by Linda Straker
- Randall Dolland is new Chairman; Dr George Vincent is Deputy Chairman
- New board went into effect on 8 August 2022
- Dr Charles Modica of St George’s University returns to new Board
The Dickon Mitchell National Democratic Congress (NDC) administration has appointed Randall Dolland as the new Chairman of the Grenada Tourism Authority (GTA). Former tourism minister Dr George Vincent is the GTA’s Deputy Chairman.
The appointment of the new Board is among notices published in the 2 September 2022 publication of the Government Gazette. The new Board, which went into effect on 8 August 2022, is for a period of 3 years.
According to his Linkedin profile, Dolland is a Stony Brook University graduate and a sales and marketing leader who accelerates profitability for startups and established companies in the hospitality and cable industries. It is further understood that he was a former marketing manager of the now defunct Flamboyant Hotel in Morne Rouge.
The other people serving on the Board are the Public Relations Officer of the NDC Kijana Orlando Romain; Dr Charles Modica of St George’s University (SGU); Allison Caton, representing Carriacou & Petite Martinique; Jacqueline Alexis; Janelle Hopkin, representing the Hotel Industry; President of the Grenada Football Association (GFA) Marlon Glean, representing Sports and Legal sectors; the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Economic Development, Planning, Tourism, and Creative Economy; and representatives from the Grenada Chamber of Industry and Commerce (GCIC) and the Grenada Taxi Association.
Following the change of Government on 23 June 2022, all members of the Board who were appointed in November 2020 and chaired by Barry Collymore resigned. Dr Modica is the only person returning from that former Board to the new Board.
The GTA is responsible for the development of the tourism sector of Grenada, Carriacou, and Petite Martinique through destination management and destination marketing. This statutory corporation of the Government of Grenada was established under the Grenada Tourism Authority Act, 2013, which tasked the Authority with the responsibility of developing the tourism industry of Grenada.
According to the law, members of the Board may be appointed from individuals with special qualifications in and experience in matters relating to accounting, marketing, advertising, finance, law, tourism or hospitality management, and human resource management.
Good luck to the new Board. In an Era of crippling inflation and the knock on effects on tourism – they will certainly need it.