KINGSTON, Jamaica— People’s National Party (PNP) spokesperson on tourism Senator Janice Allen has accused Minister of Tourism Edmund Bartlett of misleading the country regarding UAE airline Emirates’ operations in Jamaica.

According to Allen, Bartlett has falsely claimed that the airline would soon begin direct flights to the Jamaica.

While describing Bartlett’s statement as inaccurate and misleading Allen said, “Let the record show Emirates is not launching flights to Jamaica. What was in fact announced is that Condor, a German airline, is expanding its service to Jamaica. While Condor does have a strategic partnership with Emirates — enabling code-sharing on selected routes — this does not equate to Emirates flying directly to Jamaica.”

On Wednesday, Bartlett had welcomed a flight service to begin in April from Dubai to Germany via Emirates and on to Montego Bay via Condor. The minister, however, did not mention direct flights from the UAE.

READ Emirates service from UAE to Montego Bay to begin April

“To present this partnership as an Emirates airlift to Jamaica is not only disingenuous but does a disservice to the Jamaican public — especially to those whose livelihoods rely on accurate, transparent leadership within the tourism sector. Our workers, businesses, and stakeholders deserve better than vague spin and embellished announcements,” charged Allen.

She said rather than “dressing up” a shared-code partnership as a ground-breaking new route, the Government should focus its energy on securing legitimate, direct flights that deliver tangible benefits to the economy and frontline workers .

Allen added, “Misleading the public and global partners not only risks damaging our reputation—it can also stall real progress.”

She called on Bartlett to, “immediately correct the record and commit to ensuring that future announcements reflect facts, not fiction”.