WORDSWORTH WATSON
MY LIFE AS A TOURISM WORKER
HE HAS served Queen Elizabeth II, her sister Princess Margaret, son Prince Charles and other royalties, spanning the globe.
After 60 years at Half Moon, one of Jamaica’s most fabulous resorts, Wordsworth Watson can lay claim to being the longest-serving tourism worker employed to any hotel in the country, and no one could possibly dispute this.
The 83-year-old estate manager, who entered the industry at age 19, has a long list of renowned world leaders, including the late Fidel Castro, Monaco’s Prince Rainier and Africa’s Desmond Tutu on his belt.
Watson, who has responsibility for the 400 acres of land which he oversees, can be seen driving a golf cart, dressed in a straw hat that protects his face from the effects of the sunshine, looking large and in charge. He does not look a day over 75, and his faculties are in order.
Watson sat down with Hospitality Jamaica last week, reminiscing on his time at the award-winning resort, which was once a member of the Elegant Resorts of Jamaica.
“Queen Elizabeth was my favourite person to serve, because dealing with her taught me more than 50 per cent of the things that helped carried me through the industry,” Watson said, adding that it was easy to follow the rules of Buckingham Palace.
“Working with the queen taught me a lot about protocol. While going to school I was told about the queen, but never knew the day would come when I would serve her,” he beamed with pride. According to him, having dealt with so many personalities has prepared him like a university would.
Before working with Half Moon, Watson spent four years at the Gloucester House (now Doctor’s Cave Beach Hotel), and his memories of those years are as special.
“When I started in the industry, the chamber of commerce was in charge of tourism, then the tourist board was created,” he revealed, noting that while at Gloucester House, the board members were regular clients who hold their meetings there, but couldn’t afford to spend more than seven shillings and six pence per person.
“This would buy them coffee, orange juice, toast and muffin and fruits, but within hours they would be hungry. So, although I was warned not to give away the food, I would give them whatever they wanted from the buffet because they were hungry.”
Tourism in those days, he said, was subjected to poor infrastructure – many of the hotel rooms never had air condition and the sewage system was bad.
Those, too, were the days when the resorts would boil their sheets, towels and napkins, and hang them under the tree to dry.
From as early as those days, Half Moon was renowned as the number one resort, and every Monday evening, Watson said, he would watch a pickup pass by his workplace with the steel band contracted to perform there.
“They would play at Half Moon’s barbecue, but they would play the steel band from the truck. This was what spurred the excitement in me, in wanting to work here.”
Before long, he was employed as a busboy, whose job it was to mop the floor, clean the brasso and look after the buffet for three months.
“When I came, there were only 25 guests in house, but because England had opened up to the Caribbean and workers were migrating, they decided to take me.”
Watson witnessed the growth of the property from 35 acres to 400
acres and worked with the longestserving managing director at the property, Heinz Siminitsch.
“Heinz was brought in for one year, he ended up spending 39 years. He was behind a lot of the growth at the resort. We moved from 100 employees to 800.”
He also pointed out that Curtis Stueart, one of the original owners, was among the group of 16 Americans who originally started Half Moon. “Anyone with a problem, he would rescue them, and purchase their interests if they couldn’t afford to. He was a great person, he took Simo as his own son and gave him full reign of the property; anywhere he went and saw anything that suited Half Moon, he would tell Simo to buy it.”
Today, Steuart’s son Guy II has taken over as chairman.
Watson is up at 5 a.m. walking the areas where the guests and staff would normally walk to ensure everything is in order and Half Moon’s Operations Director, Shernett Crichton, says his love and passion for the industry and the people he works with make him an asset to Half Moon.
“He is a brand ambassador – he tells the Half Moon story so well and epitomises it. It is one of dedication to the uplifting and promotion of Jamaican culture and people, while offering discerning travellers the opportunity for remarkable experiences and memories.”
As estate manager with 400 acres of property and two miles of beachfront, Crichton says Watson is the ideal person to have as the steward of the landscape and the physical environment.
He manages a team of approximately 120 people from beach attendants to landscapers. He is in charge of keeping the property optimally running, coastal upkeep and he’s a core member of the emergency response team.
“One of his key projects that has had a long-lasting impact on the property and its eco-sustainability was executed by Mr Watson – the channelling of storm water and rainfall flowing into a dam, where the water is collected and used for irrigation. The dam was named after him, Watson’s Dam.”
His long-time friend and former colleague, Myrtle Dwyer, also had glowing words saluting the stalwart.
She said: “Tourism in Jamaica was built on the shoulders of stalwarts such as Worsdworth Watson.”
She is of the opinion that he should be used to address the young persons joining the industry as he has an illustrious story to tell. “His life depicts true dedication and hardwork which lead to success,” she stated.
According to her, Watson is the face of tourism, as his interaction with heads of government, celebrities, company executives, have kept them returning year after year, owing to his special touch.
Jamaica is richer for having sewn the seeds of a Wordsworth Watson.