ST GEORGE’S, Grenada, CMC – Grenada’s most senior tourism official, William Joseph, has been suspended amid allegations that Canadian airline Sunwing was snubbed on its inaugural flight to the island last month.

Joseph, the director of the Grenada Board of Tourism (GBT), began his two week suspension on Tuesday and is the first person to face disciplinary action over the incident since the government said it would look into the embarrassing affair.

Tourism officials said Joseph’s suspension is specifically linked to comments he made on a television programme this week after the GBT decided that it would not issue a public statement on the matter until the investigation is completed.

The Grenada Hotel and Tourism Association (GHTA) has also written a strongly worded letter to government protesting the treatment meted out to Sunwing.

GHTA, an umbrella body that represents the interest of hotels on the island, also condemned an earlier statement from the GBT which said no welcoming ceremony was planned due to the early morning arrival of the airline’s inaugural flight.

Passengers on Sunwing’s inaugural flight included Grenada’s Consul General to Canada Jenny Gumbs and Sunwing’s president and chief executive officer, Ramnarine Tiwari.

The GBT has planned an official welcoming ceremony next Monday for Sunwing, which has a weekly schedule to Grenada.