Devon Evans, Gleaner WriterOCHO RIOS, St. Ann:
MILLIONS OF dollars in potential earnings for the local tourism industry were lost Thursday when bad weather forced three cruise ships destined for Ocho Rios, St. Ann, to divert to ports outside Jamaica.
The three ships - the Costa Atlantica, Zenith and Imagination - were on schedule for the Ocho Rios leg of their itinerary when they were forced to anchor offshore due to the strong waves in the harbour.
After waiting for sometime, port officials and personnel from the ships decided that it was not possible for the vessels to dock and so they set sail, leaving scores of business people and taxi operators very disappointed. Sanju Chatani, owner of the Taj Mahal duty-free shopping complex, which is one of the major stops for cruise ship passengers, said it was a big blow for the business sector in Ocho Rios.
"We are at the height of the cruise ship season and everyone was expecting to do some business today (Thursday)," Chatani said.
Sharon Williams, Jamaica Tourist Board cruise ship co-ordinator in Ocho Rios, said the three ships would have brought approximately 8,000 visitors to the resort town.
