Quote Originally Posted by RyanP View Post
I wasn't aware until I started reading some last night, but I guess there is a lack of water situation on the West End. We are travelling down in a couple of weeks and just wanting to know more about the situation. Can anyone provide a summary or links to some reading that can help me understand what is going on? Are the restaurants on the West End affected by this? (I assume they are.) Are the hotels affected? Are there water issues down on the beach?
Yes, you will have water.

A very quick summary comes from one of my best friends from here in Negril. Born and raised here she and her husband booked a room on the cliffs - I will let her explain it from there.

"Speaking from experience the hotels on the west end have water secured for guests. I booked in for 2 nights and there was water. Despite the water issue it does not affect the tourists as each hotel enterprise make sure the guests have water at all times and it's not evident to guests that there is a water issue."

The West End water issue effects mainly the residents and not the hotels or restaurants. The NWC (National Water Commission) says the problem is caused by a decrease in water supply. This is not a new problem and has been getting worse each year.

Six years ago the government stated that an increased water supply would be secured from Roaring River. Five and four years ago the Prime Minister stated the 33km of pipe was purchased and ready to be installed. This would greatly increase the supply, and had it been installed we wouldn't be having this conversation.

Just recently the PM has once again said that the issue would be addressed this fiscal year. Quoting the President of the Chamber of Commerce regarding future fixing of the West End Road from the Observer, "The infrastructure of everything in Negril, especially the West End, has been so very badly neglected over the years it makes you wonder if the people who govern ever really thought that the humans who lived there and paid taxes are deserving. I am so glad that now we are really being treated as human beings," the chamber president said.

Negril provided about US$1.3 Billion to the government coffers last year and many Negril citizens have no water. There have been a couple protests already, peaceful in nature and even having tourists join in. If you happen to hear about any protests in the future, you now know why they are happening.