Tourism minister calls for unity

TOURISM, Arts and Culture Minister Isi Henry Leonard has urged the divisions under his ministry to work together and not in isolation.
Leonard said the National Museum and Art Gallery, National Cultural Commission and the Tourism Promotion Authority, need to be integrated and work together.
Leonard said that small-medium enterprises (SMEs) operating under those respective divisions needed to be identified and included in the annual cultural shows calendar to promote local tourism as well as attract Government funding and support.
“We should not be operating separately, we should now integrate them, come up with a technical team and have a plan for the operators right down to the SME level,” he said.
“We must now plan to engage with the people right down to where they are.
“That’s the reason why we should come up with a technical team and let’s put together a plan.
“Whether it be a bungalow operator, PMV operator, diver boat operator, tie them into those programmes.
“Let us promote local tourism at whatever scale that is.
“So cultural shows and programmes, right down to the village level, must be identified and be included in the calendar.
“That is where we can assist those SMEs if we can spread out and get the Government to support it through the budgetary process.
“It’s all about everyone working together.”