers to work with different materials. This in turn will broaden the market for their craft,” Minister McNeill pointed out. “I believe this project is a great step in the right direction and helps to fulfil the mandate of what we need to do to enhance the sector,” the Minister added.
Dr. McNeill said the project ties in nicely with efforts to develop a craft policy and the establishment of the Craft Council of Jamaica earlier this year. This is the central body which will oversee the development of the craft sector in its entirety and monitor the quality of the items produced and sold as authentic Jamaican craft.
Director for the OAS Country Office, Jeanelle Van Glaanenweygel, said “the ultimate goal of the project is to ensure that authentic, locally designed and developed, high quality craft products from Jamaica are produced.” She added that “the hope is that in doing so, we can assist local craft producers to build sustainable livelihoods through the sale of their craft, while they offer visitor’s quality products that reflect Jamaica’s culture and cement memories of their stay in Jamaica in the souvenirs they take with them.”
The OAS Country Office Director pointed out that while training is important in that regard, equally important is the issue of sustainability. To this end, a database of craft producers and products will be developed to enable the continuous marketing of the craft items.
The Development Cooperation Fund of the OAS is providing US$139,826.00 towards this project, complimented by counterpart funding from TEF to realize the objectives of the programme.
Through the project some 80 artisans from across Jamaica are benefiting from craft skills upgrading workshops that will train them in product development, entrepreneurial skills, business management and financial skills. They will also be educated on the importance of producing quality indigenous products and the protection of intellectual property.
