Bartlett celebrates eventful year with Gusi Peace Prize
Published:Monday | December 2, 2024 | 12:06 AMJanet Silvera/Gleaner Writer
WESTERN BUREAU:
Jamaica’s Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett has etched his name in history as the first tourism minister to receive the prestigious Laureate-Gusi Peace Prize International, which was presented to him last Wednesday in Manila, in The Philippines.
Barlett, whose current stint as the tourism minister started in 2016, was recognised for his visionary leadership and ground-breaking contributions to the global tourism industry.
Speaking with The Gleaner from Manila on Friday, Bartlett described 2024 as a landmark year in his life, which saw him entering politics as Jamaica’s youngest member of parliament in 1980.
“Fiftieth wedding anniversary, honorary doctorate, Order of Jamaica, Laureate-Gusi Peace Prize International—which is regarded as the Nobel Peace Prize of Asia/Pacific - Lifetime Achievement Award for Tourism Resilience and Sustainability from the International Tourism Investment Conference, two books published, and a third in print,” Bartlett shared, in reflecting on his achievements with pride.
Bartlett described receiving the Gusi Peace Prize as a humbling and deeply inspiring honour.
“This recognition belongs not just to me but to the people of Jamaica, whose innovation, resilience, and cultural richness are at the heart of all I do. It highlights how tourism, when approached thoughtfully, can transform communities and inspire unity worldwide,” he said.
Widely acknowledged as a trailblazer and visionary in the tourist industry, Bartlett revealed that he is currently engaged in discussions with the Department of Tourism in the Philippines. These talks aim to establish a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that would foster deeper cooperation between Jamaica and The Philippines in the tourist sector.
The proposed MOU, he explained, will focus on key areas of mutual growth and innovation, with particular emphasis on human capital development.
“The importance of human capital development is a key pillar of the potential agreement, especially given The Philippines’ remarkable success in training over 170,000 tourism workers annually,” Bartlett told The Gleaner.
He emphasised that this collaboration could significantly strengthen Jamaica’s tourism workforce, enhancing service excellence across the island.
“The Department of Tourism in The Philippines has done exceptional work in training and certifying tourism workers in service excellence. We look forward to partnering with them to elevate service standards in Jamaica, which is at the core of the visitor experience,” he said.
Another area of focus under the MOU is craft development. Bartlett highlighted the potential for both countries to share expertise in utilizing indigenous materials to create value-added products.
He expressed enthusiasm about the opportunity for Jamaican artisans to learn from their Filipino counterparts, who have successfully transformed local resources such as pineapple and banana fibres into garments and other high-quality items.
“Our artisans can benefit immensely from learning how to transform waste and widely available materials, such as coffee and bananas, into premium products. The Philippines has achieved outstanding results in this area, and we are excited to collaborate and explore new ways to unlock the value of Jamaica’s rich natural resources,” he said.