Caribzone News Highlight

By Caribzone.com

Jamaica

Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmond Bartlett, says a preliminary report from Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) is showing that in 2019, the sector earned between US$3.7 billion and US$3.8 billion, some US$500 million more than in 2018.

Speaking at a press conference, on January 15, at the JTB offices in New Kingston, Mr. Bartlett said stopover arrivals for the year grew by eight percent.

The Minister described the industry’s performance as “spectacular and exciting”.

“The measure of tourism is both arrivals and earnings, but the most powerful part of it is the earnings, which have increased by US$1.8 billion in just over three years,” the Minister said.

Mr. Bartlett argued that the continued growth in tourism results from the setting of targets, which he did after assuming office in 2016.

He reported that the country has already outperformed, by 2,000, the projection to have 127,000 persons employed in the sector by 2021, and that all the other targets are almost reached.

“The best part of our success is in the retention increase that we have had in the dollar,” Mr. Bartlett said, explaining that in 2016, Jamaica was retaining 30 cents in every dollar earned in the industry, but it is now at 40.8 cents, a 30 percent increase.

He said the Government moved quickly to ensure an end to the seasonality of tourism, and to make it an all-year activity that provides employment security to workers.

The Minister emphasized that growth in the sector is not just for the administration. “It is the result of the stakeholders, the hoteliers, and the little worker,” he added.

Mr. Bartlett noted that in the coming weeks, the ground will be broken for another 7,000 hotel rooms, adding that some 3,000 houses are under construction, “primarily focusing on workers in the tourism industry”.

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National

The Trump administration is facing major pushback on some recent immigration policy changes. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and immigrant rights groups, sued the administration, saying its policy of deporting asylum-seekers from the The US is dangerous and doesn't help migrants find refuge.

This policy was cemented last year when the US designated Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador as "safe third" countries where migrants could be diverted after coming to the US. 

Meanwhile, a federal judge in Maryland temporarily blocked the President’s executive order that allows governors to stop refugee resettlement in their states, saying the order "does not appear to serve the overall public interest." 

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Jamaica

The Private Sector Organization of Jamaica (PSOJ) is seeking to build national consensus on the Government’s strategy to significantly reduce crime.

Crime is one of the priority areas of focus outlined in the PSOJ’s 2020-2022 Strategy, which was presented at a recent press briefing at the organization’s offices in Kingston.

PSOJ President, Keith Duncan, noted that a special private-sector working group “is working assiduously with a team, inclusive of the Minister of National Security, Hon. Dr. Horace Chang; and the Opposition Spokesperson on National Security, Fitz Jackson, along with members of academia to really work through and gain some consensus around Jamaica’s crime efforts and strategy going forward”.

The working group, chaired by Jamaica Chamber of Commerce (JCC) President, Lloyd Distant Jr. was formally established at a multi-stakeholder summit held in October 2019.

Mr. Duncan said that a key part of the thrust in securing consensus is ensuring that there is an oversight body in place that would operate in a similar manner as the Economic Programme Oversight Committee (EPOC) to monitor and report to the nation on the progress being made.

He said that February is being targeted to provide an update on the progress of talks regarding the oversight body.

Mr. Duncan said that the PSOJ is pleased with the steps being taken by the government to address crime, citing $21 billion allocated over the last fiscal year for infrastructure, technology, building investigative capacity and forensic capacity, among other inputs.

He noted, however, that “it is important that we are comfortable with how Jamaica is moving forward with dealing with this disease of crime”, hence the need for national consensus.

The PSOJ 2020-2022 Strategy is also focused on human capital development, ease of doing business, increasing direct investments, corruption, and environmental sustainability.

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International

The US dollar on Friday, January 17, ended trading at J$138.67, up by one dollar, according to the Bank of Jamaica's daily exchange trading summary.

Meanwhile, the Canadian dollar ended trading at J$107.55, up from J$106.68, while the British pound sterling ended trading at J$183.31, up from J$180.74.

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Regional

The Government of Jamaica will this week welcome US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo, who will be arriving in Jamaica for a two-day working visit from January 21-22.

“We welcome the visit of Secretary Pompeo as a demonstration of the commitment of the United States of America to once more strengthen its engagement with Jamaica and the wider The Caribbean,” said Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Senator Kamina Johnson Smith.

“We truly look forward to this opportunity to engage and reinforce our longstanding ties.”

On day two of his visit, Prime Minister Andrew Holness and senior cabinet ministers will hold bilateral talks with Pompeo.

Pompeo is expected to give a policy speech on the Caribbean region's critical importance to the United States, and the country's renewed commitment to closer ties, based on shared values, interests and economic prosperity, the ministry said.

What was not said was Pompeo’s visit at a time when the visas of at least three ranking politicians have been revoked and its impacts on US/Jamaica relations.

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Sports

Caribbean Club Soccer Championship Set

Jamaica 's Portmore United and Waterhouse FC will represent the island in the Flow Concacaf Caribbean Club Championship with the group stage set to take place at Anthony Spaulding Complex in Kingston, from January 29-February 9.

In announcing the schedule last Wednesday, Concacaf says the competition will be played in two stages – a group stage and a final stage.

In Group A, Waterhouse FC will do battle with 2017 winners Cibao FC of the The Dominican Republic and Don Bosco FC of Haiti.

In Group B, 2019 Caribbean champions Portmore will face 2018 winners Club Atletico Pantoja of the Dominican Republic and Arcahaie FC of Haiti.

After round-robin play, the top-two finishers of each group will advance to the final stage. The final stage [semifinals, third-place match and final], will be played May 8-14, at a venue to be announced.

At the conclusion of the event, the champion will qualify for the 2021 Scotiabank Concacaf Champions League, while the runners-up and third-place finishers will qualify for 2020 

Scotiabank Concacaf League

The loser of the third-place match will face the winner of the 2020 Concacaf Caribbean Club Shield in a play-off match to determine who will be the third Caribbean representative in the 2020 Scotiabank Concacaf League.

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