Tourism Authority heartened by 'manners' campaign response
by Shirley Thomas
Guyana Chronicle
August 14, 2003
The Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA) is heartened at the public response to its "War on Bad Manners" campaign launched just a fortnight ago.
According to the Executive Director of the Authority, Mr. Donald Sinclair, the response is phenomenal, and rather encouraging.
Phase I of the campaign which kicked off on July 30, has now entered its second week and, an eminently delighted Sinclair reported that moral support was coming from across the regions of Guyana, the Caribbean and internationally.
He cited positive responses to the initiative, as having come from as far as North America, New York and Papau New Guinea and other places.
And locally, the campaign which was launched by Prime Minister, Hon. Samuel Hinds, now has the blessing of the Office of the President which the Tourism Director said, would like to come on board.
Apart from overwhelming support coming from the Guyana Police Force, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Tourism, Industry and Commerce and Royal Castle and Auto Supplies and company - among the first to endorse it, other agencies have either come on board, or signaled their intention to embrace the campaign.
Pharmagen and Medicare Pharmacies have come on board, and RK and GEB Security Services, the Georgetown Municipality, and Regional Offices, have indicated that they want to do likewise. GTA's Customer Care team will be working with them in the ensuing weeks. The team comprises: Co-ordinators - Murray Greenidge, Denise Beresford; Customer Care Specialist - Donna Short Gill and Volunteer, Jerry A-Kum - University of Guyana Lecturer.
Phase One of the campaign began with a special "Courtesy Brigade' comprising students of the University of Guyana's Department of Tourism Studies targeting minibus drivers and conductors.
For one week, the Brigade worked with the minibus operatives, coaching them in the basic principles/tenets of 'good manners', and what constitutes socially accepted behaviours" when working on the buses, or otherwise interfacing with the public.
And incredibly, the Tourism Authority officials reported that about 90 per cent of the minibus operatives were supportive of the campaign, and cooperated with the Brigade. Mr. Sinclair said that the campaign, which has now entered its second week, will now be targeting rank and file operators on the roads: Distributing bumper stickers, Courtesy fliers at gas stations. They will also be introducing specially produced jingles, which will send direct and subliminal messages in relation to good manners.
