will Island's downswing force real change

[evanovitch]

just like how the US has to be looking at real change, will the current financial woes force Ja to take a step bak and come again with plans that fit Jamaica, the needs of Jamaica, and the growth and sustenance of Jamaica?

will the collapse of the tourist industry (misnommer at best),bauxite, banana etc etc finally make the island go the route of self reliance in all things

[Sinco01]

Re: will Island's downswing force real change


They had better ..

That why this chicken import is so interesting ..

Could that money be used in other ways ..

create demand ..
create supply ..

but mi is not govt ..

[evanovitch]

Re: will Island's downswing force real change

bwoy Sinco mi a look fawud to some heavy discussions dis Chrissmus...nuff pawty already cancel so u done know seh di gatherings gwine to ha nuff pontification an pronouncement ....mi juss a go kip mi aise dem open cause dis gwine to be interesting

[Sinco01]

Re: will Island's downswing force real change


On a JA talk show this morning ..
the host was saying that the chicken should be imported
so poor people would have a choice of buying cheaper chicken ..

he said dats why Michael Manley talk about "Grow what we eat .. Eat what we grow" did not work ..

[jah_yout]

Re: will Island's downswing force real change

jamaica does not want to hear anything about sacrifice...this is our national problem;
everyone wants the trappings of western modernity...

the way i see it right now vanity a rule j'cans minds so any talk of sacrificing will be met with scorn & hostility...
besides the ploitricksters know they can't win with this type of talk

[evanovitch]

Sandals lays off 650 - Resorts hurting from economic tsunami

Sandals lays off 650 - Resorts hurting from economic tsunami
Published: Saturday | December 13, 2008


Janet Silvera, Senior Gleaner Writer


WESTERN BUREAU:

On the eve of the winter tourist season, which commences on Monday, one of the island's largest hotel chains, Sandals Resorts International, <span style="font-weight: bold">has made approximately 650 of its employees throughout the Carib-bean redundant</span>.

The figure represents a 7.5 per cent decrease in the resort chain's workforce. <span style="font-weight: bold">A total of 285 of those sent home were employed to Sandals hotels in Montego Bay, Ocho Rios and Negril.</span>
The group, in a press release, said it was forced to take the decision as a result of the unprecedented global financial crisis which is affecting tourism interests worldwide. &quot;We have had no choice but to streamline operations and trim expenditure,&quot; said the release.

Despite the reduction, the company said its staff complement spread throughout its brands - Sandals, Beaches, Royal Plantation and Grand Pineapple Resorts - now stands at approximately 5,000 in Jamaica and 5,000 throughout the rest of the Caribbean.

There is, however, a glimmer of hope for some of the Jamaican workers sent home. <span style="font-weight: bold">The company, in a release, said that in January 2009, 104 team members of those displaced, will be joining the new Italian Village at Beaches Turks and Caicos.</span> &quot;This will substantially reduce the number of team members affected by these changes,&quot; said the release, which was sent out by Rachel McLarty, group director of communications.

Sandals is just one of the many hotels already affected by the economic tsunami. <span style="font-weight: bold">Another of the island's major players, SuperClubs Resorts, confirmed that it was not laying off staff, but had been forced to rotate many of its employees locally in the last month.</span> The situation is expected to worsen, spreading across the island, if the predictions of a 30 per cent decline in arrivals this winter prove true.

<span style="font-style: italic">Of importance is the fact that the news comes one day after a reported high-level meeting of stakeholders, including Sandals chairman Gordon 'Butch' Stewart, Sunset Resorts Group's Ian Kerr, SueprClubs' John Issa, with Minister of Tourism Edmund Bartlett and John Lynch, chairman of the Jamaica Tourist Board, to discuss the long-standing request for a stimulus package for the tourism industry.</span>


<span style="font-weight: bold">ole licky licky probly was sooo awed an overwhelmed, him juss stuff food an mek di oddas plan dem strategy </span>

Global crisis

The meeting was preceded by a gathering of the Private Sector Organisation and Prime Minister Bruce Golding on Wednesday.

The prime minister is expected to address the nation tomorrow regarding the global crisis and measures to be put in place to deal with the ensuing challenges.

The duration of this global economic downturn is so far uncertain. The situation commenced after a sound start to the year (international tourist arrivals worldwide averaged 5.7 per cent from January-April). Growth fell below two per cent in June, July and August as the high price of oil and rising inflation took their toll, and together with recession fears, squeezed travel budgets.

For the first eight months of 2008, growth averaged 3.7 per cent compared with the same period in 2007, while for the year as a whole, it is now projected to be at around two per cent globally.

And, as the current troubled economic scenario is expected to continue into 2009, the United Nations World Travel Organisation's initial forecast for next year is an even more modest performance.

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