EDITORIAL: Don't kill Falmouth's joy

Thursday was a red-letter day for Trelawny as the historic port of Falmouth welcomed the Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines' (RCCL) Voyager of the Seas super liner with some 3,000 passengers.

From afar, it was evident that this event was pulled off with the usual colour and pomp, delighting visitors and townsfolk alike. Sandwiched between the popular destinations of Montego Bay and Ocho Rios, Falmouth got mere crumbs from the tourism table - before now.

On Thursday, the local cheers were as loud as a ship's horn. But there was no applause for Falmouth in nearby Ocho Rios. Ironically, television interviews of disgruntled vendors expressing fear that they will lose patronage were shot against the backdrop of two cruise liners docked in the town.

We urge Falmouth not to allow this meanness of spirit to put a damper on its exhilaration. Industry officials should be thinking of ways to cooperate instead of competing with each other. Tourism is the largest foreign-exchange earner and its development helps to create jobs for many people.

The death knell for Ocho Rios and Montego Bay was originally sounded by Opposition Spokesman on Tourism, Dr Wykeham McNeill, with dire warning that these ports will perish if care is not taken to upgrade the facilities. There is merit in his argument because it is easy to imagine that a spanking new port will certainly highlight the gross neglect of a town like Ocho Rios.

Anyone who has ever been to Ocho Rios on cruise day must have been taken aback by the congestion on Main Street. The cacophony from vehicular traffic and aggressive vendors trying to hawk wares combine with the boorish behaviour of bus and taxi operators, uneven sidewalks and ghastly emissions to make this town really unattractive.

Infrastructural neglect

Whose fault is this anyway? For years the municipality and industry players have basked in the benefits offered by this industry. But there has been no commensurate investment in the infrastructure.

The tourism ministry and stakeholders should immediately roll out their strategic plan for other local ports. There needs to be a clear idea of how each intends to grow and remain competitive.

The fact that cruise shipping is already established in Montego Bay and Ocho Rios does not mean that every other port is off-limits. The Bahamas, for example, has developed cruise-ship destinations on several islands, even though Nassau and Freeport remain the main ports of call. So Jamaica is in a position to establish several ports of call.

It is quite unfortunate that the naysayers are not able to make the connection between the strong endorsement and faith being placed in Brand Jamaica by RCCL. Like RCCL, which prides itself on being at cruising's cutting edge, ports of call should become innovative and respective towns made inviting.

It is not competition from Falmouth that will ultimately drive the cruise liners away; it is the blight of towns such as Ocho Rios. The reopening of the Falmouth Pier is at one and the same time an ending and a beginning. It is an end to Falmouth existing in the shadows of Ocho Rios and Montego Bay, yet it also means the start of an exciting era of buoyancy.

Ahead is the challenge of port management, including keeping the facilities in peak condition, encouraging the development of new onshore attractions, and creating a welcoming environment that will give the visitor a reason to return to Jamaica.

The opinions on this page, except for the above, do not necessarily reflect the views of The Gleaner. To respond to a Gleaner editorial, email us: editor@gleanerjm.com or fax: 922-6223. Responses should be no longer than 400 words. Not all responses will be published.