And Still I Rise

There is a St Vincent we love. The one of the breathtaking scenery, verdant mountains,fertile soil and that warmth that sets us apart. And to our delight CNN, New York Times Travel and Travel and leisure have placed our island paradise on their top spots to visit in 2012. These billings are bright spots for a nation desperately in need of a lift following a damning Toronto Star report which examined violence against Vincentian women.

So, I'll take any positive news that comes our way. However, the challenge is to prepare ourselves should there be increased tourist arrivals. Kingstown at best is a cluttered town which at times is hard to navigate. Many days I feel as if I'm in an obstacle race as I dodge vendors who seem to pop up in every imaginable area. I'm not sure how the authorities plan to correct this as previous efforts were strongly opposed. To borrow a phrase from the Prime Minister "we have to get the little things right" if we are to benefit from this welcomed publicity. After all,the Tourism folks have told us over and over that repeat visits and personal testimonies that encourage others to visit are the ideal. The ball is firmly in our court to create a favorable impression since we'd only have once chance to get it right.