Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves has restated his opposition to the use of jet skis in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
“I don’t support jet skis. I tell you plain, upfront, I don’t support jet skis,” he said recently on the state-owned NBC Radio.
Jet skis were banned in SVG even before Gonsalves’ Unity Labour Party came to office in March 2001.
Gonsalves said he needs to be persuaded that the use of jet skis in SVG can be properly regulated.
“And at the moment, we have difficulty properly regulating activities on the beach. There are several places which have jet skis, people turn away from the places because when you are bathing fellas bring the jet skis in between — dangerous,” the prime minister said.
He said he was aware that some people in the tourism sector support lifting the ban.
“… but I am telling you personally, I am opposed to jet skis because I don’t think we will be able to regulate them properly.”
Gonsalves noted that some people have proposed that the ban be lifted and jet skis confined to particular beaches.
“This idea of putting a marker that they can’t come in, you’ll have to hire so many people to police that, it wouldn’t be worth it,” Gonsalves said.
“It is like you have to have traffic police. … people riding the jet skis going want show off themselves and come inside where people bathing. You know that and I know that. I have seen it happen in countries that have jet skis.”
He further acknowledged that some people have proposed that jet skis can be limited to beaches that are not generally used for swimming.
“But, on the way there, they going pass in by where people bathing,” Gonsalves said.
“I don’t see that that is going to add, frankly speaking, to our tourism. That is my view. I am open to being persuaded,” he said, adding that he has already told Minister of Tourism Carlos James this.
“Because there are some people in the tourism sector who would tell Carlos that that is something. But they have to persuade me. I am telling you and I am not persuaded. So, you ask me. I am telling you point blank,” Gonsalves said.
old people,so outdated, so many accidents on the roads by vehicles and still people still drive there are no data that shows that jet ski are dangerous, he is a danger to them because his body type isn’t suitable for them.
Right now there are problems on the beaches where some idiots allowed large dog(s)to run free.Can you imagine if jet skis were legal?Two sunset or sparrow in the idiots heads and all hell break loose on the waters.Amen.
With more visitors coming to our shores, allowing them to operate can only enhance the tourism experience.Regulate them,and employ patrols to ensure compliance.
Jet ski should be allowed to operate under strict regulations, enforced by patrols to ensure compliance.With the expected influx of visitors, this can only enhance the tourism experience.