Far from being unique to Guyana the recruitment of qualified and trained expatriates to occupy key positions in the hotel industry is a Caribbean-wide practice, according to Executive Director of the Tourism and Hospitality Association of Guyana (THAG) Maureen Paul.
“There are several hotels and other tourist resorts in the region that have recruited qualified non-Caribbean staff to hold management and other specialist positions. It is a reflection of the fact that we have not been able, over the years, to adequately address the training needs of the industry,” Paul told Stabroek Business. The recruitment by the newly established Buddy’s Hotel at Providence of Indian nationals to occupy key positions at the hotel has raised questions as to whether those positions could not be filled by local staff. However, according to the THAG Executive Director the surfeit of new hotels in Guyana had created an urgent need for a training regime to take account of the need to train staff to fill key positions at those hotels. Paul told Stabroek Business that the standard of training in the various tourism-related areas necessary to provide a “high class tourism sector” should not be underestimated. “It has to be borne in mind that we are talking about an industry in which a single instance of poor or sub-standard service can mean permanent loss of patronage for the entity,” Paul said.
Asked whether the scarcity of trained personnel was the biggest challenge facing the local tourist industry Paul said that this was certainly one of the areas in which Guyana has “a long way to go” if the hospitality sector is to meet the exacting standards that experienced travellers have come to expect. The THAG Executive Director told Stabroek Business that the skills deficiencies in the regional tourism sector was due in part to the fact that wages were less attractive than in other sectors. “At those levels where large numbers of skilled people are needed the remuneration has not been sufficiently competitive,” Paul said.
Recently, the Caribbean Hotel Foundation (CHF), a subsidiary of the Caribbean Hotel Association (CHA), announced its 2007/2008 scholarship programme for Caribbean hospitality employers, educators and students wishing to pursue studies or professional development courses related to the industry.
The CHF scholarships are being funded by various private tourism entities including Virgin Holidays which is offering a US$10,000 a year Tourism Management scholarship and the School of Hospitality and Tourism Management at the Florida International University which is offering a US$7,500 scholarship. The Miami-based Johnson and Wales University is offering two scholarships worth $5,000 each for four years in addition to guaranteed on-campus employment for a minimum of ten hours a week. Interval International is offering two scholarships of US$7,000 each while Royal Caribbean International is offering a scholarship worth US$7,000. A US$7,000 environmental studies scholarship is also being offered by the Florida Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA).
“These opportunities are particularly valuable to Guyana given our scarcity of trained people in the tourism sector. Additionally, they offer great career opportunities for young people,” she said.
Paul told Stabroek Business that while the University of Guyana was currently offering an academic programme in Tourism Studies she would wish to see the programme broadened to place greater emphasis on teaching the various practical skills that are needed in the local tourism industry.
Last year thirty nine students from nineteen Caribbean countries benefited from scholarships provided by the CHF worth US$144,500. The CHF was established in 1987 as a non-profit organization through which scholarships and other forms of assistance could be made available to Caribbean hotel workers and other industry workers and students pursuing careers in the tourism sector.
Application forms and other details of CHF scholarships are available on CHF website caribbeanhotelfoundation.org and from the Tourism and Hospitality Association of Guyana.
