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Posted By: Marty New Tourism CEO - 11/30/10 03:16 PM
CEO in the Ministry of Tourism Michael Singh is has been embroiled in controversy for the past three months. First he tangled with FECTAB and was taken to task for characterizing small tour guides as talking because of a hungry belly. And then, he was accused of having an "in" on the land deal giving rise to a proposed cruise tourism port in Placencia. And sources say he has also feuded with the BTB board of directors.

And with all that, Singh has decided to move on - making room for a new CEO in the ministry of tourism - and a resulting cascade of changes in the Tourism Board.

The new configuration was announced today. Minister Manuel Heredia Jr says the choices were made with an eye to position Belize among the first choices in world travel:

Manuel Heredia, Minister of Tourism
"I would first like to mention the appointment of Mr. Lindsay Garbutt to Chief Executive Officer in the ministry of Tourism, Civil Aviation and Culture, a few all may know that Mr. Garbutt has serve the board honorably as a director and founder and representative and most recently as the chairman of the board for the past 8 months. With that appointment I am please to introduce to you the new chair of the Belize tourism board directors Mrs. Mariam Robertson, Mrs. Robertson has serve with great and distinction on our board of directors for the past 2 years. Lastly filling Mr. Garbutt's on the board. I am happy to announce and welcome Mr. Brian Young from Placencia. Mr. Young has been involve in the tourism industry for most his life as one of Belize top dive master and owner of Seahorse Dive shop, his love for the sea has translated into significant contributions to the development of tourism and marine conservation in southern Belize for more than a decade."

Andrea Polanco "What are some of your plans in maintaining the work that he has been doing and en-forging ahead in the tourism industry."

Lindsay Garbutt, CEO BTB
"One of the beauty of it is that CEO Singh will not be leaving Belize, he will be working in investment, I think about 80% of the investment that BELTRAIDE works with has to do with tourism, so we are going to continue working together."

Andrea Polanco
"What's your take on cruise tourism as it relates to Placencia Village?"

Lindsay Garbutt, CEO BTB
"I am from Monkey River which means that I spent a good part of my life growing up in that area. I believe that the people of Placencia have been given the respect to determine what it is that they want to see in terms of development in their community and that is the sum total of my opinion, the people of Placencia who have invested in tourism over the years both local and people who have come in really must be given the right to help to determine how their community develops. "

Newly Appointed members will assume office on January 1, 2011.

Channel 7

Posted By: Marty Re: New Tourism CEO - 11/30/10 03:25 PM

MINISTRY OF TOURISM MAKES SEVERAL NEW APPOINTMENTS

Lindsay Garbutt has been appointed as the new Chief Executive Officer in the Ministry of Tourism, Civil Aviation and Culture. Garbutt and the new chairman of the Belize Tourism Board were introduced this morning during a press conference which was held at the Belize City House of Culture. In introducing his new CEO, Minister of Tourism Manuel Heredia, Junior said that Garbutt brings to the office over ten years of experience working with NGO and southern community groups on sustainability and other tourism related issues. Garbutt for his part was thankful to the Minister for being bumped up to CEO from the chairmanship of the B.T.B.

Lindsay Garbutt; CEO Designate, Ministry of Tourism

"I'm deeply grateful for the opportunity to serve both the ministry and our country in this new capacity and look forward to continuing to grow and to build many of these bold initiatives. I also want to take time to recognize my predecessor CEO Mike Sigh for his valiant contribution during his tenure. I look forward to working with CEO Singh in the coming weeks and months to ensure a seamless transition."

And while Garbutt is moving on up, taking his place in the chairman's seat at the BTB is owner and Managing Director of the San Ignacio Hotel Mariam Roberson.  Roberson is a veteran of the tourism industry and has been serving on the BTB Board since 2008.

Mariam Roberson; Chairman Designate, Belize Tourism Board

"I'm truly honoured that you believe in my ability the lead the board and the BTB in the fulfilment of the bold programs and initiatives of the new two year action plan that paves the road for the implementation of the tourism master plan which is now being developed and should be rolled out early in the year. I would like to thank my colleagues on the board and all of the BTB members. I would like to acknowledge the presence of the Vice Chairman Mr. Santi Castillo who I am looking forward to working side by side with and all the other industry partners present here and those in Belize for their support. We are embarking on a very ambitious plan for the growth of Belize, Belize's tourism and with that I would like to take this opportunity to personally acknowledge Chairman Garbutt's enduring contribution to the revitalization of our organization and to its mission."

During the remaining portion of the year, Garbutt will be understudying CEO Singh to ensure a smooth transition to the new management of the Ministry.  Meanwhile, Singh will be moving over to take up the post of Executive Chairman of BELTRAIDE and says he plans to work to make the organization a more dynamic and broad-based investment and promotion unit. During the question and answer period, the Director of the Belize Tourism Board Seleni Matus said that the new appointments which take effect on January first, come at a time when the BTB is about to embark on its new two-year tourism master plan and will bring much needed energy to the plan.

Seleni Matus; Director, BTB

"And that action plan looks to put in place very well rounded programs around destination planning, quality assurance and a revamped marketing program that is looking to; one engaged travel trade more broadly as well as increase our online presence. Basically it is looking to shift the traditional marketing mix that we have been working with. That is in very general broad strokes. One of the more tangible initiatives that we have been working on since June of this year has to do with the establishment of the first tourism zone and that is the Fort George area. In that zone what we are trying to do is create an increased order in order to capture greater economic benefits from cruise tourism. Basically it is tackling an issue that has gone unaddressed for over a decade and which the minister, the ministry and BTB are very much committed to seeing through. This is a multi-year initiative and this first phase which we will be launching on Saturday and initiates next Monday is really a starting point and a first step."

And while those are some of the changes taking place in tourism, the other arm of the Ministry, the Civil Aviation section will also be undertaking some major initiatives. Chief Executive Officer Michael Singh says the new initiatives will compliment the tourism master plan.

Michael Singh; Chief Executive Officer, Ministry of Tourism

"The aviation potion of the ministry has conducted a complete strategic plan for the revitalization of all our municipal airports for expansion as a means for sorting and distributing tourists throughout Belize. As a part of that plan which the plan itself was funded by the IDB and was delivered to us earlier this year and we have already started implementing some of the items in that plan. The major ones will be the complete rebuilding of the municipal airport which we are now in the final stages of finalizing the financing on that project which will be about a $13 million investment in a complete restructuring. We are acquired land from St. John's College which will allow us to extend the runway to thirty five hundred feet to build a taxi way, to redo the entire parking area, to build the new terminal building and office building for the BAA and to essentially turn that airport into the hub that it should be for domestic travel in Belize. That project will kick off hopefully early in the year as soon as we finalize the financing portion of it which Mr. Kenworth Tillett who is our manager of BAA who has BAA spearheading that project. We will also be rebuilding the San Pedro airport commencing hopefully within the next few weeks. The financing for that has already been accessed through our membership as a member state of COCESNA and Mr. Luis Ake who is the country manager for COCENSNA is here today. We are getting ready to sign an MOU between the Belize Airport Authority and COCESNA for use of those funds which will be in the amount of about $3.1 million for complete rebuilding of the San Pedro Airport again as part of the project."

Another big project to be undertaker will see a complete makeover of the northern border, designed to give visitors a much better first look at Belize.

LOVE FM

Posted By: Marty Re: New Tourism CEO - 12/01/10 02:59 PM
Changes at the top in Tourism Ministry
[Linked Image]
Minister of Tourism, Civil Aviation and Culture, Manuel Heredia, Jr., today announced changes in two top posts within the Tourism Ministry during a press conference at the House of Culture in Belize City this morning.

It was confirmed that Chief Executive Officer in the Ministry Michael Singh is leaving at the end of this year to become executive director of BELTRAIDE. His contract was due to expire next February.

Tapped to replace Singh is Lindsay Garbutt, currently chairman of the Belize Tourism Board (BTB), who has an extensive career in the tourism sector, particularly in the South.

Mariam Roberson, managing director/owner of San Ignacio Hotel, and who has also served on the boards of the BTIA and the Belize Hotel Association, replaces Garbutt as chairperson at BTB and Brian Young, owner of Seahorse Dive Shop, has been named southern representative to the Board, replacing Garbutt, who held that role in addition to his chairmanship.

Garbutt, the new CEO, told the press that he was looking forward to working on the Board's various new initiatives and projects for the development of Belizean tourism.

Among those projects is the Sustainable Tourism Program (STP), which continues in its development phase in Belize City, San Ignacio, San Pedro Town and Placencia, with construction on the various projects scheduled to start no later than March of 2011 after the consultants and engineers have completed their various drawings and concepts.

The Belize City Municipal Airstrip is expected to benefit from a $13 million re-building and expansion project, including expansion of the runway to 3,500 feet onto land donated by St. John's College and new buildings on the property. The San Pedro Airstrip will be rebuilt with funding of $3.1 million from COCESNA (the regional authority for civil aviation), due to be signed for very soon, according to CEO Singh. The northern border at Santa Elena, Corozal, is also due for almost $11 million in upgrades through funding from CABEI.

The purpose of these projects, Singh said, is to "change the impression and first view tourists have of Belize when they arrive," noting that many tourists have complained that the border points and airports/airstrips do not have a welcoming look.

Regarding reports that the United Nations Social, Educational and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) is considering cancelling the status of the Belize Barrier Reef as a World Heritage Site, Minister Heredia told the press that there is no cause for alarm and that tourism stakeholders continue to meet with UNESCO representatives to assure them that Belize will continue to fight to keep the Reef on the site list.

The charges of the Federation of Cruise Tourism Associations of Belize (FECTAB) last week that the Tourism Village was denying them access to cruise ship passengers entering Belize were also brought up at the conference. Asked about it today, Director of Tourism Seleni Matus told Amandala that while FECTAB and the Village will have to sort out that problem, the surrounding Fort George Tourism Zone will include all operators and no one will be denied economic opportunities. She added that the Zone will now have added security to prevent a loss of safety for visitors.

Regarding FECTAB's charges of bias on his part in the debate over cruise ship tourism in Placencia, Michael Singh told us that the documentation they presented last week was nothing new and that all he has been doing is facilitating the consultation on the project. The second and third public consultation meetings are scheduled for Punta Gorda Town tonight and Dangriga tomorrow, Tuesday.

Amandala
Posted By: ScubaLdy Re: New Tourism CEO - 12/01/10 04:51 PM
I remember reading someplace that Heridea was keeping Sign on at BTB in some capacity. WHY?
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