Director of Tourism under fire from staff; Meets with Jr Minister of Tourism
Many of the staff are reportedly not pleased with the way the Director of Tourism, Sharon Flax-Mars, who recently had her contract renewed for another three years, is managing the statutory agency.
Staff met with Jr Minister to report on Director
As a result, more than 11 staff members reportedly took their complaints to the new Junior Minister of Tourism, Honourable Archibald C. Christian, the Territorial At Large Member, in a closed door meeting last week.
The staff, both from the Tortola and Virgin Gorda offices, registered their complaints over low staff morale, Ms Flax-Mars’ management style, issues with the Human Resources Unit within the Tourist Board and hostile working conditions.
They also raised the issue of the working relationship with staff and the Financial Comptroller, Ms Jaslyn Frett-Thompson who operates from the New York City Office. Ms Thompson, working from the New York City office while reportedly studying, has come under fire from many and was a hot item in the House of Assembly’s Standing Finance Committee 2016 deliberations.
After the meeting!
According to the NDP source, following the meeting between the Jr Minister of Tourism and the Tourist Board staff, Hon Christian met with the Permanent Secretary in the Premier’s Office Mr Brodrick Penn and the Director of Tourism Flax-Mars on how the issues could be addressed.
It’s reported that Ms Flax-Mars circulated an e-mail to line managers recently about a meeting to discuss issues within the Department and to address working conditions and provide a forum to express grievances.
However, it remains unclear if that meeting took place or if it would be enough to address the issues, especially the human resource matters.
It is believed that a few weeks ago a staff member was sent on paid leave over a debate on his request for a vacation.
It is also believed that the management issues and tension between management and staff have begun to affect productivity and the tourism product.
Meanwhile, Hon Christian denied having any meeting over issues with management and staff at the BVI Tourist Board, saying there "are no issues" and that he just had his regular "once a week meeting" on the way forward for tourism.
Efforts to reach Flax-Mars for comments were futile up to the time of publication.
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60 Responses to “Director of Tourism under fire from staff; Meets with Jr Minister of Tourism”
Lies lies lies. $^^^^ is incompetent that's why +******is running the office. From she went to get her baby on the government money in NY she never came back. All them doing is wasting the government money. I'm glad the story is finally out.
You obviously don't know what goes on at the tourist board. Ask any employee, they all singing the same tune. No one has respect for hr. They all walk all over her. If you ask me hr do not exist. What the boss and the Fc says goes, even if it's wrong.
property. good thing guns aren't allowed around here - in some parts of the world, the intrusions would be met
with a twelve guage. your sitting at the table having breakfast when a bunch of tourists clicking cameras drives
by with these silly smirks on their faces. that is not good all the way around. and i mean WAY off the public road.
Study leave in New York?????
HaHaHa,LOL. This is the best time to be in NYC. Summertime, warm weather, shopping, you name it. All What a thing to tell the king. I wonder if our tax dime is paying for rent. NYC rent is high.
Jaslyn, whatever you're studying, you study - I'm sure it's only for the betterment of the territory.
Sharon, you keep the organization in places.
Nuh mind um! #partydone!
For the uninformed, or those just being malicious (because you know better), you are aware that the BVITB have offices both in NY, and in the UK, and these offices are staffed by local? Also if there was any truth to the FC being up in NY studying, then she must be doing a heck of a job, being in the office everyday and still going to school.
People need to gather the facts before they start jumping to conclusions.
Because someone say something doesn't make it true. For years the BVITB's name was in the mud, I guess there has not been anything to report on in a while, so people have to try and make things up in order to try and ruin the reputation of others.
One word to describe this louse named m@*s- " CLUELESS"