KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF) has been recognised for its exceptional progress in governance, securing the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica (PSOJ) President’s Award for Most Improved Public Body at the annual Public Bodies’ Corporate Governance Awards.

The ceremony, held on December 4 at the Jamaica Pegasus hotel in Kingston, celebrated public bodies that have set new benchmarks in transparency, accountability, and operational excellence within Jamaica’s public sector.

This year’s awards ceremony, themed “Fuelling Change for Global Impact”, showcased exemplary achievements in corporate governance within Jamaica’s public sector.

The award recognises public bodies that have made significant progress in improving governance practices, systems, and processes, thereby setting a benchmark for excellence.

Minister of Tourism Edmund Bartlett commended the TEF on the achievement, emphasising its importance for the tourism sector and Jamaica’s public bodies.

“This award is a proud moment for the entire tourism sector. The Tourism Enhancement Fund has shown that through diligence, innovation and adherence to governance principles, our public bodies can achieve excellence on a global scale. This is a victory not just for TEF but for Jamaica as a whole,” Bartlett said.

TEF emerged as the winner in a highly competitive category, surpassing nominees such as the Port Authority of Jamaica and the National Solid Waste Management Authority. The award was presented by Sacha Vaccianna-Riley, executive director of the PSOJ.

Dr Carey Wallace, executive director of the TEF, expressed his gratitude for the recognition and reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to sustained excellence.

“At the Tourism Enhancement Fund, we strive not only to uphold but to exceed the standards of good governance. This recognition reflects the hard work of our team and our unwavering focus on accountability, transparency and delivering value to Jamaica. We are deeply honoured and inspired to continue raising the bar,” Dr Wallace said.

The Public Bodies’ Corporate Governance Awards is an initiative of the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service (MOFPS) in collaboration with the PSOJ. It is open to public bodies governed by the Public Bodies Management and Accountability Act (PBMAA) and the Corporate Governance Framework for Public Bodies (CGF).

The awards aim to promote awareness of corporate governance principles, encourage improvements in governance disclosures and honour organisations that uphold exemplary standards of governance practices.

TEF’s recognition underscores its pivotal role in Jamaica’s development and highlights its dedication to serving as a model of excellence in the public sector.