The Honorable Edmund Bartlett, M.P., has been appointed Jamaica’s new Minister of Tourism, returning to the helm of a portfolio he previously held. This follows the February 25 victory at the polls by the Jamaica Labour Party.
Bartlett, a marketing executive and long-standing Parliamentarian, is no stranger to the tourism portfolio, having served as Minister of Tourism from 2007 to 2011, as well as Opposition spokesman on tourism and more recently, foreign affairs. In his more than three decades in the Jamaican Parliament, he has also served as Minister of Youth and Community Development and Minister of State for Information, Broadcasting and Culture.
Born and educated in Jamaica, Bartlett is a graduate of the University of the West Indies. He has held senior accounting and marketing positions at Revere Alumina Jamaica Ltd. and Texaco Caribbean Inc. respectively. Mr. Bartlett has also represented Jamaica regionally and internationally and currently chairs the Board of Affiliate Members of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO). He is the first to serve on the executive board of both the public and private sector arms of this prestigious organization.
He has served as a member of the Executive Council of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), representing the entire Americas region. He has also served as Vice Chairman of the Commission for the Americas (CAM) of the UNWTO, Vice President of the 2009 UNWTO Conference held in Kazakhstan and Chairman of CARICOM’s Sub-Committee COTED in 2009 in the areas of Tourism and Transportation/Civil Aviation.
Earlier in his career, he served as Vice President for the World Conference on Cultural Policies, and during International Youth Year as Vice Chairman of the U.N. International Youth Year Advisory Committee.
Bartlett returns as Jamaica’s Minister of Tourism committed to growing the economy through the development of new state-of-the-art attractions, expansion of marinas in Ocho Rios and Montego Bay as well as enhancing Jamaica’s appeal as a duty-free shopping destination. Minister Bartlett indicated that his administration will also provide renewed support for the development of South Coast adventure and eco-tourism.
Over the past four years, while serving the shadow Cabinet, Mr. Bartlett traveled the world forging alliances with strategic partners for global initiatives. As Minister, he will build on the relationships which have been established, to attract investment in Jamaica’s tourism, ensuring its leadership position in the region.
