Education Minister Lloyd Addresses Educators at BHTA’s 16th Annual Educators’ Industry Internship Programme

The Minister of Education spoke passionately to a room filled with seasoned primary and high school educators, emphasizing the urgency of sustaining the country’s tourism industry. The Minister noted that the service-based economy is growing at a strikingly rapid rate across the globe. He also stressed the need to understand the true essence of tourism.

“When we talk about services, we are not just talking about the transactional services rendered on Paradise Island, Bay Street, Cable Beach; that service now is our very culture and social media has made the representation of our culture prominent across the globe”, he said.

The Minister added that the business of tourism is not about our beautiful sun, sea and sand, or our Junkanoo. “As beautiful as those things are, it is about our social environment, our economic environment, our cultural environment; and the acts that contradict the social, economic, cultural lifeblood of the country are a threat to our national security survival. We must get that no-one escapes responsibility. Anything contrary to our highest ideals and purpose is a threat to our national, economic, social and cultural security.” he said.

Minister Lloyd’s words were a poignant example of why Tourism Is Everybody’s Business. As the Minister concluded, he reminded all in the room, that The Bahamas is not an isolated community “on the rocks somewhere”.

He insisted that we are part of a global village and if we want to be part of this global village business we would have to participate in a way “that service is of preeminent value, first class, world class, best in practice services”. The Minister thanked the BHTA for extending the invitation to participate in the important forum, and he thanked The Ministry of Tourism, educators and attendees for being a key part of the experience.

The Bahamas Hotel and Tourism Association expends substantial resources to support workforce development as the organization recognizes the important role that people, particularly our youth, play in achieving a sustainable, successful tourism economy.

Pictured from left to right back row; Mr. Chuck Smith, Educator CC Sweeting Sr. High School, Mrs. Arlene Nash-Ferguson, Proprietor, Educulture; The Hon. Jeffrey Lloyd, Member of Parliament for South Beach and Minister of Education, Suzanne Pattusch, Executive Vice President, Bahamas Hotel and Tourism Association (BHTA), Ms. Sally  Johnson, Education Officer, Junior High Schools, Ms. Michelle Dittmar, Patrick J. Bethel High School. Front row: Ms. Nettica Symonette, Proprietor, Nettie’s Different of Nassau Casuarina’s (Nettie’s Place); Lifetime Director of the BHTA.

Bahamas Hotel & Tourism Association
Fort Nassau, Suite 200, 2nd Floor
P.O. Box N-7799 | Nassau, The Bahamas
Telephone: 322-8381 |Fax: 502-4221