WESTERN BUREAU:

Minister of Tourism Edmund Bartlett has agreed to conditionally lift a 14-year freeze on new water-sports activities being established in Ocho Rios, St Ann, and Negril, Westmoreland.

The minister will, however, consider new business or additional activities on a case-by-case basis. Describing the latest development as "good news", president of the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA), Wayne Cummings, said he was very happy with Bartlett's decision.

Cummings disclosed the lifting of the moratorium while addressing the JHTA's 48th annual general meeting at The Ritz-Carlton Resort and Spa in Montego Bay on Monday.

Overuse

In 1995, the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) had imposed the moratorium against the background of a measure to control overuse of the marine environment.

Said Cummings: "While we all agree that regulating water-sports activities is critical for safety and sustainability, I think these moratoria have resulted in some of the greatest levels of damage to our tourism marine reputation, due to ageing vessels and inability to add new innovations into the sector."

Criticising the lockdown as rigid, Cummings said the unofficial sale of marine licences and illegal operators had grown while the regulators presumed that they were in charge of the situation.

Heralding the sentiments on behalf of the JHTA as a whole, Cummings said Bartlett's intervention was timely, adding that too often, Government hindered the develop-ment of competitive business.

Complaints

Meanwhile, Cummings has also called on local manufacturers to reduce their costs to the tourism sector by at least the cost of taxable inputs so that their products could become more attractive to the industry.

Cummings was speaking against the background of complaints from local players that they were not in a position to compete with imported products.

"As it stands now, duty incentives afforded to the industry are applicable on importation and we have made the case that this should also be applicable to items purchased locally," Cummings said.

noel.thompson@gleanerjm.com

A couple jet-skis at Hellshire Beach in St Catherine. The Government has eased a freeze on new water-sports activities in St Ann and Westmoreland. - Photo by Anthony Minott