Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, has expressed his deepest gratitude and appreciation to local tourism partners for their active role in the sector’s emergency planning and response efforts during the period when Hurricane Matthew posed a threat to Jamaica.
Ungqongqoshe u-Bartlett uhlala ebonga ukuthi isiqhingi asizange sibhekane nobunzima bukaMatthew, ongazange awele e-Jamaica, kodwa wedlula ngasogwini lwesiqhingi. Ubalule Isikhungo Sezokuvakasha Esiphuthumayo SoMnyango (i-TEOC), esihlinzeka ngolwazi olubalulekile nolufike ngesikhathi kubabambe iqhaza kwezokuvakasha ubusuku nemini.
Njengoba i-Jamaica ibhekela umthelela ongase ube khona weSiphepho u-Matthew, uMnyango wenze i-TEOC isebenze e-Jamaica Pegasus Hotel e-Kingston ukuze ixhumanise izinsizakalo eziphuthumayo zomkhakha wezokuvakasha wendawo. Izinkampani zezokuvakasha kuso sonke isiqhingi nazo zathatha izinyathelo zokuphepha ukuze zivikele impilo nempahla.
“Ngibonga kakhulu kubasebenzi namavolontiya anikele amahora amaningi esikhathi sawo ukuze aqinisekise ukuthi imboni nezivakashi zethu zigcinwa ziphephile futhi zinolwazi olugcwele mayelana nesimo sezulu esiseduze. Ukwesekwa kwabo kunikeze isiqinisekiso esibalulekile emphakathini wezokuvakasha. Ngifisa futhi ukubonga bonke esibambisene nabo kwezokuvakasha ngeqhaza elibalulekile abalidlalile okuhlanganisa nabaphathi nabasebenzi be-Jamaica Pegasus ngokubhekelela Isikhungo sethu Sezokuvakasha Esiphuthumayo,” kusho uNgqongqoshe uBartlett.
“Sinengqalasizinda ethuthuke kahle yokulungiselela izinhlekelele kanye nengqalasizinda yokulawulwa kwezimo eziphuthumayo engakwazi ukubhekana nalezi zinsongo. Ngijabule kakhulu ngokuthi akubangakho monakalo emkhakheni wezokuvakasha kulesi siqhingi nokuthi izikhungo zethu zezokuvakasha njengezindawo zethu zokungcebeleka kanye nezindawo ezihehayo zisebenza ngendlela ebezijwayele ukwenza ngayo,” kuphawula uNgqongqoshe uBartlett. Ugcizelele ukuthi “iJamaica ivulekele ibhizinisi futhi ngikhuthaza abantu ukuthi baqhubeke nokuvakashela isiqhingi sethu futhi bathole iholide eliyingqayizivele nelikhumbulekayo elingalethwa yiJamaica kuphela.”
Nakuba ebonga ukuthi iJamaica yasinda enhlekeleleni yeSiphepho uMatthew, uNgqongqoshe uBartlett unxuse abantu baseJamaica ukuthi bagcine abantu baseHaiti, Cuba kanye nakwamanye amazwe aseke athinteka noma okungenzeka ukuthi athintwa uMatthew emithandazweni yabo.
