Say No to Jet Skis - Please let your voice be heard

[RyanP]

If they want jet skis on the beach, they need to have a centralized rental location farther up the beach where there are fewer swimmers and sunbathers. Renting the jet skis cannot be a profitable business. The Jamaican "employees" ride those jet skis around more than the tourists, and they drive the jet skis much like they drive on the road. With the cost of gas, the profits have to be miniscule. When the tourists were injured/killed, was the jet ski operator an "employee" or tourist?

[Maryann]

If there was a good hospital and adequate medical coverage in Negril, I might agree with you, Rob.

[Rob]

If they want jet skis on the beach, they need to have a centralized rental location farther up the beach where there are fewer swimmers and sunbathers. Renting the jet skis cannot be a profitable business. The Jamaican "employees" ride those jet skis around more than the tourists, and they drive the jet skis much like they drive on the road. With the cost of gas, the profits have to be miniscule. When the tourists were injured/killed, was the jet ski operator an "employee" or tourist?

Ryan,

That is essentially the plan, a centralized rental location farther up the beach where all the operators are located. There wont be employees riding around anymore as in the past, as they will not be permitted to leave that centralized area.

The incident in Ochi last August were caused by a tourist, and the incident in Negril was caused by one of the sales operator after assisting other guests with their jet skis.

[Rob]

I agree with you in theory but the reality is that Jamaica's economy is strongly based off of Tourism so that's why a bunch of visitors have a dog in this fight.

According to IndexMundi.com, Jamaican tourism revenues accounted for roughly 5% of GDP in 2011.

[need some sun]

5% is a large amount.

[Smokin Kevan]

I remember until a few years ago, Jetski's were pretty far off the shore... Then starting in like 06, every time we came back the swimming area was closer and closer to shore, bringing the jet ski's closer and closer. At 1st somebody told me it was the natural course of the Carribbean Sea, which often controls the shoreline. With a little thought, that seemed super false, in that it happened year after year and no matter what, it seems the swimming area buoys could be pushed farther out. That would have "theoretically" pushed the Jetski's back out. I'm sure someone else noticed the shrinking swimming zone between hotel's and buoys between let's say 2004 and 2014... I'm all for people earning a living, but wonder about the will to enforce rules once enacted.

Happy Travels

Skb

[Fred Stripe]

I don't usually chime in- and I'll be the first to say I don't know the history of this but with the little info I have all I can say is "Wow". I find it amazing that we as a bunch of visitors could possibly have a dog in this fight. I can only imagine the reaction Americans would have if some tourists from another Country tried to regulate what we could do in our hometowns here in the US. I am sure I will get blasted and get a lecture on the environmental impact of Jetskis etc, but help me understand why I have any right to email anyone on this topic. There are a ton of individuals in this underemployed town that relied on the Jetski industry. Sorry I just don't get it.

Last time I checked ALL tourist are from another country and last time I checked it is the Tourist who Pour money into the country and UM last time I checked it was Tourist who were the victims of the jet skis?

[Fred Stripe]

How will the jet ski guys get any customers if they don't troll up & down the beach? WHO? will enforce any so called "rules?" answer,nobody.

[captaind]

Last time I checked ALL tourist are from another country and last time I checked it is the Tourist who Pour money into the country and UM last time I checked it was Tourist who were the victims of the jet skis?

Actually the largest foreign direct inflows come from remittances that account for over 15% of GDP

Capt. Remittance

[Rob]

...I'm sure someone else noticed the shrinking swimming zone between hotel's and buoys between let's say 2004 and 2014... I'm all for people earning a living, but wonder about the will to enforce rules once enacted.

Happy Travels

Skb

Kevan,

Those swimming area buoys are put in place by each individual property to mark their own swimming zones. They are not permanently anchored and can be pulled in during rough weather. They are not always put back in the exact same location, so that would account for how they can "change" over time. The excuse you were given was "super false".

The buoys are simply markers, they have no legislative value. Jet skis routinely would ride inside the buoys because there was no real law preventing them from doing so. Operators were asked to observe the buoys, and the Marine Police could warn the operators, but that was the extent of their legal powers.

The new, regulated jet ski zones would be much farther out by a factor of 5 or more depending on the current position of an individual property's buoys. The ban will not be lifted until all these factors, including easy enforcement are put in place.

As I have mentioned, the government is taking this very seriously. To quote the JIS (Jamaican Information Service):

"The Minister added that the Task Force will provide information on the requirements for licensing of all persons operating currently.

The Jamaica Constabulary Force, Jamaica Customs, Jamaica Defence Force, Tourist Board, Maritime Authority of Jamaica, Ministry of Tourism and Entertainment, National Environment and Planning Agency, Port Authority of Jamaica and the Tourism Product Development Company (TPDCo) are members of the Task Force."

There are 9 government agencies working on all aspects of these new regulations. The ban will not be lifted until all parties agree on the new guidelines and how they will be regulated, from importation and duty. licensing and taxation, safety of riders and swimmers, police and enforcement as well as the environmental impact. The will to enforce will have the powers of 9 government agencies behind it.