Barbados’ Prime Minister the Hon. Mia Amor Mottley addressing members of the media during yesterday’s press conference, as Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Dale Marshall (right) and Minister of Tourism and International Transport, Kerrie Symmonds, look on.
Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley is giving the country the assurance that even as the Government seeks to get tourism going again, they will at no time make human life secondary to the economy.
The Prime Minister spoke to this in an address yesterday morning from Ilaro Court, as she said concerted steps are to be taken to breathe new life into the tourism sector. Her remarks came as she made
it abundantly clear that the safety of Barbadians is paramount.
“I want to share with you that any plan to welcome visitors to our shores again and to allow tourism-based establishments to reopen, must and will put the safety of Barbadians first. I’ve said it too many times – it is non-negotiable. To be able to live up to the commitment will require practical, efficient protocols; consistent flows of communication from the Government to you as we
have been doing and just as important from you to the Government agencies, so that we can effectively monitor our progress and at the same time solve any issues as they occur,” she stated.
To that end, suggesting that it cannot be business as usual, she also spoke of the ‘Tourism Reboot Exercise’, through which she explained that over the course of the last few weeks they have invited ideas and participation from a “wide and varied think tank of creative Barbadian minds” to help the sector. She said among the questions they have sought to answer is what does the best of Barbados look like, feel like, sound like and taste like.
“This is our perfect opportunity, Bajans, to put in the time and the effort to rebrand and reboot our tourism sector and engender a renewed national respect and appreciation for tourism. From public education and training as you have heard me say through the National Training Initiative; to branding and signage which we need to improve; to the attraction and entertainment activities; to a national clean-up and beautification campaign, you have heard me speak of this over and over since Independence last year – all of these will be reviewed and refreshed under our Tourism Reboot Programme,” she said.
She went on to say that the new tourism thrust will reflect three pillars of excellence – national pride, pursuit of excellence and universal tolerance.
“Barbados will get itself ready to welcome visitors and we will start with the reopening of restaurants, hotels, attractions, and entertainment centres and sports, not merely for our citizens to enjoy, but eventually for the visitors who will be coming back gradually, to experience our culture and hospitality,” the PM stated.
She further indicated that the tourism authorities will launch the new Barbados Tourism Brand Identity Campaign, inviting the world to come, see, taste and experience “their perfect home away from home”. She made that point while stating that steps will be taken to not only welcome visitors warmly, but safely; reiterating that the safety of Barbadians remains vital.
“My Cabinet and I commit to protecting you, protecting jobs and protecting livelihoods. There can be no Barbados to experience, without Barbadians,” she said.
With that in mind, she said that the tourism industry depends as much on tourists as it does on Barbadians, noting that “the first tourist is a Bajan”.
PM Mottley added, “No economy will survive if its people do not have the spending power. So as we go about our daily lives, I urge all of us to remember that every dollar we spend in Oistins, or in a restaurant, or in a supermarket, or in a village shop, or boutique, or in a gym, or in a pharmacy or a street vendor means another Bajan remains employed, allowing each of us to feed our families and to keep this economy afloat.” (JRT)