JAMAICA: In the face of public backlash over the pending opening of some attractions in St Ann, Jamaica, on Monday, a no-movement day nationally, the Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett has sought to explain the scenario in which the visitors will be having a ball at the attractions while Jamaicans will be required to stay at home.

The Carnival Sunrise cruise ship is scheduled to arrive in Ocho Rios, St Ann on Monday, September 13, with approximately 1,700 cruise passengers on board.

Speaking of the visit and its sharp contrast with the no-movement requirement nationally, Bartlett said: “This will be the third cruise ship arrival following the reopening of cruise tourism in August 2021. The schedule for the cruise season had been agreed on with Carnival Cruise Line prior to the imposition of the no-movement days under the Disaster Risk Management Act,” he said.

“The two previous cruise arrivals in August were successful and all the required protocols that had been agreed on with the cruise line were very strictly observed and monitored,” he added.

Bartlett further said the protocols and strict monitoring will remain in place for this and subsequent cruise ship calls. He indicated that the arriving cruise visitors are permitted to visit only establishments within the Resilient Corridors that are certified by the Tourism Product Development Company (TPDCo), and are permitted to travel only on transportation that are licensed under the Tourist Board Act.

Read more: https://www.loopnews.com/content/jamaica-minister-cites-basis-for-tourist-trips-on-no-movement-day/