We have heard it time and time again: “Tourism is our business, let’s play our part”. And, for the most part, Bajans have done a good job of ensuring that the visitors who come to this island in droves are well taken care of.We have all embraced this national slogan that was plastered all across the media many years ago, but none has owned it quite like the industry officials. Long shifts, double shifts, split shifts, every shift possibly created in the sector has been embraced by the workers and, by extension, their households.This is not to say that management is not dedicated, but there is a remarkable sense of commitment and purpose that comes with being on the ground working in the hospitality industry.We never think of them when we speak of “essential workers” but they do fall in that category. And while some may argue that there is no “life or death” urgency in what they do, we beg to differ. Essentially, the caretaking of thousands of tourists who leave the comfort of their homes in search of a vacation in the tropics lies in the sector’s hands – a sector that is the life or death of our economy.
