Damion Crawford Doesn't Have A Clue...

[Skeng DX]

better than yuh hand miggle

[Bricktop]

This whole affair is hilarious...the only reason Crawford went on Nationwide was to rebut stinging claims from Bartlett that tourism is going to take a big hit from Ritz Carlton pulling out...Crawford specifically said that it would not hurt but benefit us as Ritz was an upscale brand while Playa was more mass market and would be of more benefit to Jamaica...as soon as I showed him the international article saying that Playa was going to rebrand as more upscale than Ritz is when he started backpedaling and saying he didn't say that...got him on tape this time...him cyaan slither out of this one

[1of1]

read again

[Assasin]

What is surprising is that Crawford is/was involved in tourism booking and making such a statement.

[Mosiah]

Could he be right?

[Assasin]

No can't be right. Tell that to the Elegant resorts etc. Halfmoon, Round Hill etc. As an insider he can't be advocating against this form of tourism. Minister Mcneil on his visit to Portland not so long ago said this is what he is advocating for Portland. How has it failed Jamaica?



This is an unfortunate statement and not properly thought out any how you take it and he should withdraw it.

[Mosiah]

I would like to see some hard numbers. How many upscale tourists come to Jamaica and want to come to Jamaica but were not able because of lack of rooms? I want to know how much money they spend compared to the mass market tourist? How long do they stay, comparatively?

Why are these upscale hotels more ecologically friendly? what have they done that the mass market hotels haven't?

[Assasin]

Tell me how exactly would it fail Jamaica? If we are not getting enough tourists in that area, could it be we are not using proper marketing tatics? could it be because of harrassment? Could it be we no longer have the appeal?



All of those plus others have to be thrown in the mix

[Mosiah]

Sass, please try to understand what I am saying. I am not saying anything would fail Jamaica. I don't know! The question, in my view, is whether one is better than the other. I think the minister is saying the closure of RC is not a big deal because we would prefer more mass market hotels than the high end ones. He must have a reason why he said so.

Since then, a lot of us have been saying the high end ones are better because of this and because of that. I am simply asking, what are the facts?

[Assasin]

Mosiah the minister should know that we need a mix of high end and others. he shouldn't be advocatinng against any. His statement should have read "it is unfortunate but ............."



If it was you, I or some advocacy group arguing I could understand but not a tourist offical.

[Mosiah]

And I agree! To say that high end has failed...not the right thing to say. We could promote one over the other, if we have to, but we should be trying to cater to both. No one can deny that high end tourism can work here, even if on a much smaller scale.

[Bricktop]

I think the minister is saying the closure of RC is not a big deal because we would prefer more mass market hotels than the high end ones. He must have a reason why he said so.

Of course there is a reason he said so...because RC (a higher end hotel) is pulling out of Jamaica and Bartlett was killing the PNP in the press about it...so Crawford tried to spin an argument using a FALSE premise...the premise that Playa is a mass market brand...when in fact it is higher end than RC...when confronted with the FACTS he started backtracking...he made a definitive statement...he didn't say he would prefer one to the other...

[Willi]

U ah mek eediot Ministah twist yuh up.

Learn to undertand that most of our ticians are not of the highest calibre and are prone to foolishness..

Dont fallah dem.

[Mosiah]

Perhaps, Willi, but what I won't do is to act as if I always know more than our ministers. Yuh ever see how WE behave sometimes?!? And most of us could NEVER spend a day in whatever ministry!

As dumb as some of them are, they have intelligent people around them.

[Muadib]

Ahm.. that flies in the face of the state the country is in.. nothing about it says... 'Intelligence' in Government..