'Sheer hypocrisy' - Businessmen say cops' approach is hindering entertainment for tourists

[Lazie]

'Sheer hypocrisy' - Businessmen say cops' approach is hindering entertainment for tourists

The call by Director of Tourism, <SPAN class=kLink style="FONT-WEIGHT: 700; COLOR: orange! important; FONT-FAMILY: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; POSITION: relative">Basil</SPAN> Smith, for the entertainment sector to improve on the <SPAN class=kLink style="FONT-WEIGHT: 700; COLOR: orange! important; FONT-FAMILY: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; POSITION: relative">tourism</SPAN> package being offered to visitors, has been dismissed by several local businessmen as "sheer hypocrisy".

They note that while the newly-appointed tourism director was "dead on" in his remarks in <SPAN class=kLink style="FONT-WEIGHT: 400; COLOR: orange! important; BORDER-BOTTOM: orange 1px solid; FONT-FAMILY: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; POSITION: relative; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent">Montego </SPAN><SPAN class=kLink style="FONT-WEIGHT: 400; COLOR: orange! important; BORDER-BOTTOM: orange 1px solid; FONT-FAMILY: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; POSITION: relative; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent">Bay</SPAN> last Saturday, he would have been better served in requesting that the authorities drop the "heavy-handed approach" as it relates to entertainment in the resort areas.

More flexibility

"We have long recognised that entertainment goes hand in hand with tourism," commented Daniel Mier, owner of the Strawberry Night Club in Ocho Rios. "Yet, the moment we start putting an entertainment package together the police are there to shut us down. Mind you, we are not blaming the police as they are not the ones who set the rules. What we are saying is that for the entertainment sector to do its part in promoting tourism, the authorities have to be more flexible in how they operate."

Mr. Smith criticised the entertainment sector for what he referred to as "its lack of vision and slow response to the opportunities available in the tourism industry."

"More options are needed to give a more vibrant night life," he said, adding that tourists have been com-plaining about not having anything to do in the evenings.

Bill Fenton, president of the Fisherman's Co-operative in Ocho Rios, St. Ann, said the entertainment sector had nothing to do with visitors not being able to find anything to do at nights. He said the blame should fall squarely on the shoulders of the authorities.

"Entertainment is an integral part of tourism, but we certainly do not approach it that way," he said. "When you think of a resort town, you think of 24 hours, round

[Lazie]

RE: 'Sheer hypocrisy' - Businessmen say cops' approach is hindering entertainment for tourists

There has to be some compromise. As it was pointed out to me, tourists have asked why is it Ocho Rios does not have more nightly activities. People don't want to go to Margaritaville (sp) every night. Alot of the tourist do love the dancehall music and the dancehall vibes. I recall one Friday nite going to StoneLove / Renassiance (sp) session at Windsor Lawn and saw some tourists there with some of the bartenders /dining room stafffrom the resort I used to work and they were surely having a grand time.

That said, the promoters and sound system operators need to play the music at a level where it does not "disturb my neighbour!" The police them also need to use something called discretion. Dem somehow nuh realise that as long as the session a run, money a spend? Money a buy food, money a buy 'juice' (liquor), money a buy weed. Dem somehow nuh understand that the circulation of money is good for the economy.