NEGRIL, Westmoreland — TOURISM Minister Dr Wykeham McNeill has expressed the likelihood of the Long Bay Beach area of Negril being used as a launch area for jet ski operations.
“There’s a discussion on now,” said McNeill, “we got the okay and basically it looks like it is going to be Long Bay. UDC [Urban Development Corporation] will give a portion of that to Long Bay Beach Park and they will do a commercial operation there.”
He added: “All jet skis will launch from there, both public and private.”
Since July 18, the operation of private personal watercraft (PWCs) or jet skis was reopened across the island for licensed PWC users. This after an islandwide ban was imposed in February to allow for the regularisation of the commercial operations and for steps to be taken by the Maritime Authority of Jamaica to register all PWCs or jet skis in the island.
A ban remains on the importation of PWCs until further notice.
There are approximately 28 registered jet skis in Negril.
It was also disclosed that craft will only be permitted to operate in daylight hours and should enter and leave the shore using a designated launch area (a permitted area for operation between 20 and 40 metres wide). The launch area will also allow operators to go about business 200 metres out at sea.
In Ocho Rios, St Ann, the UDC beach is being used as a launch area.
During a recent address to the Negril Resort Board at the Rayon Hotel in Negril, McNeill said that there was no formal designated area for operation in Negril.
“The formal thing has not come to me as yet, so it is not possible for them to operate legally,” said McNeill.
Dr McNeill further explained that individuals will be allowed to operate outside of resort areas. He said, in the resort areas and public beach spaces, only designated launching areas will be allowed for jet ski operations.
– Anthony Lewis
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Possible jet skis operation in Long Bay Beach
