Mike Singh’s Political Appointee for Tourism?

We are now in the second month of the New Year and approaching the two year anniversary of this UDP government with no clear way forward for leadership in the tourism industry.

In November of last year, it was made public that the BTB was not going to renew the contract of Mrs. Tracy Panton as the country’s Director of Tourism.   Advertisements for the vacancy were placed in the newspapers with a first deadline and then it was extended for a second deadline of December 14^th since the board (one assumes) was not satisfied with the first round of applicants.

The second round of applicants apparently has not pleased the Board or CEO Singh.  We now know that last week the BTB paid for Seleni Matus to fly in from Washington DC for an interview for the job.   That’s right! CEO Mike Singh, the Minister of Tourism and the Board of Directors of BTB have totally disregarded the tendering process and went outside of the list of applicants they received which we understand to have a few qualified, locally based Belizeans to do the job.  Hmmm- sounds a lot like the same mess that got the KHMH board in trouble which resulted in a Commission of Inquiry because they too disregarded a tendering process and began to “hand pick” persons to do their bidding.

So why go abroad to Washington, DC for Seleni Matus?  Well, she does work with Conservation International which has done a few conservation tourism projects in Belize.  The most recent was in 2008 for an Action Plan for the better management of the cruise sector.  Of course under the UDP government, nothing has been done with that plan.   So perhaps  CEO Mike Singh, the Minister and the BTB Board of Directors are thinking with her at the helm, maybe finally something will happen?

But then, does that mean once again priority focus and energies of BTB will be placed on the cruise sector?   So who exactly is looking out for the overnight group who are spending more and staying longer?  More heads on beds mean more jobs for Belizeans and more tax revenues for the government.  Seems pretty straightforward to us!

Matus is also very dear friends with Joy Grant, now Ambassador in Belgium but former Executive Director of Programme for Belize.  Matus worked at PfB under Joy Grant’s tenure.   See the UDP connection? In addition to that, Matus is also perceived as more aligned with UDP than with PUP due to her friendship with the Singh’s and Channel 7 Vasquez’s.   So we are back to providing job opportunities to friends and families of the UDP which is probably the only accomplishment of the BARROW administration.   In addition to this, she has been able to access grant funding for conservation projects through OAK Foundation and has a good relationship with Oak Foundation’s Belize representative, Imani Morrison and is familiar with IDB processes and personnel in Washington.  So, perhaps the thinking is that she can help access grant funds for the financially strapped BTB and perhaps help out with the IDB tourism project since Noel Jacobs (who is the paid Project Manager) is too busy with his private consulting jobs for PACT, COCESNA and NICH, etc.

Is a political appointee who is close to Mike Singh the answer to tourism woes? The industry is suffering in product development, marketing and institutional capacity to manage it all.  With a significant drop in accommodation tax due to less than normal arrivals and low occupancies, whoever is appointed as Director will have to be strong enough to ensure things are done very different at the BTB and can withstand the political environment?  From what I hear, Seleni Matus is a real softy entering a lion’s den. We will see how long she lasts. The country cannot afford anymore political appointments that are paid lucrative packages to just attend cocktails and rack up frequent flyer miles. Mike Singh is enough! It is about time we get very serious about this country’s development and stop messing with the politics.

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