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'Butch' predicts best ever winter tourist season; announces new evening newspaper
BY PATRICK FOSTER Sunday Observer writer
fosterp@jamaicaobserver.com
Sunday, December 09, 2007
Gordon 'Butch' Stewart, chairman of the Jamaica Observer and the Sandals/ATL group, Friday night projected that the upcoming winter tourist season would be the best in the country's history and announced the Observer's intention to start publishing an evening newspaper next March.
"On the anniversary of the newspaper, March 7, 2008, we plan to launch our evening newspaper to be published five days per week," Stewart told journalists at the 64th renewal of the Press Association of Jamaica (PAJ) annual awards ceremony held at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel in Kingston.
Stewart... the upcoming winter tourist season will be the best in the country's history
Stewart did not elaborate on the plan, opting instead to urge journalists to continue being the watchdogs of society and to use the press as a tool against crime.
"You would not have had a change of government if you did not have the press to expose the things that created a change," Stewart told the audience. "You have a mighty responsibility. It is your job to see that fairness reigns."
In an address in which he touched on a number of issues, Stewart, who operates hotels in six islands across the Caribbean, said that projections for visitor arrivals to Jamaica this season were likely to surpass previous years, despite a recent upsurge in crime.
"The information I see on my books suggests to me that we are about to have the best tourist season we have ever had," said Stewart.
However, despite his optimism, Stewart cautioned that until the economy of Jamaica grew there would be little success in crime fighting.
"Until we can grow the economy, I don't think we can deal with crime," Stewart said. "We need a government that can find a solution to address the crime problem in such a way that we can have results quickly."
A country, he said, is a multiple of the businesses. "If businesses do not do well, the economy contracts and the country suffers," he said. "If you cannot succeed in expanding the economy you'll have more migration and more crime."
At the same time, he argued that there was a critical shortage of high quality leadership skills in the country and called on corporate Jamaica to allow more top executives to give public service.
"It is well known that we have a significant shortage of leadership skills across many sectors," said Stewart. "Huge numbers of our best educated citizens have chosen to seek greener pastures overseas thus contributing to the so-called brain drain."
This shortage, Stewart contended, was particularly acute in the government sector and emphasised that it was at that level that the country could least afford to be short of leadership and management skills.
"We are not a second rate country and we must not settle for second rate at any level, especially at the leadership level," Stewart told the journalists.
He also countered allegations that he was placing executives from his business group in key positions for personal gain, saying that he had "more to give than to receive".
The hospitality mogul explained that the advertising budget for his hotel chain, Sandals Resorts, exceeded that of the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB).
According to Stewart, Sandals spends US$60 million annually on advertising while the JTB has a budget of US$30 million, spending approximately US$12 million to US$14 million on "hard advertising".
"In real terms I have more to give than to receive," Stewart asserted. "I have always been available to share any knowledge that we have with the wider community of Jamaica."
Stewart defended his position of urging top executives to serve in public positions, saying it has been a tradition in his group and he has also served publicly in the past.
"Over the years my organisation has developed a culture of setting the example by allowing our executives who have been called to serve their country," said Stewart, adding that seven of his executives were currently in key organisations in the public and private sectors.
"We are proud of this tradition," he said.
BY PATRICK FOSTER Sunday Observer writer
fosterp@jamaicaobserver.com
Sunday, December 09, 2007
Gordon 'Butch' Stewart, chairman of the Jamaica Observer and the Sandals/ATL group, Friday night projected that the upcoming winter tourist season would be the best in the country's history and announced the Observer's intention to start publishing an evening newspaper next March.
"On the anniversary of the newspaper, March 7, 2008, we plan to launch our evening newspaper to be published five days per week," Stewart told journalists at the 64th renewal of the Press Association of Jamaica (PAJ) annual awards ceremony held at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel in Kingston.
Stewart... the upcoming winter tourist season will be the best in the country's history
Stewart did not elaborate on the plan, opting instead to urge journalists to continue being the watchdogs of society and to use the press as a tool against crime.
"You would not have had a change of government if you did not have the press to expose the things that created a change," Stewart told the audience. "You have a mighty responsibility. It is your job to see that fairness reigns."
In an address in which he touched on a number of issues, Stewart, who operates hotels in six islands across the Caribbean, said that projections for visitor arrivals to Jamaica this season were likely to surpass previous years, despite a recent upsurge in crime.
"The information I see on my books suggests to me that we are about to have the best tourist season we have ever had," said Stewart.
However, despite his optimism, Stewart cautioned that until the economy of Jamaica grew there would be little success in crime fighting.
"Until we can grow the economy, I don't think we can deal with crime," Stewart said. "We need a government that can find a solution to address the crime problem in such a way that we can have results quickly."
A country, he said, is a multiple of the businesses. "If businesses do not do well, the economy contracts and the country suffers," he said. "If you cannot succeed in expanding the economy you'll have more migration and more crime."
At the same time, he argued that there was a critical shortage of high quality leadership skills in the country and called on corporate Jamaica to allow more top executives to give public service.
"It is well known that we have a significant shortage of leadership skills across many sectors," said Stewart. "Huge numbers of our best educated citizens have chosen to seek greener pastures overseas thus contributing to the so-called brain drain."
This shortage, Stewart contended, was particularly acute in the government sector and emphasised that it was at that level that the country could least afford to be short of leadership and management skills.
"We are not a second rate country and we must not settle for second rate at any level, especially at the leadership level," Stewart told the journalists.
He also countered allegations that he was placing executives from his business group in key positions for personal gain, saying that he had "more to give than to receive".
The hospitality mogul explained that the advertising budget for his hotel chain, Sandals Resorts, exceeded that of the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB).
According to Stewart, Sandals spends US$60 million annually on advertising while the JTB has a budget of US$30 million, spending approximately US$12 million to US$14 million on "hard advertising".
"In real terms I have more to give than to receive," Stewart asserted. "I have always been available to share any knowledge that we have with the wider community of Jamaica."
Stewart defended his position of urging top executives to serve in public positions, saying it has been a tradition in his group and he has also served publicly in the past.
"Over the years my organisation has developed a culture of setting the example by allowing our executives who have been called to serve their country," said Stewart, adding that seven of his executives were currently in key organisations in the public and private sectors.
"We are proud of this tradition," he said.
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