BTMI CEO departure handled badly, says former tourism minister

By Sheria Brathwaite

Former Minister of Tourism and presidential candidate for the Democratic Labour Party (DLP) Richard Sealy is angered by the way Barbadians were informed about the departure of chief executive officer of the Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc (BTMI) Dr Jens Thraenhart.

He said he was concerned that had it not been for international media reports, Barbadians might have found out about the development much later.

“This has been the worst kept secret in Barbados and I have to hand it to this government – they have some temerity. The [Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc] put out a release dated August 10 announcing Dr Jens Thraenhart has left the job and he did so on July 14. So you mean to say we are so undeserving to know what’s going on with a key position in our key sector for nearly a month?” Sealy said in an interview with Barbados TODAY.

“It was the worst kept secret in Barbados and the Government didn’t think they shouldn’t say anything until they were exposed with their pants down by an overseas news outlet. If an overseas media outlet didn’t announce it, we would have to wait two or three months to hear that there is no CEO at the BTMI? Barbados, a nation state that is tourism dependent for virtually all its foreign exchange earnings? This is surreal; I can’t believe it. This government is bold.”

In a brief statement on Thursday, the BTMI said that its board of directors “mutually agreed to part ways” with the German Canadian tourism practitioner on July 14, and the agency’s chief financial officer Craig Hinds is acting in his stead until a replacement is found.

The release was issued a day after an article was posted on eturbonews.com, a global travel industry news website, revealing that Thraenhart had been appointed to the executive board at the African Asian Union (AFASU) for Tourism, Crafts, Research, E-Commerce and Development and is based in Bangkok, Thailand. AFASU aims to grow the tourism sector and improve people’s lives, according to the organisation.

Sealy said he wished Thraenhart and his family well, and while he had some measure of sympathy for him, he raised concern about his performance and questioned how Barbados had benefitted with him at the top.

“He was the most invisible CEO that we ever had and his departure has been just as invisible, apparently. He never spoke to any marketing initiatives, whether an existing one that was to be adjusted or whether he was introducing a new one. He never spoke to issues of the Barbados relationship with trade, with airlift, with marketing initiatives involving the distribution channels-how to move business to Barbados…. Frankly speaking, look at where he’s gone; he’s gone back to where he’s most comfortable. He’s a policy man, he’s administration, he’s not a marketer,” he said.

Thraenhart was appointed as the CEO of BTMI on November 1, 2021.

Sealy added that Government should also come clean about Thraenhart’s salary and benefits.

“My understanding is that Tharenhart was supposed to get close to BDS$30 000 in remuneration per month, plus benefits. Was he given his performance bonus? And if he was given it, on what basis? That is information that should be shared in the interest of transparency and accountability.

“When he was hired I opposed it. I felt there were people within the organisation who could have done that job and I still feel that way,” the former tourism minister said.

Sealy added that there was a “clear lack of focus on the question of the tourism sector from the side of the Government”, noting that too much attention was placed on borrowing money rather than earning.

“I think it’s time to focus on earning and getting the tourism sector right, and getting it settled would be a fundamental part of getting our foreign exchange earning capacity back on track and moving away from this strategy of begging and borrowing,” he suggested.

Meanwhile, DLP President Dr Ronnie Yearwood said he wanted the “right person” found for the position and airlift issues resolved “so we can not only bring the international tourists back but our regional tourist market [can pick] up”.

sheriabrathwaite@barbadostoday.bb