Clifton Reader Has No Regrets About Giving Up Medical Ambition for Tourism

Turn a different corner in life and the hospitality sector might not have benefited from the outstanding contribution of former President of the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA), Clifton Reader.

The 39-year tourism stalwart had applied to enter medical school before fate intervened and brought him face to face with what clearly was his real calling in life.

“I was coming back from [studying] in England – physics, chemistry and biology – and applied to the University of the West Indies (UWI) to do medicine. They lost my application and so I got a job at Wyndham Kingston and the rest is history,” Mr. Reader tells JIS News.

That was in 1984 and he has not looked back since.

On National Heroes Day, Monday (October 16) Mr. Reader, who is the Managing Director of Moon Palace Jamaica in Ocho Rios, St. Ann, will be conferred with the Order of Distinction (OD) in the Rank of Officer for his sterling contribution to the development of tourism in Jamaica and community service, at the National Honours and Awards Ceremony at King’s House.

His impressive career in the hospitality sector spans almost four decades at local and international properties.

It was while working at Wyndham, where he started out as food and beverage cashier, before being promoted to front office manager, that Mr. Reader made the decision to stick with tourism.

He recalls the experience of the catastrophic Hurricane Gilbert in September 1988, where he, along with other managers, went about the task of securing the property and seeing to the well-being and safety of the guests.

“At Wyndham, I decided, finally, that I would not pursue medicine anymore, having registered twice at UWI in natural sciences and got through to do medicine as well. I fell in love with tourism at the time. I got a government scholarship… and went to The Bahamas. I did one year at Mona and two years in The Bahamas,” he tells JIS News.

“The Bahamas, at the time, being the mecca of tourism and all of that, taught us quite a bit. I ended up also on an internship in St. Lucia after that sojourn in The Bahamas, which was about 1991,” he notes.

Following his stint in St. Lucia, Mr. Reader returned to Jamaica, where he secured a job as Assistant Food and Beverage Manager at SuperClubs in Runaway Bay, St. Ann.

One of the few senior managers with experience in both food and beverage and rooms, Mr. Reader’s skills were in high demand.

He went on to become the General Manager of Sunset Jamaica Grande Resort & Spa, and General Manager of Beaches Negril Resort &Spa and Beaches Sandy Bay.

He also served as Resident Manager at Sandals Turks &Caicos and Sandals Royal Bahamian and was the first Jamaican to become Food and Beverage Manager at Sandals.

Today, he is regarded as one of the most marketable general managers in the industry and is always a first-call candidate for openings at any major hotel chain.

“Clifton brings a deep-rooted understanding of the local market and region, valuable experience and great enthusiasm to his post at Moon Palace Jamaica,” says Tourism Minister, Hon. Edmund Bartlett.

Mr. Reader also serves as the President of the Moon Palace Foundation, the social and welfare arm of the Moon Palace Jamaica resort, focusing on health, wellness, education, environment, and dreams.

He is also Vice President of Palace Resorts for Jamaica and the Turks and Caicos.

“I always pride myself in working hard, wherever I go, and take time out to learn the system and try to make a difference. If anything, that has been the secret to my success,” he tells JIS News.

As to giving up on his medical ambition for a career in hospitality, Mr. Reader has no regrets.

“Someone once put the entire thing into perspective for me. The person pointed out that I am still a doctor but only in a different way, noting that most persons who come to the hotel are guests, who are usually stressed out and want a reprieve. ‘Aren’t you always on call… like a doctor who is always on call?’ he quips.