Negril chamber hails businesses
Published by www.jamaicaobserver.com on Apr 25, 2007
Apr 25, 2007

Ricardo Bowleg, general manager of Swept Away Resorts, receives the 'Business of the Year' award from president of the Negril Chamber of Commerce, Grace Lee, at the chamber's 24th anniversary dinner held last Saturday night at the Negril Hills Golf Club. (Photo: Mark Cummings)

NEGRIL, Westmoreland

The Negril Chamber of Commerce (NCC) on Saturday night lauded several individuals and businesses that have used their exemplary leadership qualities to contribute to the economic and social development of that resort town on Jamaica's north-western coast.

Earning the highest accolades at the chamber's elaborate 24th anniversary dinner at the Negril Hills Golf Club was Swept Away Resorts, as recipient of the coveted Business of the Year Award.

"This business entity displays good corporate citizenship, shows commitment to the development of the Negril community and is sensitive to the sustainability, as it relates to the environment," director of the NCC, Junior Gordon, said in announcing the winner.

The resort's general manager, Ricardo Bowleg, accepted the award on behalf of the hotel from the NCC president Grace Lee.

Two other Negril properties, Kuyaba and Sunset at the Palms, were also nominated in that category.
Other major award winners were:

. Jean Brown; Environmental Award;
. Constable Mark Wright, Police Award;
. Cliff Reynolds; Person of the Year Award; and
. Gail Jackson; Best of the Chamber Award.

The NCC was established in 1983 as a broad-based community organisation working to enhance the development of Negril.

Immediate past president Wayne Cummings stressed that over the years the chamber has been actively involved in undertaking a number of projects and initiatives in an effort to improve the resort town. Cummings said last year, the chamber - cognisant that tourism is the driving force of Negril's economy - distributed 55,000 copies of the Jamaica Negril Guide, a comprehensive information piece of the town, to the local and international travel trade.

".... 2006 saw the first year of our partnership with the
Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) via their Miami distribution hub, where they successfully distributed 15,000 copies across the world to the travel trade, as part of their offerings to expose the country as a whole," Cummings said. "The JTB has publicly commended the NCC for this effective tool which has helped not only us in Negril, but them in their job to highlight the importance of Negril as a tourist destination."

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