An ‘uplifting’ honour

WESTERN BUREAU:

Wheelchair attendant Ivyrine Melhado was one of several tourism workers honoured by the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) in a ceremony to mark the start of the 2024-25 Winter Tourist Season at the Sangster International Airport (SIA) in Montego Bay, St James,on Sunday.

Melhado, who has been employed at the SIA for just over a year, was singled out for the vital role she has been playing in assisting guests with mobility needs. She was also singled out for assisting a male passenger, who she observed was displaying signs of being unwell, and quickly wheeled him to the nurses’ station for assessment.

In Melhado’s citation, it is stated that the passenger, who had arrived on a Delta Airlines flight, was seemingly in distress and, without hesitation, she rushed him to the nurses’ station where he got emergency assistance.

“It is a great feeling to receive this award. It is very uplifting to me, and I will continue to do even more of what’s required in making visitors to our country have a seamless experience,” Melhado told The Gleaner after collecting her award from Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett.

In recalling the incident with the passenger in distress, Melhado recounted that on the day in question, she observed that the passenger was trembling and appeared to be in pain, so she decided to be proactive, and while the man’s wife initially refused help, she talked her into agreeing.

Sadly, the visitor in question later died while being examined by healthcare staff at the airport.

“I opened my wheelchair and assisted him inside and ran with him to the nurses’ station, but he died while being examined,” Melhado explained. “I am sad because the visitor did not survive his illness so that he could experience his planned vacation, as he died while being examined in the nurses’ station.”

INITIAL CONTACT

In addressing the workers at the airport, Bartlett said 60 per cent of the visitor’s experiences is the quality of services delivered on the vacation by locals – hospitality workers and the public, noting that service begins at the ports of entry.

“This service begins right here, and you represent what we call the moment of truth in marketing, where the customer meets the product for the first time. So, when they step out and feel confident that your tarmac is safe and when they have comfortable smiling faces from greeting parties, their moments begin and their vacation starts with a bang,” said Bartlett.

“It is even better when they come inside to immigration and see wonderful people with great smiles and warm accommodating expressions, they’ll say yes, we are at the right place.”

According to Bartlett, the 2024-2025 winter tourist season is expected to be in Jamaica’s favour, pointing out that more than 70,000 additional airline seats will come out of the United States, which is an increase over last year.

Additionally, he revealed that LATAM Airlines will soon be having direct flights from Lima, Peru, coming into the island via the SIA in Montego Bay.

editorial@gleanerjm.com