MONTEGO BAY, Jamaica – Jamaica’s Tourism Minister, Ed Bartlett, has said the ‘Spruce up Jamaica’ program is not just about preparing the resort areas for the up coming winter tourist season, but creating an environment that will be healthy for both nationals and visitors.
Mr. Bartlett, who was addressing the launch of the Westmoreland segment of the clean-up and beautification campaign Thursday (Dec. 6) at the Whitehouse Fishing Beach, said the aim of the initiative is to enlighten the mind and psyche of the Jamaican people to the value of a clean and beautiful environment, and engage communities in the kind of action and activities that give value to Jamaica.
Tourism Minister, Ed Bartlett
Stating that the campaign is about more than aesthetics, the Minister said: “It’s going to help us to see how we ourselves can be enriched because we take care of ourselves, we take care of our environment, and we are safe in our communities.”
Addressing concerns about the continuity, Minister Bartlett assured that the program will not end at the start of the winter tourist season, which begins on December 15, but will continue for sometime. He informed that arrangements are being made with several private and public sector organizations toward this goal.
With particular reference to the implementation of the project in Westmoreland, Minister Bartlett told the gathering that discussions are being held with the South Coast Resort Board and Tourism Product Development Company (TPDCo) for the setting up of “a contractual arrangement with individuals to keep the resort areas looking spic-and-span and highly spruced throughout the year”.
The ‘Spruce up Jamaica’ campaign, which is aimed at establishing a more attractive and aesthetically inviting environment in the resort towns of the island, is being undertaken by TPDCo in collaboration with a number of government and private sector agencies. The project is already underway in Ocho Rios, Kingston and Montego Bay.
Member of Parliament for Eastern Westmoreland, Luther Buchanan, in his remarks, lauded the move to introduce the programme in Westmoreland and urged participants to carry out the required work, bearing in mind that they are improving the environment.
