Brian Seymour Writes On the Director General of Tourism Director General

Joy Jibrilu is the Director General of Tourism, she is the highest ranking technocrat in our country’s principal business,Tourism. Her principal job is to work for and on behalf of the people of The Bahamas in all things related to Tourism. Last week, the Director was seen on public television admitting that there was not enough time to properly negotiate a deal with Crystal Cruise Line that would benefit and empower the local Bahamian economy and the people of these Islands they plan to call on. That statement alone demonstrated that she has lost her way, and is no longer a fit and proper person to represent our interests at the Ministry of Tourism. My late father would have called what she said, “Tommy Rot.” Bahamian tour operators, artisans, and local people will not benefit from these visits. The only benefit the Bahamas will receive is head tax.

Our representative at the negotiation table can be likened to the slothful servant in the Bible that took the one talent that he received and buried it in the ground. That servant was harshly rebuked for being slothful and stupid. Sadly for us in the Bahamas, a slave-like mentality has now enveloped the Ministry of Tourism at its top.

Our beloved country will move forward and onward, but not with people like the Director-General whose utterances demonstrate that we should become content with not exploiting the opportunities that now has availed itself to our people to be empowered; but instead, to become content as second-class citizens content with having a job. Empowerment, opportunity, and ownership should be our guiding principle.

Director – General, you have let us all down with backward thinking.

Brian Seymour