Shahine Robinson - File

While careful not to get embroiled in the controversy over calls for the removal of William Tatham as the person in charge of cruise shipping, Shahine Robinson, Member of Parliament for North East St. Ann, said it was clear that the Port Authority's failure to move towards port expansion in Ocho Rios was costing the country "millions of U.S. dollars in revenue annually".

According to Mrs. Robinson, the situation has started to take its toll on the town's business sector, especially those who have pumped "their hard-earned millions into believing that by now we would be able to accommodate seven or eight ships per day."

"The Ocho Rios piers can only accommodate two ships at a time, and in many instances, one ship, owing to the trend of mega liners," Mrs. Robinson said. "This is woefully inadequate, and has been, and continues to turn away potential business from cruise lines."

Mrs. Robinson noted that as a result of a gross lack of berthing facilities, Ocho Rios has had to refuse scores of calls from cruise liners, losing billions of dollars in the process. She said the inadequacy does not augur well for the continued and sustained growth of the nation's tourism industry.

Expansion and development

"Competitors in the Caribbean have been investing millions of U.S. dollars into the expansion and development of their cruise ports," Mrs. Robinson said. "St. Kitts and St. Maarten have already pumped US$80 million each into the development of their ports while Grand Cayman is already moving to have four new berths developed by 2007."

Mrs. Robinson also lamented the problems being faced by small stakeholders in the industry. She stated that an increase in the berthing capacity of the port would not only dramatically increase business for Ocho Rios in-bond operators and attraction owners but, also craft vendors, hair braiders, taxi men, and other small stakeholders.

"The government must in the meantime, explore the option of having the tender method employed at the pier," she said. "This is the process by which a smaller ship or boat is used to transfer passengers from the ship to the shore and back again when the ship is anchored offshore."

- Garwin Davis