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Dated: 1 October 2002
After holding the position of Director of Tourism for almost nine years, Mrs. Fay Pickersgill announced her decision in mid-October not to renew her contract. Mrs. Pickersgill’s contract with the Jamaica Tourist Board is up for renewal January 2003. In total, Mrs. Pickersgill has served the JTB for over 30 years.
Meanwhile, Cabinet recently approved the immediate appointment of senior economist and Chairman of the Airports Authority of Jamaica and the Jamaica Bauxite Institute, Mr. Dennis Morrison, as chairman of the Jamaica Tourist Board. Mr. Morrison replaces Mr. William Clarke, who was appointed to that position in November last year. According to the Ministry, Mr. Morrison will oversee the day to day activities of the JTB and will be assisted by the Deputy Director in charge of research, Roy Miller, until a new Director of Tourism is appointed.
Six commercial banks – First Caribbean International Bank (Ja) Ltd., RBTT (Ja) Ltd., the Bank of Nova Scotia Ja. Ltd., First Global Bank (Ja) Ltd, Citibank N.A. and National Commercial Bank of Jamaica Ltd, along with the Bank of Jamaica, have established an Automated Clearing House (ACH) to facilitate the electronic processing and clearing of cheques.
Hotelier, Kevin Hendrickson of National Continental Corporation, confirmed recently that his company has put in a bid in excess of $500M for the Pegaus Hotel in New Kingston. The 350-room property, which has not made a profit since 1997, is now being managed by its holding company, Pegasus Hotels of Jamaica Ltd, which appointed Eldon Bremmer as interim manager.
‘Talk is cheap’ could very well be the password from the major telecommunications players in the business regarding rates for international calls. Cable & Wireless Jamaica, as of November 1, reduced international rates to their land-based ICAS customers to $18 per minute all-day, everyday, to anywhere in the world. Also, C&WJ is now offering their mobile customers an international rate of $21 per minute, while Digicel, with their per second billing, has reduced their rate to $20 per minute. New telecom player, Caribtel, charges $19 per minute with their calling card –– No Problem –– while their Dial-and Save product, which competes with C&WJ’s ICAS service goes for a flat rate of $17 per minute.
After 10 years in Jamaica, US-based fast food chain, Popeye’s shut down operations here in late October. Franchise holder, Anthony Levy, Managing Director of Premier Foods, reportedly gave up the franchise for “business reasons,” but noted that other entities had expressed an interest in operating the chain of stores.
FIMI Wireless made fifty lucky customers very happy on Thursday November 7, after the first monthly draw of the exciting “It’s FIMI Mania!!” competition. FIMI Wireless (First In Mobile Innovations) which has ten stores scattered across the island had simultaneous draws at all locations, with each store giving away five prizes to winners.
In exclusive dealer for Digicel mobile phones and accessories, FIMI Wireless kicked off the “It’s FIMI Mania” competitor on September 23 and has since then been offering customers who spend a minimum of $2,000 the chance to win monthly prizes, in addition to entering the Grand Draw in January 2003.
There will be two more monthly draws before the grand final draw in mid January.
The ten monthly first prize winners will win a 21” colour television each, whIle forty lucky customers – four from each store – will win FIMI Wireless Gift Vouchers.
The competition closes on December 31 and all entries will qualify for the grand prize of a brand new 2003 Toyota Corolla courtesy of Vons Japanese Imports; second prize of a 32” Sony Trinitron Colour Television courtesy of Carousel and the 3rd prize of tickets for two to any Caribbean destination currently served by Air Jamaica and courtesy of Air Jamaica.
The Sandals Chain of Resorts recently opened their 20th hotel, the five-star Sandals Royal Hicacos Resort & Spa, in Matanzas, Cuba. This joins Beaches Varadero, the other Sandals hotel in Cuba and brings to over one thousand the number of Cubans employed by both hotels.
For the first time in its history, Blue Cross of Jamaica’s revenues has hit the billion dollar mark. According to the company’s annual report for 2001, revenues reached a never-before-seen high of $1.168 billion, and the company reported significant improvement in virtually all measures of profitability.
The World Bank has approved a loan package to support financial sector reform, secondary education, and community-based infrastructure improvements. Totalling $6.4 billion, the three loans will assist projects which will help the Jamaican government as it seeks to generate new social and economic opportunities.
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