Half Moon Recognises Employees for Years of Service

Some 321 employees of the Half Moon Hotel in Montego Bay, who have together given approximately 3,400 years of service to the tourism industry, have been recognised for their commitment and dedication to the industry.
Occasion was the hotel’s 50th anniversary awards function held on Monday (Sept. 27) at the property in Rose Hall.
Topping the list of awardees were 11 outstanding senior employees of the hotel, who have each served for more than 30 years. They received trophies, plaques and accolades. Among the outstanding workers was Wordsworth Watson, Estate Manager, who has given over 46 years of meritorious service to the hotel industry.
In her address at the function, Minister of Industry and Tourism, Aloun N’dombet Assamba said that the performance of Half Moon and the employees in particular, bear testimony to the fact that Jamaicans could be achievers “if they dare to envision new ways of doing things and work towards those goals.””This resort and its dedicated team, represents so much of what is special and unique about Jamaica’s tourism,” Minister Assamba added.
She said the industry was key to economic prosperity based on its links to other industries such as agriculture and its ability to spur growth in small businesses and community projects.
Minister Assamba also commended those hotel workers, who made visitors to the island comfortable during the passage of Hurricane Ivan.
Jamaica’s Ambassador to Washington Professor Gordon Shirley, who was the keynote speaker at the function, said that the time had come for Jamaica to seize the moment to innovate and grasp opportunities that would help to make the economy more robust and resistant to the vicissitudes of nature.
“We should not be afraid to innovate, particularly in our domain of knowledge and strength. Half Moon was early in spotting the trends in green tourism, spa therapy and environmental tourism and innovated by building on what was natural.” he stated He said that in the aftermath of Hurricane Ivan, resources should not just be expended to replace what was destroyed, “but to instead rebuild with an eye to creating a base for future growth.”
As such, he suggested that appropriate building codes be put in place to cope with the perennial threats of disasters, redesign drainage systems to prevent flooding and create structures in a manner that would make them less susceptible to wind and rain damage.
Ambassador Shirley also stressed that Jamaica needed to lead in the formation of regional insurance schemes, which would allow farmers and others to regain their footing after suffering the effects of natural disasters.
“I exhort us to have confidence in ourselves. Rise up and grasp the opportunities hidden in the challenges. Seize the moment to convert our cautious optimism for the future into full blown optimism based on our ability to prepare for the obvious, to innovate and to will ourselves on to world class performances,” he urged.