Sixteen-year-old Chlo?? Walker is this year???s Junior Minister of Tourism.

The Lower Sixth Form Harrison College student emerged the winner from a field of 13 participants who took part in the Ministry of Tourism???s annual speech competition, held on Monday at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre, Two Mile Hill, St. Michael.

During her three-minute presentation on Intra-Regional Travel, Ms. Walker suggested that hoteliers and Government, particularly the Immigration Department, come together to create ???that magic??? needed for intra-regional travel.

She noted that this could be done by allowing regional visitors to travel to Barbados using only a national Identification Card (ID).

Pointing out that this would necessitate increased sharing of security information systems and the relevant border control, the Junior Minister used the European Union as an example of the successful implementation of intra-regional travel using national ID.

The Harrisonian also proposed a reduction in taxes on airline tickets for persons travelling to Barbados from other Caribbean territories as a way of promoting intra-regional travel, as well as a Barbadian-owned and operated resort where ???rooms are chattel houses dotted along the landscape???.

Another recommendation was the introduction of in-flight catering, featuring local cuisine such as bakes, fish cakes and mauby, as well as local television productions like Keeping up with the Joneses and Abiola as in-flight entertainment on flights into the island.

The prizes awarded to the Junior Tourism Minister included a trophy; a Samsung Galaxy Tab 4; a two-night staycation for two at Atlantis Hotel; lunch for three persons at the Sandy Lane Country Club; a $300 cash voucher, a personalised Parker pen and pencil set from Cave Shepherd; and a three-week summer internship.

Ms. Walker will also be given the opportunity to represent Barbados at the Regional Tourism Youth Congress, hosted by the Caribbean Tourism Organisation as part of its Annual Conference in Cura??ao in September this year.

She will also participate in other tourism-related activities organised by the Ministry of Tourism and its stakeholders.??Second place went to Adiel Charles of The St. Michael School, while Markeisha Carter of Springer Memorial placed third.

kim.ramsay-moore@barbados.gov.bb

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