KINGSTON, Jamaica (JIS) — The Government will, in partnership with the Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts, be establishing a Craft Development Institute (CDI), to be completed for September 2018.

Minister of Tourism Edmund Bartlett addressing a post-Cabinet press briefing at Jamaica House on January 11, said work on what is to be the first institute for craft development in Jamaica will commence this year.

A memorandum of understanding (MOU) and contract are to be signed by the Edna Manley College and the Tourism Product Development Company (TPDCo), which will detail the relationship between the entities and define the governance and operations of the institute.

Bartlett said the Government will also undertake the construction of two artisan villages in Falmouth, Trelawny and Ocho Rios, St Ann this year. The villages, which will be designed to provide a merchandising facility for tourism partners already supplying craft products, as well as new providers from the CDI, will also be marketed to visitors as a must-see attraction.

“What we are doing is creating the capacity to expand the range and diversity of indigenous products while providing a marketing outlet — an appropriate marketing facility. We are creating not just a facility for merchandising, but also an attraction that’s marketable,” the minister explained.

The Urban Development Corporation (UDC) and the Port Authority of Jamaica (PAJ) are partnering to build out the facilities, which are to be opened in December 2018.

The establishment of the CDI and the artisan villages is in line with a push by the Government to cater more effectively to cruise-ship passengers as well as other tourists.