Leabert Jones - Photo by Carl Gilchrist

Jamaica's tourism industry is the largest foreign-exchange earner, accounting for approximately 47 per cent of the total FX earning, according to figures touted by Government officials in 2008.

Sixty-four-year-old Leabert Jones, known to co-workers and guests as 'Respect', is one of more than 80,000 persons directly employed within the tourism sector. This sector also employs another 180,000 indirectly. Addding US$1.17 billion to the public coffers, tourism takes prime position for growth.

no regrets

Despite being at the lower end of the personal income bracket, Jones has managed to take care of himself and his family over the decades he has been employed to the sector.

Jones has been a groundsman at Sandals Dunn's River Resort since February 1998. Prior to that, he held other positions at various properties along the north coast ever since he was lured to Montego Bay by the essence of tourism, from his native parish of St Elizabeth back in 1961.

Looking back, Jones seemed to have little or no regret.

"I have been able to send my three children to school, you know, take care of my children, pay my rent and take care of myself," Jones explained. His children are now living abroad.

Despite having experience as a pool attendant and also as a waiter, Jones decided he would stick with gardening because, according to him, "the garden thing just follow me up, so I say ok, I'm gonna stick with it".

Speaking to Jones, it became obvious that the good-natured worker loved his job as he spoke glowingly of his on-the-job tasks, whether taking care of the grounds or entertaining guests and staff alike at the hotel's weekly staff talent show where he is a favourite performer.

Despite the economic downturn, the toursim sector continues to enjoy relative prosperity.

economic recovery

Quizzed about the importance of tourism to Jamaica's economy and whether it could help to bail out the country, Jones seemed convinced that the sector can play a major role, because it presents the opportunity for earning 'now money' for the workers.

"I remember back in the '60s, we used to place a lot of emphasis on bauxite, sugar cane and banana, and those money (would) come in annually but the tourism money is a daily money. We get money from people on the cruise ship, at the hotels, all around people make their money daily."