Dear Editor,
The information in your article 'Fidel Castro, Bob Marley, Sandals — Carib's most powerful brands' published in Monday's edition of the Observer is directed at the wrong group. The people who need education sit at Gordon House each and every week. They are the ones who have not come to terms with the fact that the hospitality industry accounts for approximately 50 per cent of the international currency obligations of the country.
Had they realised this, they would be seeking to increase the presence of Sandals throughout the country. It increases the economies of scale that make for greater efficiencies, especially where the backward linkage and the real effect when negotiations are possible for whatever inputs are necessary.
Since the first venture of Peter Rousseau to raise capital indigenously, which resulted in what was Ciboney, now Sandals, nothing has transpired. The challenge is that when you claim to be independent it requires a level of maturity that can create a fully functioning productively engaged society.
The Sandals story is one of Jamaica's success stories that could be so much more for Jamaica. Pity it isn't. It should be. 'Butch' Stewart gave some advice to the Government over a year ago about doing things on the scale that would have made a significant difference — which of course has some self-interest built in — but would have made the much-needed difference in the amount of international currency coming into the island from the real discretionary income demographic.
The Sir Ian Fleming Airport could have been expanded for the type of hub arrangement that would have made Jamaica the satellite for all of the surrounding small islands that were at one time dependent on Jamaica, and would have allowed for the long flights for people who spend significant sums that can change the bottom line substantially. All that was ignored. And the capitalisation is available in Jamaica to bring that kind of project to quick fruition, which would have impacted the entire north-eastern region.
It is the people in charge that really need to be educated about what Jamaica needs to do and cut out the entitlement disposition that is taking the country down the path of "Haitianisation".
I read your article and thought that some sense of perspective was needed which was missing in the attempt to gloat about the pressure-cooker environment that has become Jamaica.
Douglas Gooden
douglasbgooden@yahoo.com
Observer preaching to wrong crowd
-->
The information in your article 'Fidel Castro, Bob Marley, Sandals — Carib's most powerful brands' published in Monday's edition of the Observer is directed at the wrong group. The people who need education sit at Gordon House each and every week. They are the ones who have not come to terms with the fact that the hospitality industry accounts for approximately 50 per cent of the international currency obligations of the country.
Had they realised this, they would be seeking to increase the presence of Sandals throughout the country. It increases the economies of scale that make for greater efficiencies, especially where the backward linkage and the real effect when negotiations are possible for whatever inputs are necessary.
Since the first venture of Peter Rousseau to raise capital indigenously, which resulted in what was Ciboney, now Sandals, nothing has transpired. The challenge is that when you claim to be independent it requires a level of maturity that can create a fully functioning productively engaged society.
The Sandals story is one of Jamaica's success stories that could be so much more for Jamaica. Pity it isn't. It should be. 'Butch' Stewart gave some advice to the Government over a year ago about doing things on the scale that would have made a significant difference — which of course has some self-interest built in — but would have made the much-needed difference in the amount of international currency coming into the island from the real discretionary income demographic.
The Sir Ian Fleming Airport could have been expanded for the type of hub arrangement that would have made Jamaica the satellite for all of the surrounding small islands that were at one time dependent on Jamaica, and would have allowed for the long flights for people who spend significant sums that can change the bottom line substantially. All that was ignored. And the capitalisation is available in Jamaica to bring that kind of project to quick fruition, which would have impacted the entire north-eastern region.
It is the people in charge that really need to be educated about what Jamaica needs to do and cut out the entitlement disposition that is taking the country down the path of "Haitianisation".
I read your article and thought that some sense of perspective was needed which was missing in the attempt to gloat about the pressure-cooker environment that has become Jamaica.
Douglas Gooden
douglasbgooden@yahoo.com
Observer preaching to wrong crowd
-->