Up Front
Tourism organisations agreeto merge
The Cayman Islands Hotel and CondominiumAssociation (CICHA) and the Cayman Tourism Alliance (CTA) haveagreed in principle to merge by March 31st this year.
According to informed sources, both tourism based organizations'board members met with mediators, the Minister of Tourism, theHon McKeeva Bush and the director of Tourism, Mrs. Angela Martins,along with other tourism officials to unify the two organisation,which was mandated late last year by the Minster of Tourism sincecoming to office.
"I am very happy that we were able to come to some terms,"said, William Conolly, president of the CIHCA. "It is thebest interest of the tourism locally that we have one body, onevoice speaking," he continued.
It is understood that there was "some heated discussion"relating to whether or not the president will be voted on by thegeneral membership or selected by the board, and whether therewould be a name change.
Another point of contention was the new Association's top paidExecutive/Office Manager and it was spelled out that this individualshould "be a qualified Caymanian or of Caymanian Status andor have Caymanian connections as defined by the Immigration Law."It was also agreed that the president would be elected by a majorityvote of the merged Associations and that members would vote todetermine the name change.
"We've worked hard to come together to forge an agreement,"said Troy Burke, secretary of the CTA and committee chairman ofthe Watersports committee.
"The ministry made a great step to accumulate the Associations.It is the best interest of tourism in the Cayman Islands. I amvery pleased with every thing that has been done so far. The spiritof corporation between the ministry, the department of tourismand the private sector is something that we can be proud of."
"We look forward to working with the ministry and the Departmentof Tourism," Mr. Burke continued.