Jamaica's tourism grew last year by 3.9 per cent in stop over arrivals and for the first five months of this year by 3.2 per cent. Under Bartlett, Jamaica's tourism arrivals has grown while world tourism has declined. Bartlett is therefore doing better than the world. Tourism in the region, with the notable exception of three other countries, is down, but Jamaica continues to experience record growth. With this improved visitor arrivals, jobs in the tourism sector cam be saved. This means that the Honourable Edmund Bartlett, minister of tourism, is the five-star performer in the Bruce Golding administration.

When the Cabinet was named, I predicted that Ed Bartlett would do well. But do not hail me as a prophet because there were others that I had predicted that would have done well but are performing poorly. However, Ed Bartlett has not disappointed. He started running from day one. He knew the hospitality industry and the players in the industry. He also seemed to have had a plan and ideas on how to implement the plan. His plan was based on data and not wishful thinking. It was strategic, measurable and achievable.

Bartlett never once used the world recession as an excuse. He always felt that Jamaica's tourism could perform creditably in these harsh times. He felt that Jamaica being in close proximity to the largest market, the USA could increase the percentage of that market. His philosophy appeared to be "when the going gets tough the tough gets going". I never once heard him blame the previous administration and their mistakes in tourism. In fact, he appeared to be building on the good of the past while avoiding their mistakes. In addition, he drew inspiration from the past saying that Jamaica recovered quickly after 9/11 in the USA.

Poor performance

There are other Cabinet ministers who have said things will be OK but they did not turn out that way. And others who blame everything and everybody except themselves for a poor performance. Bartlett stood shoulders above the rest to deliver growth in tourism arrivals. The performance in other sectors such as education, energy, finance, national security, health etc, cannot compare favourably with tourism.

Bartlett is aggressively seeking new markets and trying different strategies. Not everything will work but he is trying. He has made mistakes in the expenditure of the Tourism Enhancement Fund such as on the Elegant corridor (See Gleaner July 15). His treatment of Paul Pennicook was shabby, to say the least, when Paul seemed correct in saying the deal with American Airlines for the Chicago route was bad. Interestingly, the impressive growth in tourist arrivals contradicts his point that Jamaica needs casino gambling to grow the industry.

Another marked discipline of Bartlett is that he speaks elegantly. I recall, while he was Opposition spokesman on tourism, his tribute to the Rev Sam Reid, then pastor of Calvary Baptist Church on Sam's retirement, was well constructed with worthwhile content and well-delivered. He gives you the impression that he is not talking off the top of his head, but that he gives thought to what he is going to say. And his speeches as minister of tourism, whether at the Jamaica Business Council on HIV/AIDS' (JaBCHA) Touch of Red Dinner in December 2008 or at the Jamaica Customer Service Association's (JaCSA) CEO Forum or at the start of the last Tourism Week, have been inspirational and informative.

And when he disagreed with the Church over the issue of casino gambling there was no public bashing or tracing in his speech, but a respectful disagreement. He was statesman-like, even prime ministerial.

The tourism budget should not have been cut. Instead the Government should have provided additional funds to this star performing sector and this five-star minister.

Devon Dick is pastor of the Boulevard Baptist Church and author of Rebellion to Riot: the Church in Nation Building. Feedback may be sent to columns@gleanerjm.com.