ROSEAU, DOMINICA – As the global community prepares to mark 2026 World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day, Reginald Winston, President of the Dominica Red Cross Society, has delivered a stirring call for collective solidarity rooted in the 2026 global theme “United in Humanity”, addressing rising division and attacks on humanitarian volunteers worldwide.\n\nIn his official statement marking the annual observance, Winston drew attention to a growing global crisis: the marginalization and violent targeting of people across divides, including the volunteer humanitarian workers who dedicate their time to serving public good. These harmful acts, he emphasized, deepen rifts within already fractured communities and put life-saving humanitarian work at greater risk for everyone involved.\n\nWinston stressed that the 2026 theme is far more than a symbolic slogan—it is a core conviction shaped by the founding fundamental principles of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. He offered a poignant reframing of the movement’s work: volunteers are not just detached service providers, but neighbors, friends, and family members to the communities they serve. Meanwhile, the people who rely on Red Cross support are not statistics or faceless victims, they are fellow human beings deserving of dignity. By centering shared humanity, Winston explained, the movement closes the artificial gap between those who give aid and those who need it, erasing the unhelpful divide of “us” and “them”.\n\nTo ground this vision in local action, Winston pointed to the Dominica Red Cross’s response to recent severe flooding across the island. Throughout the emergency response, the organization’s local volunteers put shared humanity into practice, embodying the close proximity to communities that has long been a defining strength of the Red Cross movement.\n\nWinston shared the firsthand testimony of a flood beneficiary from Dominica’s Kalinago territory, whose words capture the impact of the organization’s work. The woman recounted moments of overwhelming despair after the disaster, when she felt entirely invisible to the outside world. She and her family extended profound gratitude to the Dominica Red Cross, highlighting one volunteer in particular who extended extraordinary kindness: that volunteer recognized her humanity at a time she felt forgotten, bringing a comfort to her spirit that cannot be put into words.\n\n“We, the less privileged, or poor, or displaced, who are unable to help ourselves, who sit quietly and wait, are still there,” she said. Closing her message, she expressed hope that the Red Cross will remain a steadfast beacon of hope for every community across Dominica, particularly for those living in the island’s hardest-to-reach areas.\n\nReflecting on her testimony, Winston said her words say more than any organizational leader could. He closed by urging all Dominica Red Cross volunteers to continue demonstrating courage and radical humanity in their work, centering care for individual people and upholding the core principles of the movement through action. He emphasized that all volunteers share the profound privilege of serving their fellow human beings.\n\nFinally, Winston extended wishes of a happy World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day to all volunteers, supporters, and partners across the globe.
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Opposition Senator Thame accuses gov’t of ‘autocratic tendencies’
KINGSTON, Jamaica — On Friday, opposition Senator Dr. Maziki Thame launched a scathing attack against ruling Jamaica Labour Party government senators, accusing the administration of consistently embracing autocratic governing practices and systematically sidelining the fundamental rights of Jamaican citizens.
Thame delivered her fiery remarks during parliamentary debate on the National Reconstruction and Resilience Authority (NaRRA) Bill, a piece of emergency recovery legislation that ultimately passed along strict party lines. The bill creates NaRRA, a centralized government body tasked with leading large-scale reconstruction efforts across the island after Hurricane Melissa caused an estimated $12.2 billion USD in damage last October.
From the outset, civil society organizations, faith-based church groups, and the parliamentary opposition have pushed for explicit accountability and oversight mechanisms to be embedded in the legislation. Critics say the government has largely dismissed their repeated calls for amendments and failed to address key concerns raised in formal submissions.
During her address, Thame warned that the government’s handling of the NaRRA Bill marks a dangerous break from the country’s constitutional principles of checks and balances. “The Government claims they consult, but there is no clear evidence they are actually listening to the Jamaican people on this bill,” she told parliament.
She specifically called attention to a second joint submission from two prominent advocacy groups, Jamaicans for Justice (JFJ) and the Jamaica Environment Trust (JET), which confirmed that none of their core concerns had been resolved by the administration. Thame emphasized that opposition lawmakers in the House of Representatives have repeatedly flagged that the bill grants unprecedented, unchecked authority to the new reconstruction agency, concentrating power far beyond what is appropriate for a democratic government.
“This approach to the NaRRA Bill is not an isolated incident—it is part of a broader pattern by this government to concentrate power in the executive branch and steer Jamaica toward autocratic rule,” Thame argued. She pointed to the expanded “super ministry” structure within the Office of the Prime Minister as one clear example of this power grab.
She noted that these authoritarian tendencies have been visible from the prime minister’s early career, recalling the 2013 controversy when he required then-opposition senators to sign undated resignation letters as a condition of taking their seats. In 2015, the Supreme Court ultimately ruled that the prime minister’s demand was unconstitutional and legally void.
“It is unacceptable that Jamaican citizens have repeatedly been forced to take the government to court to defend rights that should be automatically protected under our constitution,” Thame said. She reminded lawmakers of a string of recent court rulings that have struck down government legislation and actions as unconstitutional. Most notably, the 2019 National Identification System (NIDS) legislation was overturned after legal challenges proved it violated citizens’ right to privacy and other fundamental freedoms.
Just this year, in 2025, the courts ruled that the government’s repeated use of national states of emergency (SOEs) between 2018 and 2023 was unconstitutional. Rather than accepting the ruling, the administration immediately announced plans to appeal the decision. Thame highlighted the human cost of the extended SOE policy, pointing to cases like that of Rushane Clarke, who was awarded millions in compensation after being held in lengthy detention without ever being formally charged.
She also referenced the Supreme Court case brought by Everton Douglas and four other detainees, which found that their months-long detention without trial under a SOE was unlawful and unconstitutional, violating their right to liberty and the constitutional principle of separation of powers. Once again, Thame noted, the government appealed the ruling that vindicated the detainees’ rights. “What kind of government would appeal a ruling that upholds the basic constitutional rights of its own people?” Thame asked.
She went on to criticize the prime minister’s own rhetoric, claiming he has repeatedly threatened Jamaican citizens with violent language, including warnings that critics would “meet your judge or your maker.” Thame added that the current authoritarian shift is also reflected in the sharp rise in police killings recorded starting in 2024, and the government’s response to a recent court ruling on mining rights in the Dry Harbour Mountain/Bengal region.
In that case, the court ruled in favor of protecting communities’ right to a healthy environment, yet the government has again moved to appeal the decision. “What kind of government would appeal a ruling that defends the people’s right to a healthy environment?” Thame questioned.
She closed by reaffirming that the joint submission from JET and JFJ details critical gaps in human rights protections, transparent governance, accountability, and rule of law safeguards that remain unaddressed in the final version of the NaRRA Bill.
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Man City beat Brentford to close gap on leaders Arsenal
MANCHESTER, United Kingdom – In a high-stakes Premier League clash at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday, Jeremy Doku delivered a match-winning performance that propelled Manchester City to a crucial 3-0 win over Brentford, keeping Pep Guardiola’s side’s faint title ambitions on track.
For the opening 60 minutes of the fixture, Brentford’s organized defensive structure successfully shut down Manchester City’s attacking threats, leaving the reigning contenders struggling to carve out clear goal-scoring opportunities. The game nearly got off to a disastrous start for City when goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma fumbled a long throw-in from Michael Kayode, only for a last-ditch clearance to prevent an own goal that would have put Brentford ahead. This sloppy mistake summed up City’s flat first-half display: Erling Haaland missed two golden close-range chances, first heading a Doku cross over the bar from just six yards out, then seeing a point-blank blast saved by Brentford keeper Caoimhin Kelleher, with Nathan Ake failing to convert the rebound. Tensions boiled over briefly when Bernardo Silva escaped with just a yellow card after lashing out at Brentford’s Nathan Collins.
City’s lethargy carried into the early stages of the second half, with Donnarumma forced to make a key save to deny Igor Thiago’s low driven effort. Recognizing his side needed a spark, Guardiola turned to his bench, introducing Omar Marmoush and Phil Foden to inject fresh energy into the attack – a tactical shift that paid immediate dividends.
Doku, who had already notched two stunning curlers in City’s recent 3-3 draw with Everton, broke the deadlock in the 60th minute to end Brentford’s resilient resistance. After his first attempt was blocked by a defender, the Belgian winger collected the loose rebound and curled a spectacular strike into the top corner from the left edge of the penalty area, marking his fourth goal in three consecutive games. Moments later, Foden came close to doubling City’s lead, but Kelleher produced another sharp save to keep the scoreline level.
Brentford still threatened on the break, with forward Kevin Schade’s penalty appeal following contact from Matheus Nunes turned away by the referee. It was Haaland who eventually settled City’s fraying nerves in the 75th minute, notching his 26th league goal of the season with a clever close-range backheel after his initial attempt was blocked. In stoppage time, Marmoush put the finishing touches on the win with a composed finish inside the box, rounding out the 3-0 scoreline.
The critical three points cut Arsenal’s lead at the top of the table to just two points, shifting pressure straight back onto Mikel Arteta’s Gunners, who face 17th-placed West Ham United on Sunday. City’s title bid had been dealt a major blow earlier this week when a late 3-3 draw at Everton handed the advantage to Arsenal, but Guardiola’s side have now forced the title race to go down to the final wire. Following this weekend’s fixtures, City will hold one game in hand over league leaders Arsenal. If Arsenal win their three remaining matches against West Ham, Burnley and Crystal Palace, they will secure their first top-flight title in 22 years, regardless of City’s results. Up next for Guardiola’s side is a home fixture against Crystal Palace on Wednesday, before they shift focus to the FA Cup final against Chelsea, scheduled for May 16. The result also tightened the gap in goal difference: City now trail Arsenal by just one, keeping every possible advantage in play heading into the final stretch of the season.
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Canada, Guyana leaders emphasise ‘strong’ ties
TORONTO, Canada – In a high-level bilateral meeting held in Toronto this Friday, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and Guyana’s President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali have publicly reaffirmed the long-standing and robust relationship between their two nations, according to an official announcement from the Government of Canada.
A core foundation of this close partnership, officials stressed, is the large and active Guyanese diaspora in Canada, which numbers more than 100,000 people of Guyanese ancestry who have built lives and connected communities across the country. Within the Caribbean Community (Caricom), Guyana stands out as one of Canada’s most significant trading partners, a fact highlighted in the government’s official statement.
During their discussions, the two leaders focused heavily on expanding economic collaboration, particularly Canada’s position as a stable, dependable partner for trade and cross-border investment. The talks explored avenues to grow Canadian capital inflows into multiple key sectors of Guyana’s economy, including energy production, digital technology, agriculture, and mineral exploration and mining.
Prime Minister Carney also extended his warm regards and well wishes to the Canada-Guyana Chamber of Commerce, which is currently hosting a business forum in Toronto. The event doubles as a celebration of two milestone occasions: 60 years of Guyana’s sovereign independence, and six decades of formal diplomatic relations between the two countries. Following the productive talks, Carney confirmed that he plans to undertake an official visit to Guyana at a future date, and both leaders have committed to maintaining regular, close communication on bilateral and regional issues moving forward.
The Canadian government’s statement outlined the deep historical roots of the bilateral relationship, which has evolved over more than 50 years across multiple spheres. Beyond trade, the partnership is anchored in extensive people-to-people connections, a long-running development assistance program, and collaborative security cooperation. Diplomatic engagement between the two nations predates Guyana’s independence: Canada first established its High Commission in Georgetown, Guyana’s capital, back in March 1964, and formal full diplomatic ties were enacted immediately after Guyana gained sovereignty in May 1966.
In addition to the diaspora community, academic exchanges act as another pillar of the relationship, with hundreds of Guyanese students selecting Canadian higher education institutions to pursue their studies each year. Canada also continues ongoing capacity-building support for Guyanese institutions, with Canadian experts providing technical and operational assistance across a range of government and community bodies. On the diplomatic front, Guyana maintains its own representation in Canada through a High Commission based in the national capital Ottawa, as well as a working consulate in the city of Toronto.
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Plane hits and kills pedestrian during takeoff at Denver airport
A fatal security breach at Denver International Airport (DEN) has left one person dead and several passengers injured after a trespasser climbed onto an active runway and was struck by an outbound commercial flight late Friday. Airport officials confirmed the incident in a public statement released Saturday, laying out the timeline of the unprecedented event.
According to DEN authorities, the unnamed individual successfully scaled a perimeter security fence at approximately 11:17 p.m. local time, and crossed onto a active runway just two minutes later. That same moment, Frontier Airlines Flight 432, a regularly scheduled Airbus A321 service bound for Los Angeles International Airport, was in the early stages of its takeoff roll. The aircraft struck the pedestrian, prompting the flight crew to immediately abort takeoff and bring the plane to a safe stop on the runway.
Airport communications confirmed the pedestrian was pronounced dead at the scene. Officials have confirmed the deceased individual is not an airport employee, and no formal identification has been released to the public as of Saturday. Unnamed law enforcement sources cited by ABC News reported that the person was at least partially ingested by one of the aircraft’s jet engines following the collision.
Audio recordings of air traffic control communications released by ATC.com capture the immediate panic of the flight crew after the collision. “We’re stopping on the runway, we just hit somebody, we have an engine fire… There was an individual walking across the runway,” the lead pilot told controllers in the urgent transmission.
Denver Fire Department crews responded rapidly to the scene and confirmed that a small engine fire sparked by the collision was fully extinguished within minutes. All 224 passengers and seven crew members on board were immediately evacuated via emergency slides to the runway surface. Airport officials confirmed 12 passengers sustained minor injuries related to the evacuation, with five patients transported to nearby Denver-area medical facilities for observation and treatment.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy released an official statement via social media platform X Saturday addressing the breach, emphasizing the danger of unauthorized access to airport airside areas. “Late last night, a trespasser breached airport security at Denver Int’l Airport, deliberately scaled a perimeter fence, and ran out onto a runway” and was struck by the plane “during takeoff at a high speed,” Duffy wrote. “No one should EVER trespass on an airport.”
DEN inspectors completed an immediate examination of the perimeter fence line following the breach and confirmed the barrier remained structurally intact with no pre-existing damage that facilitated the trespasser’s entry. Local law enforcement is leading the primary investigation into the incident, with the National Transportation Safety Board notified and assisting with the probe. Runway 17L, where the collision occurred, will remain closed to air traffic for the duration of the on-scene investigation.
Frontier Airlines released a formal statement Saturday expressing condolences over the fatal event. “We are investigating this incident and gathering more information in coordination with the airport and other safety authorities,” the carrier said. “We are deeply saddened by this event.”
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Third World among the headline acts for ‘To Mom With Love’
The year 1976 stands as an unparalleled turning point in the history of reggae music, a 12-month stretch that delivered some of the most influential and enduring albums the genre has ever produced. That legendary year brought landmark releases from reggae’s biggest names: Bob Marley and The Wailers’ *Rastaman Vibration*, Bunny Wailer’s iconic *Blackheart Man*, and Peter Tosh’s bold *Legalize It*. Alongside these celebrated works came another historic debut: the self-titled first album from Kingston-born reggae collective Third World, dropped three years after the group first formed in Jamaica’s capital. Widely considered one of the four greatest reggae albums of that era, Third World’s debut remains the most sonically diverse of that iconic quartet, blending influences from across the musical spectrum that would come to define the band’s cross-generational appeal.
Nearly five decades after that groundbreaking release, the legendary reggae outfit is set to take the stage once more in Kingston, headlining the *To Mom With Love* tribute concert on May 10 at the city’s AC Hotel. They will share the lineup with a stacked roster of talent including fellow reggae icon Marcia Griffiths, American R&B star Glenn Jones, vocalist and event promoter Robert Minott, and rising artist Nesta.
For Minott, sharing a bill with Third World is more than just another performance—it is a full-circle moment for a lifelong fan. “They’re a great band, I’ve been listening to Third World for years. I even did a song with Bunny Rugs,” Minott told *Observer Online*, describing the group as a “special group” whose music resonates with fans across all demographics and geographic boundaries. Bunny Rugs, born William Alexander Clarke, served as Third World’s beloved lead vocalist from 1976 until his passing in 2014, and delivered lead vocals on many of the band’s biggest crossover hits, including *Now That We Found Love*, *Try Jah Love*, and *Committed*.
The upcoming show comes at a bittersweet moment for the Third World collective, which has lost two of its founding members in the last 16 months. In January 2024, co-founder and acclaimed guitarist Stephen “Cat” Coore died at the age of 69, just a year after the passing of the band’s other co-founder, keyboardist Ibo Cooper, who died in 2023. Despite these losses, the band’s enduring legacy has kept its place on Jamaica’s live music circuit, with this tribute to motherhood set to draw fans old and new to celebrate the group’s decades of contributions to reggae.
Organizers have planned two separate performance slots to accommodate high demand for the event: the first show kicks off at 1 p.m. local time, with a second evening show scheduled to begin at 7 p.m.
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Pizza Hut and reading a good combination
KINGSTON, Jamaica — On a sunny Tuesday in Jamaica, two primary school campuses in the parish of St Catherine buzzed with unscripted energy, as Pizza Hut Jamaica partnered with local education communities to mark Read Across Jamaica Day with immersive, student-centered reading activities that turned ordinary lessons into memorable shared experiences.
Held under the umbrella of Jamaica’s 2026 Child Month observance, this year’s Read Across Jamaica Day programming aligns with the national theme “Prioritise Our Children’s Mental Health: Safer Minds, Safer Future” — a framework that centers joyful, low-pressure social learning as a key pillar of youth wellbeing.
Levene Sheriff, Marketing Officer for Pizza Hut Jamaica, joined a team of staff from the brand’s Braeton location to lead reading sessions for students across both lower and upper grade levels at Southborough Primary and Independence City Primary. Rather than sticking to traditional lecture-style reading, the team structured activities around open discussion, peer participation, and playful engagement to draw out every student’s interest.
Young learners jumped at the chance to volunteer for read-aloud segments and respond to discussion prompts, with many taking home commemoratory giveaways including new storybooks, branded reusable water bottles, branded pencil cases and custom tote bags to encourage continued reading outside of the classroom.
Standing in after a full day of activities, Sheriff reflected on the tangible impact of community-focused school engagement. “We can see how much students enjoy moments like these where they get to interact, express themselves, and simply have fun while learning,” she said. “Beyond encouraging reading, moments like these also allow students to connect and enjoy a break from their normal classroom routine.”
Carlyle Thompson, Principal of Southborough Primary, praised the initiative and highlighted the far-reaching benefits of ongoing partnerships between local businesses and education institutions. Thompson noted that the student response to the visit was overwhelmingly positive, adding, “I could see that the students were excited and fully engaged. It was a meaningful experience for them beyond the regular classroom schedule. There should be more days like this within the school year where students can interact with positive role models and community partners.”
Over at Independence City Primary, the energy remained high through the afternoon, where learners in grades 4, 5 and 6 took part in themed reading and discussion activities that kept classrooms lively and participatory from start to finish. Principal Anne Geddes-Spence echoed Thompson’s enthusiasm, saying, “We truly appreciate you all for taking the time out of your busy schedules to be here with us today. The students were very happy to have you, and we only wish you could have visited all the classes. It was a wonderful experience for them.”
In addition to the interactive reading sessions, both campuses received Pizza Hut meal vouchers to support their upcoming Children’s Month celebration activities, while participating classroom teachers were given early gifts in honor of the upcoming Teacher’s Day observance.
This St Catherine school visit is just one component of Pizza Hut Jamaica’s broader island-wide outreach for Child Month and Teacher’s Month 2026. Across five additional parishes — St James, St Ann, Manchester, and Clarendon — the brand is distributing gift bags filled with meal vouchers, personal care items, and essential school supplies to teachers and school administrators, to recognize and thank them for their relentless dedication to supporting Jamaica’s young people.
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Fed up with negative lyrics, Caboowie pushes ahead with songs that inspire
KINGSTON, Jamaica — Longtime Jamaican dancehall creative Caboowie is sounding the alarm over a troubling rise in violent confrontations between school-aged young people across the island, arguing that overly negative lyrical content in popular music has contributed heavily to this harmful cultural shift.
In a recent conversation with Observer Online, the Spanish Town-born performer laid out his perspective bluntly: “We see children lashing out and acting out both in school halls and on public streets constantly today. So much of the music they consume is saturated with negativity, and it is shaping their behavior. What they need right now is uplifting messaging and tracks that encourage them to grow and thrive.”
After years of observing this steady creep of harmful content influence, Caboowie says the time for honest conversation and action is long overdue. “Negativity has seeped into young people’s worldviews gradually over time, and we need to stop avoiding that truth. They desperately need positive inspiration to guide them,” he explained. “As an artist, I have a platform, and I am choosing to use that platform to do my part: I want to fill young minds with music that lifts them up and brings them joy, not division or violence.”
To turn this commitment into action, the artist dropped his new single *Cash Cash (Hot Cash)* one week prior to the interview, framing the track as a reflection of his mission to deliver uplifting content to young listeners.
While he points to negative music as a key contributing factor to youth behavioral issues, Caboowie also acknowledges that multiple societal forces shape young people’s choices. “It all comes down to what you feed into young minds. There are other issues at play, of course, but when you look at what kids are listening to daily — the tracks blaring in minibuses, the lyrics they dance to — it is impossible to ignore how worrying it is. Discipline starts at home, and parents have a critical role to play in nurturing the next generation’s minds in a positive, supportive way.”
A former student at Jonathan Grant High School, Caboowie brands his artistic style as “educator aka the Instructor” — a unique blend of classic, foundational dancehall sounds and modern, contemporary delivery. Drawing creative inspiration from dancehall icons Shabba Ranks and Bounty Killer, he is focused on building his own distinct niche in the industry while protecting the core authenticity that makes dancehall such a beloved global genre.
“I make clean, timeless music to educate the younger generation in a positive way,” he said, stressing how critical meaningful, purpose-driven lyrics are in an era he says desperately needs stronger unifying messaging.
Caboowie currently collaborates with King Nifty of Baff Music Group and producer Gideon of Gideon Records, while also actively supporting the next generation of Jamaican talent by building a network of emerging creators including Taskia, Landolyrical, Davidon, and Daki.
The artist, born Duran Jeffrey Burnett, recently made the decision to rebrand from his original stage name Unit. “The name Unit felt outdated after a while, especially once 50 Cent’s G-Unit rose to prominence. I never wanted to be tied to that space. I wanted an entirely original name to match my completely original sound,” he explained.
With 20 years of experience working in the music industry under his belt, the most impactful lesson Caboowie says he has learned is to persist through setbacks. “Never stop pursuing the work you love, even when it feels like no progress is being made. Just keep pushing forward,” he said. “After two decades in this industry, this is the first time I have gotten such overwhelming positive public feedback for any of my releases. Honestly, that response has given me a whole new burst of motivation to keep walking this positive path.”
Beyond his work with youth, Caboowie also raised concerns about deep divisions and disunity within the wider Jamaican music community. “The first rule of this industry should be: every established artist should lift up a new emerging artist,” he argued. “We also need to stop this toxic culture of competing to see who ‘runs’ music or who is the ‘baddest’ in the scene. That infighting is killing our culture. Fans don’t want to see public animosity on social media dividing entertainers — they want to see artists collab on new tracks and create together.”
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Cop breaks leg in bike crash during escort of IShowSpeed
On a busy Friday afternoon along Kingston’s bustling Spanish Town Road, a routine high-profile escort operation took a sudden turn for the worse, leaving a Jamaican law enforcement officer with a serious broken leg that requires ongoing medical care. The injured constable, a member of the Jamaica Constabulary Force’s Traffic Enforcement Division, was riding his official service motorcycle as part of a security detail accompanying American social media influencer IShowSpeed when the collision unfolded just after 2:15 p.m.
According to initial investigative reports, the chain of events that led to the crash began when a blue Honda Fit passenger vehicle pulled ahead of the officer’s motorcycle, overtook the bike, and then came to an unexpected, abrupt stop directly in the officer’s path. Left with only fractions of a second to react, the constable slammed on his motorcycle’s brakes in a sharp emergency stop. The sudden braking caused the two-wheeler to slide off the paved roadway, throwing the officer from the vehicle.
Passersby and fellow escort officers immediately rushed to the injured constable’s aid, rushing him to Kingston Public Hospital, the island’s main public trauma center, for urgent medical treatment. After receiving assessment and care for his fractured leg, the officer remains in the facility recovering as of the latest updates.
The incident unfolded during IShowSpeed’s visit to the Jamaican capital, part of the social media star’s multi-stop Caribbean tour. Born Darren Watkins Jr., IShowSpeed has built a massive global following for his high-energy live content, and his sightseeing trip through Kingston’s Corporate Area was broadcast live to his audience, racking up more than 2.8 million views from viewers across the world.
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New TEF chairman touts tourism education as new industry
Against the backdrop of post-hurricane recovery and the ongoing race to maintain global tourism competitiveness, newly installed Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF) chairman Ryan Parkes has issued a bold call to Jamaican educators: reposition holistic tourism education as an independent, standalone industry to drive long-term national growth.
Parkes laid out his vision during a Teachers’ Day luncheon held Wednesday at the Montego Bay Convention Centre. The event was hosted by Edmund Bartlett, Member of Parliament for St James East Central, and coincided with the 30th anniversary of the constituency’s East Central St James Scholarship and Welfare Fund.
In his address, Parkes emphasized that Jamaica’s tourism sector stands at a critical turning point in the months after Hurricane Melissa hit the island last October. He argued that rebuilding the nation’s tourism offering extends far beyond repairing damaged physical infrastructure; it demands a fundamental reimagining of Jamaica’s most valuable tourism asset: its human capital.
“I want to challenge you, the teaching fraternity, to let us make education in tourism — and in a holistic way — a new industry by itself. The opportunities are endless,” Parkes urged the gathered educators.
As Parkes explained to the Jamaica Observer in a follow-up interview expanding on his proposal, tourism is already Jamaica’s single largest contributor to national GDP, accounting for roughly 30% of the country’s total economic output when both direct and indirect impacts are counted. Given this outsize economic footprint, he said, the sector deserves a strategic, integrated approach that ties it directly to education, workforce development, and broad national economic strategy.
“If the majority of your contribution is already coming from tourism there is the opportunity for us to harness that industry and to ensure that it is well-equipped to compete in the new dimension within which we operate,” he noted.
Parkes stressed that educators serve as the foundational agents of skills development and training, putting them in a unique position to reshape the workforce competencies needed for a modern, competitive tourism sector. Drawing a comparison to the Dominican Republic, which has built a dominant global niche around affordable all-inclusive resorts, Parkes argued that Jamaica’s unique competitive advantage lies not in infrastructure or pricing alone, but in the warmth and hospitality of its people.
Cultivating that signature customer-centric hospitality requires intentional, early training, he said, and that process starts with educators at the center of the tourism skills ecosystem.
“Because you are moulding young minds and you are preparing those minds for the world of work, there is no better constituent group than yourselves to be able to have that dialogue with and for us to work together in shaping the future of tourism,” Parkes added.
He further emphasized that the quality of Jamaica’s workforce training will directly determine the country’s ability to outperform peer destinations in an increasingly crowded global tourism market, making educator collaboration on tourism education a make-or-break priority for the nation’s economic future.