BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, OCTOBER 24TH 2006 (CUOPM)
St. Kitts and Nevis Minister of State for Tourism, Sports and Culture, Sen. The Hon. Richard Skerritt, has been elected Third Vice President of the Caribbean Tourism Organisation (CTO).
Minister Skerritt was appointed to the Cabinet of St. Kitts and Nevis in October 2004. His election to the CTO Board took place at the 46th meeting of the CTO Board of Directors now taking place in the Bahamas. Minister of Tourism for St. Lucia and the 1st Vice Chairman of CTO since October 2004, Hon. Philip J. Pierre, was elected Chairman at CTC-29.
Commissioner of Tourism for the U.S. Virgin Islands, and CTO Chairman for the past two years, the Hon. Pamela C. Richards, turned the gavel over on Sunday to Minister Pierre to conclude the Board of Directors meeting.
As Minister Pierre accepted the Chairman position from Commissioner Richards he stated: “Her example will be hard to follow, but with the help of the Board of Directors I will do my best to carry on the traditions and ensure that CTO works diligently for the improvement of the quality of life for the citizens of this region.”
The other officials elected to positions of Vice Chairman for the 2007-08 period including: First Vice Chairman, the Hon. Harold Lovell, Antigua & Barbuda Minister of Tourism & Civil Aviation; Second Vice Chairman, the Hon. Aloun N`Dombet Assamba, Jamaica Minister of Tourism, Entertainment and Culture and Fourth Vice Chairman, the Hon. Brenda Hood, Grenada Minister of Tourism, Civil Aviation & Performing Arts
The Executive Committee will be completed with representatives from the private sector, following their internal elections. This Executive Committee will serve for the 2006 to 2008 term.
The vote was in keeping with the organization’s constitution, which mandates that elections for a new committee must take place every two years.
Meantime, the Board of Directors also recognized the efforts of the outgoing chairman, Pamela C. Richards, Commissioner of Tourism of the US Virgin Islands whose two-year term ended on Sunday.
CTC-29 is taking place Oct. 22-25, 2006 at the Westin and Sheraton Grand Bahama Island Our Lucaya Resort on Grand Bahama Island, in The Bahamas.
CTC-29 will provide the opportunity for delegates to participate in the evolution and development of the new “Caribbean” brand, and will also demonstrate how they can benefit from it in ways, which up until now never seemed possible.
The conference will be preceded by meetings of the ministers and commissioners of tourism, the Board of Directors and various CTO committees.
The theme for this year’s conference is “Cooperation, Innovation, Rejuvenation: Creating a Brand New Caribbean.”
The CTO’s mission is to provide to and through its members, the services and information needed for the development of sustainable tourism for the economic and social benefit of the Caribbean people.
The organisation provides specialized support and technical assistance to member countries in the areas of marketing, human resource development, research and statistics, information technology and sustainable tourism development. The CTO disseminates information on behalf of its member governments to consumers and the travel trade.