Ukubaluleka kokukhombisa ukubonga kubasebenzi bezokuvakasha kanye nababambiqhaza bemboni, kugcizelelwe nguNgqongqoshe uBartlett esidlweni sasekuseni saminyaka yonke se-Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) sabasebenzi bezokuvakasha kanye nozakwethu, esikhumulweni sezindiza i-Sangster International Airport (SIA) njengoba lo mkhakha ubuphawula ukuqala kwe isizini yezivakashi zasebusika ngoDisemba 15.
Echaza abasebenzi ngokuthi “bawumgogodla wemboni,” waveza ukuthi “ukuvakasha kumayelana nenkonzo futhi amaphesenti angama-60 yenani lesipiliyoni sesivakashi lapho siya khona kuyinkonzo, hhayi isevisi ehlinzekwa ngemishini kodwa eyenziwa ngabantu, nina abasebenzi.”
Ekhumbuza ukuthi ukulethwa kwezinsiza kuqala esikhumulweni sezindiza, uNgqongqoshe uBartlett utshele izigaba ezahlukene zabasebenzi basesikhumulweni sezindiza:
"Umele isikhathi seqiniso kwezokukhangisa - lapho ikhasimende lihlangana nomkhiqizo okokuqala ngqa."
“Ngakho-ke uma befika etiyeleni lapha bese bephuma bephefumula umoya ohlanzekile nomnandi, yilapho inkonzo iqala khona.”
Uphinde waveza ukuthi i-Jamaica ikude kakhulu ekusebenziseni ubuchwepheshe ukuze ivumele izivakashi ukuthi zifike kalula futhi yakhipha isicelo sokuthi abahambi, okuhlanganisa nama-Jamaica, bagcwalise imininingwane yabo yokuthuthela kwelinye izwe ku-inthanethi kusengaphambili ukuze bagweme ukubambezeleka kwezokuThutha kanye neCustoms.
Ungqongqoshe uBartlett unxuse izisebenzi zezokuvakasha ukuthi “asenze lesi sikhathi sasebusika sibe esihamba phambili, ngoba vele sesiyakhula ukuze sibe njalo. Sinezihlalo ezintsha ezingu-178,000 kulobu busika kunanoma iyiphi enye inkathi yasebusika emlandweni wethu; lokho kusho ukuthi sinezihlalo eziyizigidi ezingu-1.45 ezivela emhlabeni wonke ebusika uma kwenzeka u-80% we-load factor.”
UNgqongqoshe ugcizelele ukuthi “ekuthathweni kwenani elingamaphesenti ayi-100, abazofika bazoba nezihlalo ezirekhodiwe eziyizigidi eziyi-1.6.”
USihlalo we-Montego Bay Chapter we-Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA), u-Kerry-Ann Quallo-Casserly naye udlulise ukubonga kubo bonke abasebenzi abazinikele esikhumulweni sezindiza, ephawula ukuthi “umzamo wenu wokungakhathali wokuqinisekisa ukusebenza kahle kwesikhumulo sezindiza sethu, kuhambisana nemfudumalo yenu. ukungenisa izihambi nokumamatheka kokwamukela kwenza umbono ohlala njalo kuzo zonke izivakashi.”
Khonamanjalo, Isikhulu Esiphezulu Sezikhumulo Zezindiza ze-MBJ, abaqhubi be-SIA, u-Shane Munroe ukugcizelele ukuthi “Isikhumulo Sezindiza Samazwe Ngamazwe Sangster akulona nje isango; kuyindawo lapho kuvela khona imibono yokuqala neyokugcina ngeJamaica, futhi nina basebenzi bethu basesikhumulweni sezindiza niqinisekisa ukuthi lezo zinkumbulo azilibaleki.” Ubuye wengeza wathi, "Niyinhliziyo yokuhlinzwa lapha e-MBJ kanye nobuso baseJamaica ngezwi, kanye nesizathu sempumelelo yethu."
Ephinde etusa abasebenzi, iMeya yaseMontego Bay, uKhansela uRichard Vernon ubafanise nolwazi lwe-inthanethi nesikhumulo sezindiza esimele ukuxhumana endaweni ebonakalayo. "Lokho kuxhumana kudala ulwazi kulabo abavakashelayo futhi unesibopho sokuhlanganisa lokho okuhlangenwe nakho lapho ungena nalapho uphuma," esho.
Isidlo sasekuseni saminyaka yonke sisebenze njengomcimbi wokuklomelisa, lapho i-JTB ihlonipha abasebenzi abambalwa abavela eminyangweni eyahlukene yezinsizakalo esikhumulweni sezindiza ngeqhaza labo elihle embonini yezokuvakasha. Ohamba phambili ohlwini lwabaklonyelisiwe ngokufuna “Umklomelo Wosihlalo” kwakungu-Natari Dixon owanconywa “njengomuntu okuzinikela kwakhe nokusekelwa kwakhe okungantengantengi kushiye uphawu olungenakucimeka ku-JTB futhi ukunwetshwa, i-Jamaica.” Umklomelo unikezwe uNgqongqoshe uBartlett.
