Jamaica to welcome cruise ships in Ocho Rios this week

Jamaica Public Service (JPS) has restored electricity to parts of Ocho Rios in St Ann, just days before cruise ships are scheduled to dock in the resort town on Tuesday and Wednesday.

It is the first major tourism activity since the passage of the deadly Category 5 hurricane on October 28. It carved a destructive path through the country’s main tourism belt along the north and south coasts, killing at least 32 persons and leaving billions of dollars in damage.

As of early Sunday afternoon, only one of four traffic light intersections in Ocho Rios was operational, and several tourism entities remained without power.

Some schools are also preparing to resume classes on Monday, even where electricity is still unavailable.

President of the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association Ocho Rios-Runaway Bay Chapter, Vana Taylor, told The Gleaner that while some areas such as Fisherman’s Point have regained power, others, including Moon Palace, remain in the dark.

“We were spared the worst; some people had minor damage, but compared to the rest of the island, I think God spared our lives and our properties,” Taylor said. “Some businesses were closed briefly, some because of the lack of electricity, but overall we fared well, and we give thanks.”

Taylor also commended the JPS, National Water Commission (NWC), National Solid Waste Management Authority, National Works Agency, and other agencies for their efforts to restore normality.

Several hotels have reported extensive damage as the December 15 start of the winter tourist season looms.

Last week Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness lamented the economic toll of the hurricane damage, noting that preliminary estimates are between US$6 billion (J$962 billion) and US$7 billion (J$1.1 trillion), “equivalent to roughly 28–32 percent of last fiscal year’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

"Reviving production, reopening tourism, and restarting commerce are essential to restore incomes, rebuild confidence and mitigate the wider economic shock," Holness told the House of Representatives.

According to JPS' latest bulletin, 62 percent of the company’s almost 700,000 customers now have power. Meanwhile, 53 percent of NWC critical sites have been restored, and electricity has returned to 66 percent of major health facilities.

Hurricane Melissa, a record-breaking Category 5 storm, left a trail of destruction across the island, disrupting electricity, water supply, and critical services.

-Carl Gilchrist

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