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Thursday, January 25, 2007 – New president of the SLHTA Colin Hunte
has called for unprecedented attention to placed on integrating tourism firmly
into the educational curricular of schools in Saint Lucia.
Targeting all levels of the educational system from infant to tertiary, Mr.
Hunte said a solid, comprehensive education programme is required to keep human
resource development in stride with the future growth of the tourism sector.
“Top on our agenda at the SLHTA is the establishment of a hotel training school
and we will work with all relevant agencies to ensure this becomes a reality. It
is critical that the people of St. Lucia have an understanding of the importance
of tourism to the national economy and the place that the industry can have in
the life of the individual. A gradual integration of tourism as content in the
curricula, must be the first step in the wider network leading to tertiary level
education in order to provide the expertise that the industry requires for
sustainable development.”
The SLHTA official also lent its voice to mounting appeals for the Sir Arthur
Lewis Community College to be advanced to the next level.
“We must, as part of our mission, turn that institution into a full-fledged
university. Tertiary level education available to a wide cross section of our
people is the key. Recognising the centrality of tourism in the economy of the
country, we are embarking on a public education programme in collaboration with
our other partners, to educate all St. Lucians in the tourism product. It is my
feeling that this kind of understanding is critical in order to create that
shared vision.”
The SLHTA, Hunte said, with the support of members, will reach out to the
population by strengthening their corporate social agenda through an integrated
communication and social development programme . This programme will be geared
at bringing employees, owners and operators closer to the community by employing
corporate and traditional methods of social interaction.
In related news the SLHTA also conducted elections for a new executive on
Wednesday.
As mentioned the new president is Colin Hunte, first vice president is Mr.
Kashmie Ali and second vice president is Ms. Sheila Jude.
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