Western Bureau:
Prominent hotelier Richard A.M. Wallace is now the new president of the Negril Chamber of Commerce And Industry.
Wallace was selected for the job at the chamber’s recent annual general meeting, where a new team was identified to handle the business affairs of the resort town.
“We are very excited about the future of Negril with the upcoming new developments that will be taking place,” said Wallace. “One of the things that I would like to do during my tenure is to bring all the stakeholders together to work more with the Government and government agencies to move Negril forward and to do what’s best for Negril.”
According to Wallace, despite its appeal as a major tourism destination, the western resort town is facing several challenges.
“Negril has a lot of issues to be dealt with and we are anxious to get them resolved, but we can only achieve this if we all work together,” said Wallace. “We would also like to diversify and increase our membership, so we are inviting more Negril businesses and individuals to join the chamber and help to build our community,” he said.
Wallace, who is the owner of The Boardwalk Village Hotel and The Boardwalk Shopping Village, two major landmarks in Negril, is from a family that has been operating hotels and other businesses in Negril since the 1970s.
He is also a councillor for the Negril chapter of the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association and is very active in other aspects of community life.
Other executive members of the Negril Chamber of Commerce include Pansy Rayson, first vice-president; Damian Salmon, second vice-president; Winthrope Wellington, third vice-president; Sophie Grizzle-Roumel, treasurer; and Nola Stair, secretary.
The Negril Chamber of Commerce was established in 1983. Its membership includes a wide range of hotels, businesses, associations, and individuals who are concerned about Negril’s economic, social and physical environment.