Jamaica’s long-serving Minister of Tourism, Edmund Bartlett, has introduced that he’ll retire from representational politics on the finish of the present parliamentary time period, bringing to an in depth a distinguished profession spanning greater than 4 a long time in public service.
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Bartlett, who turns 75 in December, revealed his resolution throughout an interview on Nationwide at 5 on Wednesday. “As Minister, I work on the behest of my Prime Minister, and I’m all the time keen to present the service as my well being and my capability permits,” he mentioned. “Inside the body of all of this, nevertheless, and I acknowledge that there’s a time lag for every part, so I’m enthusiastic about saying to you that sure, this can be my final full time period. However I would like it to be understood that I’ve a job to do and we’re going to complete that job. And once we end, we’re going to cross on to the following era of those that will do higher than we’ve completed.”
Bartlett has served as Member of Parliament for East Central St. James since 2002, after beforehand representing Jap St. Andrew from 1980 to 1993. He first grew to become Minister of Tourism in 2007 beneath the Bruce Golding-led Jamaica Labour Celebration administration and returned to the portfolio in 2016 beneath Prime Minister Andrew Holness, the place he continues to serve.
Throughout his tenure, Bartlett has been credited with remodeling Jamaica’s tourism sector into a world mannequin of progress and resilience. Beneath his management, the nation rebounded strongly from the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, welcoming 4.3 million guests in 2024 and producing roughly US$4.35 billion in tourism earnings. He additionally established the World Tourism Resilience and Disaster Administration Centre, the primary of its form, to assist the worldwide business confront points similar to local weather change, pure disasters, and pandemics.
Earlier this 12 months, Bartlett received the Premio Excelencias (World Excellence) 2024 award on the FITUR worldwide tourism commerce truthful in Madrid, Spain, recognizing his career-long dedication to sustainable tourism and his affect on the worldwide stage. He has additionally been honored by the United Nations World Tourism Group for his management in selling inclusive and resilient tourism practices.
Trying forward, Bartlett mentioned he intends to assist put together his successor earlier than stepping apart. “We now have labored very arduous within the business. We’ve constructed new areas, and we’re taking a look at new areas for the long run,” he mentioned. “I intend to finish my work, and after I’m completed with that completion, then I might have educated and constructed capability to embrace and carry by the work to excessive heights and better depths.”
Bartlett’s deliberate retirement marks the top of an period for Jamaica’s tourism business, which has persistently damaged customer arrival and income data beneath his stewardship.
