SPEECH BY HON. LESTER B. BIRD, 
Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda at the opening of The Antigua and Barbuda Hospitality Training Institute, (ABHTI), Dutchman’s Bay on Thursday, 30th October, 2003 at 4 p.m.

Members of the platform,
Members of Parliament,
The Diplomatic Corp,
Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, good afternoon.

It gives me great pleasure to be here to officially open this splendid new hospitality training facility. I think you will all agree that this colorfully refurbished and expanded facility has been worth the wait. Indeed, I suppose one could not have chosen a more suitable time to open the ABHTI than during the series of events commemorating our 22nd Anniversary of political independence. In fact, the ABHTI epitomizes years of “Struggle and Conquest” and “Unrelenting Dedication and Unity”. The journey to this function was long, but the reward, an unlimited well-trained multi-skilled tourism workforce, redounds to the overall benefit of Antigua and Barbuda.

As we welcome the dawn of our 22nd anniversary of independence, let us recall the second verse of the National Anthem, which implores us to “raise the standard, (and) raise it boldly”. This new ABHTI will be the beacon on the hill guiding, equipping and preparing the youth for the challenges ahead.

Confucius said it best:

“The expectations of life depend upon diligence; The mechanic that would perfect his work must first sharpen his tools”.

Skills development is therefore quintessential to the country’s future prosperity. The ABHTI is the product of well-determined policy and the youth must develop good qualities, norms and characteristics that will allow them to scale the mountain of success, laboring diligently without despair. 

As you recall, I convened two Tourism Summits last year to analyze the performance of the industry and to identify the key elements of a strategy for its future sustainable development. That demonstrates the seriousness with which the Government places on the tourism sector. I am pleased to say that the Tourism Development Corporation will soon become a reality. The Draft Act is before Parliament and I expect the TDC to be established and functioning by December.

An important highlight of the Summits was the focus on human resource development, and the supply of appropriately trained individuals for the industry. I am pleased to note from the Prospectus, that the ABHTI will be addressing these concerns and play a pivotal role in assisting the industry to secure and retain a professional and skilled workforce to meet the employment needs of the hospitality sector. 

Despite its susceptibility to the vagaries like the weather, as well as economic conditions in source markets, tourism is our single largest industry. The direct and indirect income from tourism greatly contributes to the economy by generating foreign currency, creating jobs, and alleviating poverty. Through our partnership with Cuba, I am expecting that more art and craft vendors will receive training so that they can better produce paintings, carvings and souvenirs thereby ensuring that a greater percentage of the tourism dollar remains in the economy. Our challenge therefore is to develop the right strategies to take advantage of the opportunities. The convening of an annual Tourism Forum, the creation of an equity funding facility to provide assistance to small locally-owned hotels, the development of a system of standards and codes of practice for all aspects of the tourism industry, the establishment of a new Product Development Agency an arm of the TDC, the strengthening of our position in niche marketing areas, such as wedding and honeymoon, targeting new areas such as Sports, Convention, Health and Leisure tourism are some examples of my Government’s strategy. We will also be developing the adjacent lands for the staging of out-side performances. The idea is to launch in the next few months our own unique brand of an annual performing Arts Festival, attracting artists from as far away as China, Haiti and Cuba. We are a Government of vision that is conscious of the reality that the competition for the tourism dollar is now more acute than ever, not only for visitor arrivals, but also for investment, development and finance.

The reality is that as a small developing country with limited resources, we must understand that the future of tourism, and indeed the economy, will be shaped by our ability to compete effectively. As a Government, we are committed to fulfilling our responsibility of making available adequate resources for the tourism sector. Moreover, there is also need to increase the number of tourism attractions and activities to share and demonstrate to visitors the diverse faces and experiences that, collectively, make up our soul as a nation.

To succeed in the future, it is without question that we must provide a superior level of service that is unrivalled in the region. We must develop a world-class tourism workforce with a strong superior service culture, supported by committed investments in manpower training and development. That is why I shared the vision of the ABHTI as far back as the 1980s as Minister of Tourism. It remains a first love, which as they say, creates a lasting impression. And so, the ABHTI at picturesque Dutchman’s Bay is a dream come true, and I wish to commend the European Union for its investment in our development. Please join me in giving the European Union a round of applause.

We recognize that strident measures must be taken to arrest the present fiscal challenge. However despite the fiscal challenge, the Labour Party Government makes no apology for the continued employment of Antiguans and Barbudans, and placing food on peoples’ table. We plan to convene a national Economic Forum of stakeholders shortly, attracting experts from the Caribbean Development Bank, the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank and the University of the West Indies, to analyze and develop concrete macro economic strategies. The Ministry of Finance is presently preparing a paper on our economic model for circulation and discussion. The hosting of the Economic Forum and the adoption of its recommendations, will instruct the Government’s future macro-economic policy. I wish to also point out that the Cabinet has taken the Decision to appoint an Economic “Think Tank” comprising of senior local and regional economists who will meet monthly to advise the government on the way forward. 

In this new world environment no country can survive if its people lack the training and skills to compete with others. It is for this reason we continue to place emphasis on preparing young people for globalization. Apart from primary and post primary education, focus is being placed on tertiary education, particularly the upgrading and modernization of facilities. With the assistance of the European Union, the facilities at the State College will be upgraded next year. Six new classrooms will be constructed along with, a lecture theatre, modern library, staff and student lounge and a cafeteria as part of the 9th EDF package of support.

Furthermore, I am please to mention that the Youth Skills Training Programme is also slated for expansion and improvement through an injection of an EC$8 million dollar grant from the EU. The thinking behind this infrastructure improvement to educational facilities is the empowerment of our young people. The degree, to which countries manage to cope with globalization and international trade liberalization, depends upon their level of intellectual capacity and skills. To this end, the Government will shortly introduce in Parliament, the University College of Antigua and Barbuda Act that will coordinate tertiary education. It is envisaged that such an arrangement will allow many more persons to have access to higher education. It will complement efforts to train and retrain persons to drive the service-based industries, giving people the opportunity to retool and become competitive. This is particularly important in light of the Free Trade Area of the Americas, the World Trade Organization and particularly the CSME and the free movement of people within the region. 

The aim of the Government’s policy is to ensure that young people are provided with the social skills needed for a successful life. Competition will no longer be only among locals, but rather with regional professionals and third State nationals with a variety of training from top Universities and Colleges. That is why much attention is being placed on establishing numerous education facilities like the ABHTI. Next-door is the Institute of Technology, which was recently declared the Centre of excellence for Information Technology in the OECS. These facilities - the Institute of Technology, the State College and the ABHTI - must develop synergies for their optimal utilization and efficiency.

“Our progress as a nation can be no swifter than our progress in education. The human mind is our fundamental resource”. The words of former US President John F. Kennedy.

Before concluding, I would like to wish the Board of the ABHTI and all the staff and those who will pass through the doors of the Institute, every success for the future. I am confident that those who will participate in the training programmes, will find their time here very fulfilling, ultimately leading them to rewarding employment in the hospitality sector. I also wish to urge corporate citizens to pay keen interest in the further enhancement and development of the tourism product. 

Let us join hands and strengthen our resolve and press forward in unity in the service of our “fair Antigua and Barbuda”. Let us end derision and acts that tarnish the good name of the country, since it only destroys the collectivity of our people’s aspirations in an already turbulent world environment.

Let us go forward from Dutchman’s Bay committed, embolden by a strong conviction of survival through education, training and productivity, fuelled with the vigor and determination of our past heroes who struggled to achieve Antigua and Barbuda’s independence. As Prime Minister, I pledge that my government will continue to work assiduously in the interest of you the people of Antigua and Barbuda, never shirking that responsibility.

In Spanish – Que el señor continue sonriendonos e illumine nuestro sendero en prosperidad.

May the Gods continue smiling upon us and light our path to prosperity.

I thank you.

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