[Pineapple]

<P>I predicted it a year ago, nothing would be done until someone was seriously injured or killed. Why do they have to wait until someone is killed?<P><a href="http://rjrnewsonline.com/local/ban-on-all-jet-ski-activities-in-negril-following-fatal-crash" target="_blank">http://rjrnewsonline.com/local/ban-on-all-jet-ski-activities-in-negril-following-fatal-crash</A><P>

[jitterbug]

<P>"temporary" . . . you know it will be back to business before we can blink . . .

[Beachbum33]

<P>Pineapple,<BR>the jet ski problems where part of the reason that I made the decision to not come back and bring more stand up paddle boards into Negril. I also felt like this was going to be a problem and that there was nothing anyone could do to curb the behavior of the jet ski guys. I was very happy to sell all of my stand up paddle boards to Gail Jackson down at the Tree House. For me personally , I had to either swim or sup out to the boat many times during the day and late evening and it i was never afraid of the tourist who rented the jet skis - I was afraid of the guys who rented them out. I had many tourist who rented my boards and would come in and tell me about how they where almost hit multiple times and knocked off the boards because they jet ski guys came so close to them. That kind of did it for me. I feel just horrible for the family of the guy who just passed, it's a shame nothing will probably be done to the guy who hit him and fled.<BR>

[BrooklynGyal]

<P>Too bad its a temporary ban.....

[JonTom]

<P>personal observations from last week. If something is "2nd hand" or "beach talk", i'll attempt to note it.<P>Day after the accident (or more precisely, on Wed.) there were helicopters flying up and down the beaches all day. Personally saw only one jet ski - where usually I might see 20 or 30 (obviously could be the same ones multiple times). "Beach talk": those copters are JDF looking for the jet ski operator (my eyes/JDF knowledge are not good enough to verify that).<BR>Same day, in the AM saw and heard a jet-ski/parasailing hawker I've seen for years on the beach. He was telling 3 staff from a resort that he "now control here". reason being that his company has a valid license (and implying that no one else does).<P>Next day the jet-ski activity looked pretty much back to normal, perhaps a lower number, but by Friday was biz as usual. Walked down the beach and saw ~12 jet -skis pulled way up on the beach under trees - not visible unless you walked up to that area and all the "operators" (admittedly an assumption) were just conferencing - not hustling any tourist or anything - have never personally seen that.<P>Saturday saw no jet-skis (related to the "Temporary" ban that Pineapple posted perhaps)?<P>Talked to a resort operator and he seemed genuinely frustrated/disgusted and, perhaps a bit too honest. I asked if this accident, in his opinion, would finally get something done. ("2nd hand/beachtalk"): Perhaps something will be proposed but I predict in less than one month it will be back the same way. Tired of the 3 hour meetings with the police, marine police and they barely acknowledge the problem. The hotel operators take the majority of the hit for poor publicity like this.<BR>We tell them they can just walk down the beach when the craft are on land and check the craft then, but they just make excuses.<P>He also said that it is even more frustrating b/c despite the supposed "license" of jet-skis (also noting the low number of license compared to the number in use), that every watercraft his resort uses must be licensed, even a kayak. He admitted/volunteered that the compliance wasn't so much fear of police reinforcement but that if the resort insurer learned of operating unlicensed craft his insurance would be cancelled.<BR>This made me wonder if beachbum33 had to have licenses (or was supposed to) for the SUP business.<P>Related to the other thread "unbelievable" thread about persons asking for jet ski recommendations, i understand the sentiment but, IMO, agree with others that very few tourists were aware of the accident. Despite it being top headline in the paper (Observer), I've encountered few that read it or any other paper. Anyone in the tourist industry that I spoke to knew all about it, some talked in hushed tones, others more openly, but with "good must suffer from deeds of the bad" type comments.<P>Encountered a group of 4 just arriving and they asked (being their 1st time to JA) for "must do" activities. 1st words from my mouth were "Well... don't rent jet skis and if you do water activities please be very aware". Saw the smile disappear from their faces, felt bad for a moment, and said "Well, a man was killed a few days ago. Sorry I said that 1st thing, but in the end probably better you should know, than not".<BR>In the end I don't feel bad about informing them and just don't think that many tourists are aware of what happened.

[JonTom]

<P>Also... "This is to facilitate its investigation into the death of an American tourist following a jet ski crash in the area."<P>Perhaps it is for 'investigative' reasons but reminds me of The Harder They Come tactic. Don't search for Ivan, just shut down the trade until his friends give him up (or in this case, at least someone to take the blame).

[Sophie]

<P>THANK YOU JonTom!! Your statement regarding what a hotelier said to you is very much in line with what Mr. Grizzle says in this article.<BR><a href="http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20140201/western/western1.html" target="_blank">http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20140201/western/western1.html</A><P>Now: As I was reading this article yesterday I was thinking,,,,,, why can't the hoteliers instruct their staff to warn tourists of the dangers? Of course they couldn't force people to listen but at least they could tell them to be very aware of their surroundings while in the water. LIKE YOU DID!!!! Good job---- too bad the hoteliers don't choose to be more proactive instead of reactive.<P>And it is a shame that many would hush something like this up to protect their bottom dollar. It is gonna bite them in the ass.

[Van]

<P>I've said it before an I'll say it again....Jamaica is simply a wayward place on the majority of levels.<P>The hotels can 'talk' all they want to the staff to tell the guests not to do it...it doesn't matter. Unless Mr. Grizzle (or someone like him) is there standing over every conversation his staff has or every guest interaction, it simply won't happen.<P>If it does, as JonTom said, the same said guest will be directed to the 'friend' or boyfriend, etc "safe" jetski.<P>And just because there is a license it does not mean they know one thing about safety. It can look good on paper all it wants.

[Sophie]

<P>Yes.... sadly I knew that JonTom and Van.....I guess I just WANT things to go that way. Ya know what I mean?? I want so badly for things to be done in a more appropriate manner. I have a Pollyanna assed dream that things will get cleaned up and we can go back and not be pissed off within a few days/hours/minutes. I KNOW it is a dream and guess it is time to let it go......... and move on.

[oldtimer]

<P>Sophia ..I'm with ya !!!!