THE EDITOR, Sir:
MY WIFE and I came to Jamaica 15 years ago for holidays. We enjoyed Portland as many Europeans do because this parish is seen as an eco-friendly tourist destination, far away from mass tourism. At that time we were aware that Portland was not ready for real development in the tourist industry due to the lack of decent roads and the absence of an international airport nearby, but we believed that this parish had a real potential to become a major ecotourism destination in the Caribbean region because the greatest attractions were here unspoiled - Blue Lagoon, Rio Grande, Blue Mountains, Reach Falls etc.,
Encouraged by JAMPRO and the Ministry of Tourism's incentives to invest in the area, we started to build our guesthouse hoping that with time and work this parish would see some improvements in the infrastructure which would allow its take-off.
Now 15 years later, what's the balance? The situation today is critical because first of all, all the major attractions are closed. Dragon Bay, visited for its Tom Cruise bar appearing in the movie Cocktail, is closed since Mr. Butch Stewart bought it a few years ago. This event triggered the closure of the Ken Wright airport so vital for the region because it used to drop tourists from Negril or Ocho Rios in a short time, instead of hours by road.
Blue Mountain peak lodges cannot be reached by own means. Rio Grande roads leading to the John Crow National Park are impracticable and to visit Nanny Town is a nightmare. The closure of Reach Falls is the greatest disappointment of our stay because it's the favourite spot for our customers; now it is completely abandoned and the certified T.P.D.Co tour guides are jobless since J.U.T.C. took it over. This same authority wants to take control of Winnifred Beach - the most beautiful beach in the world will be inaccessible to locals.
The second reason for the fall in Portland's arrivals is the ultra-competitive prices of proliferating all-inclusive hotels; from Europe the price for one week in these hotels equals a long-stay visitor's airplane fare. That forced our prices down. This reduction of tourist arrivals coupled with an increased cost of living has eroded our purchasing power and savings which prevent us upgrading the guesthouse.
Inflation has also transformed Jamaica into an expensive place to visit for long-stay visitors in non all-inclusive hotels who are keeping alive remote areas. For us the final coup de grace came last year when the authorities introduced a new legislation for the obtaining of work permits which stipulates that foreign workers are required to pay US$700 per year. No exemption is granted, even for self-employed workers.
Since we have lived in this beautiful island, we have seen a lot of micro-investors constrained to leave the island and even sometimes their belongings. Soon it may be our turn.
I am, etc.,
JEAN MICHEL SEMPERE
jean michel sempere@hotmail.com
Fairy Hill, Portland
