Cruise Ship Attractions To Open For Tourists In Jamaica While Island On Lockdown For Residents

A cruise ship is coming to Jamaica tomorrow and attractions will be open just in time for the passengers to enjoy the island, but for millions of residents, they cannot leave home.

The ship is scheduled to dock in Ocho Rios, Jamaica while there is a disaster risk management protocol in place that orders all entertainment events, beaches and attractions closed during the curfew hours and lockdown days.  President of the Ocho Rios Craft Council Devon Mitchell, in a statement yesterday, said the arrival of the Carnival Sunrise cruise ship docking in Ocho Rios on a lockdown day is welcomed news. He expressed his happiness and that of the Craft vendors who are anticipating the visitors.

“I’m looking forward to the arrival of the cruise ship. Arrangements have been put in place to facilitate persons who operate in the resilient corridor. As a representative for the crafts market, we are anticipating accommodating visitors as before,” Mitchell said in the Jamaica Observer.

A letter from the St Ann Development Company has also been making the rounds on social media which states, “Further to the confirmation that there will be a cruise ship visit to the port of Ocho Rios on Monday 2021 September 13, Kindly be advised that our attractions will be open as follows: Dunns River and Green Grotto Park 8:30 am- 4:30 pm”.

However, this has not sat well with many people on the island who have been in restricted movements on and off for more than a year and who have had to deal with the effects of the open borders on the livelihood of islanders.

Since the global pandemic Jamaica to date has recorded over 75 thousand cases.

Ethnie Miller tweeted, “This is way past wrong and docked at criminal! #beyondwords”

John Polack tweeted, “This is all for the big man. No small business people will make a cent. It’s a no movement day”.

Prime Minister of Jamaica, Andrew Holness announced a new set of measures to control the spike in the pandemic. Those measures include strong advice against unnecessary movement, 7-14 day Quarantine orders for incoming travelers, early curfews from Wednesdays to Saturdays and no movement days between Sundays to Tuesdays each week. All entertainment events have been suspended except for tourist and visitors to hotels apparently. The CDC has also followed through and recently advised Americans against travel to Jamaica.

In August, Nationwide 90 FM reported that “Senior Advisor at the Tourism Ministry, Delano Seiveright says if any individual aboard a cruise ship that arrives in Jamaica tests positive the person will have to quarantine on the ship then will be sent back to the United States”.

In the summer officials scrambled for an answer to the public as pictures circulated of one event dubbed Mochafest in Negril organized by overseas promoters. The event that was advertised on the Ministry Of Tourism’s Website during the period when entertainment events were forbidden on the island.

Maskless gyrating tourists were also welcomed as they arrived on the island on August 17 on the Carnival Sunrise cruise ship. The gleaner reported that, “They danced to drums of the Real Dance Group in Ocho Rios. Before then it was17 months since a cruise ship had docked in Jamaica”.

Tourism is the number one source of employment in Jamaica, directly employing approximately 170,000 people according to STATIN. With over 74,000 employed in the accommodation and restaurant sector. The industry is the main foreign exchange earner.

Minister Of Tourism Ed Bartlet said in a speech last year “At the end of 2019, tourism was projected to create 41,000 new jobs by 2022”. He contended that as a result of the pandemic there needs to be a revision of this estimate.

He said, “Tourism remains one of the most critical catalysts for job creation in the Jamaican economy.”