1. WHERE DID YOU GROW UP, AND WHAT WAS YOUR FAVOURITE THING TO DO THERE? DJF: I grew up in the Newton District in the parish of St. Elizabeth. My favourite thing to do while growing up was bonding with my siblings while we watched our black and white television that only had one( 1) channel … We loved every minute of it!
2. WHAT WAS LIFE LIKE AS A 20-YEAR OLD? WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE YOUR YOUNG- ER SELF? DJF: I got married at age 20, so life was about me learning to tread through the excitement and intricacies of married life as a newlywed and balancing that with my work life. The advice I would give my younger self is that some things can indeed wait for tomorrow, as life is undeniably a journey.
3. IF YOU WERE A FAMOUS JA- MAICAN, WHAT WOULD YOU BE FAMOUS FOR? DJF: I would be famous for hosting a major calendar event that raises funds to take inner-city children on annual trips sightseeing around Jamaica free-of-charge. The aim would be to instill in them that they belong to and are a part of this beautiful country and to help them learn to appreciate and take care of our surroundings so it can stay as beautiful as the‘ foreign’ that so many of our kids are enthralled by.
Donna JOHNSON- FOWLER
4. WHAT WAS THE MOST INTERESTING JAMAICAN EVENT YOU HAVE BEEN TO, WHAT MADE IT SO INTERESTING? DJF: I am basically a homebody, but I would say the 1999 G-15 Summit – not your typical“ Jamaican” event. The Conference showcased Jamaica’ s ability to host such a prestigious conference which was attended by Presidents and Prime Ministers from 15 major countries from Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean. The best of Jamaica’ s protocol, security, food and culture were on display and I felt a sense of immense pride knowing that I was integral to the planning and execution of this major international event. I also enjoy driving out to the countryside just to relax on one of Jamaica’ s amazing beaches. That is always an event for me!
5. WHAT IS ONE JAMAICAN FOOD YOU CAN’ T GIVE UP? DJF: Ackee & Saltfish
6. IF YOU COULD GO ANYWHERE IN JAMAICA RIGHT NOW, WHERE WOULD YOU GO AND WHY? DJF: I would go to one of the fabulous hotels in Jamaica, specifically one of those hotels along the“ Elegant Corridor”, to be catered to and pampered at the highest level.
7. IF TPDCO WERE A SONG, WHAT WOULD YOU CALL IT AND WHY? DJF: I would call the song“ Paradise Doesn’ t Just Happen” because TPDCo is like the curator of Jamaica( which is truly like a work-of-art) consistently and sustainably preserving and enhancing our attractiveness in order to give tourists that great feeling of paradise each and every time that they visit Jamaica.
8. WHAT DO YOU LIKE MOST ABOUT TOURISM IN JAMAICA? DJF: I like the fact that tourism in Jamaica is so diverse, that visiting Jamaica can both be an experience and an event.
Donna Johnson-Fowler is the Procurement Manager at TPDCo.