Dear Editor,

Jamaican artists have been the biggest supporters and promoters of Jamaica as a destination for decades. It is good to see that the Minister is making an effort to partner with our artists while they continue to tour the world and expose more people to Jamaica.

However, I have concerns about the process and possible guidelines that will come with this programme.

Are artists going to be told what to say by the Tourist Board or the Ministry? Will artists who express opinions about the corruption and incompetence within government be excluded? Will artists who speak out against police brutality and discrimination against Rasta stand a chance?

I am also afraid that the Minister and his team might have this the wrong way around. From my experience (having travelled widely around the world), Jamaican artists are already providing exposure to Jamaica, and are far more visible internationally than the reach of the Ministry of Tourism and the Jamaica Tourist Board.

I don’t see Jamaican tourism advertisements in many of the countries in Europe that our artists play constantly. Artists do not need wider exposure from the Ministry. It’s actually the other way around.(Editor’s note: The writer’s response is to an announcement by state minister in the Ministry of Tourism and Entertainment, Damion Crawford, that his ministry will be introducing an artiste ambassadors programme to assist in the promotion of destination Jamaica.)

The Ministry of Tourism and Entertainment might better serve the tourism and entertainment sectors by focusing on making it easier for more artists to be properly prepared to travel and represent, by: 1) providing better facilities at home for entertainment management development and training, and 2) providing tour support in the form of air travel and ground transportation subsidies.

Lloyd Stanbury