Mayor disappointed as TEF abandons annual Christmas treat

WESTERN BUREAU:

The Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF) has left the Hanover Municipal Corporation (HMC) in a quandary as it has rejected the corporation’s request for assistance to fund the Mayor’s Christmas Treat for Children, which is scheduled for next Friday.

Lucea’s Mayor Sheridan Samuels expressed his disappointment during Thursday’s monthly meeting of the HMC, noting that the TEF’s assistance had been instrumental in the corporation’s successful staging of the event in 2023.

“In terms of this year’s treat, we are having certain challenges,” said Samuels. “Our main sponsor from last year, the TEF, came onboard and gave us a contribution to the tune of one million dollars, but ... I have been informed that they are not going to do it again.”

“It is going to be a major setback, as we had included their contribution in our budgeting. As such, we have to be digging deep in the Hanover business community to see if we can garner the necessary support,” added Samuels.

He noted, however, that the support from the business community has been encouraging. But Samuels expressed surprise at the TEF’s decision not to assist the HMC with the project, describing it as “so strange”.

According to Samuels, the funds that are being spent by the TEF is income from the tourism sector, and the parish of Hanover is a major contributor to the sector.

“Look at this parish as it relates to the number of hotels we have here, from Round Hill in Hopewell to Azul in Negril. Let me name some that I can readily remember; there is Round Hill, Tryall, Grand Palladium, Princess – which is the new kid on the block. Then there is also Riu 1 and 2, Sunset on the Palms, Swept Away, Couples Royalton, Hedonism 2 and Sandals, and I apologise if I have left any out, but that is a lot of hotel rooms in Hanover,” said Samuels.

“Why is it that we are unable to get anything from the TEF, bearing in mind (too) that most of the kids that will be treated at the Mayor’s Christmas Treat are the children of (persons) who work in the tourism industry in the parish?” asked Samuels.

Samuels also complained about the HMC’s inability to get assistance from the TEF to remedy the problems existing in the parish at the Riley River, and the Venture Gutter in Lucea. He said that while the failure to address the projects mentioned will reflect badly on the HMC, residents of the parish should also question why some of the tourism dollars, which are earned in the parish by the TEF, are not being spent in the parish.But, when contacted by The Gleaner, Dr Carey Wallace, the executive director of the TEF, said:“They (the HMC) applied late and our board meeting is next week, so I can’t make any further comment or make any commitments without the input of the board.”

Last year, the Hanover Mayor’s Christmas Treat for Children catered to over 2,000 youngsters. The 2024 treat is set for 1 p.m. on Friday December 20, at the HMC building, in Bustamante Square, Lucea.

Bryan Miller