Dr. Keith Tinker, director of the National Museum and Antiquities Corporation, admitted the move was aimed at encouraging donations to the fort.
But the decison did not please the tour guides, who said they had been told not to accept tips offered to them by visitors, even though they did not know who was receiving the money from the donations box.
Yesterday, a guide directed a Tribune reporter to a sign at one of the fort’s entrances that read, “Absolutely No Tipping”.
“Last week, we came to work and they had put this sign up, which doesn’t make sense. Why can’t we accept tips?” the guide asked.
Another guide added, “They have a donation box, but where is the donation going? The tourists are filling up the box but no-one knows what the money is going for.”
Dr. Tinker said, “We put those signs up. We are trying to discourage tipping and are in the process of implementing a tipping fee.”
He added, “Unlike some historical sites where you have free access, we are asking that visitors make a donation towards the upkeep of the fort.
“We put that sign up to discourage the shaking down of visitors. The guides are all in a contract with the National Museums and Antiquities Corporation and are entitled to a fixed salary.
Some of them are paid weekly and some are paid monthly, but I assure you that they are fully paid guides.”
