Janet Silvera, Senior Tourism Writer

Jessop

London, England:

David Jessop, director of the Caribbean Council in London, has been named the Caribbean Hotel Association's (CHA), 2007 Individual of the Year.

Described as one of the most understated individuals, Jessop, a contributing writer to The Gleaner and a regular columnist with the newspaper's tourism trade publication, Hospitality Jamaica, was recognised at the annual Crystal Palm Awards in London on Saturday night.

He shared centre stage with entities that have made significant contribution to the development of Caribbean tourism, including: Airline, British Airways; Caribbean Specialist Operator; Caribbean Hotels, Large U.K. Caribbean Tour Operator, Virgin Holidays and Caribbean Tourism Board Anguilla.

"David Jessop has opened a lot of doors for the Caribbean, without him we would be lost," said an enthusiastic Peter Odle, president of the CHA, shortly after presenting the award.

Good negotiator

Lauding Jessop for his negotiating skills, he said: "He successfully got all of the money that the rum industry needed and he has been there for us (the CHA) consistently."

Jessop's most recent project as negotiator for the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA), saw him keeping the region abreast, while opening doors to the offices of high-ranking decision makers in Europe. "When we didn't understand what was happening he helped us to prepare all our submission papers, playing a pivotal role in the process," Mr. Odle added.

For his part, the English-born trade negotiator, who worked for over 30 years in the region as a journalist and broadcaster and the last 15 years in his current position, now works with Caribbean governments, particularly in the area of tourism.

"I am driven to see the development occurring in the Caribbean," Jessop told The Gleaner, adding that his main focus was the EPA.

The Crystal Palm Awards was attended by Caribbean tourism ministers, including Jamaica's, Edmund Bartlett; St. Lucia's, Allen Chastenet; director general of the CHA, Alec Sanguinetti; executive director of the Caribbean Tourism Organisation, Vincent Vanderpool Wallace and a host of stakeholders in the hospitality industry.