Government Information Service

by Emmanuel H. Joseph
Government Information Service

On Thursday, 28th May, 2009, the Dominica Marine Association and the Dominica Marine Center have come together to procure a security, search and rescue dinghy for the Portsmouth Association of Yacht Security (PAYS). The financing came through support from the Special Framework of Assistance (SFA), a Tourism Sector Development Programme funded under the European Union SFA 2006.

Project Manager of the Tourism Sector Development Programme SFA 2006, Marvelyn James, called on PAYS to provide much more than increased security to visiting tourists so as to aid in the development of that tourism sector.

“As you know, safety and security is becoming a big issue and it is of great concern for yacht visitors. We want to ensure that they feel safe and secure when they are hare in the Nature Island. However, safety is one of the many issues that we need to look at. For example, we need to look at the type of service that we give to our yacht visitors. We need to ensure that they receive excellent services when they are on the island and we need to ensure that the necessary infrastructure and superstructure are in place to see that they do so.”

Miss James went on to say that there has been an increase, over the years, in the yachting tourism sector and that is part of the reasons why the Tourism Sector Development Programme felt it incumbent on them to assist.

“As we know, the yachting sector is very important for Dominica and over the years, we have seen an increase in arrivals. However, I am sure we can welcome much more yachts than we are doing now. Hence, the Ministry of Tourism and Discover Dominica’s increased efforts in ensuring that you, the stakeholders, have the tools and resources that you need to grow the yachting industry.”

President of the Portsmouth Association of Yacht Security, Jeff Frank, saw the new boat as an additional tool to compliment its ongoing quest to maintain security.

“For four (4) years, PAYS has been managing security in the northern end of Prince Rupert Bay using membership fees, donations, and marine revenue. However, as both tourism grows on the island, our ability to keep visitors save is being compromised by the lack of resources. This additional new boat will allow us, when necessary, to operate two (2) security boats and therefore patrol a larger portion of the bay.”

President of the Portsmouth
Association of Yacht Security
(PAYS) Jeff Frank

Mr. Frank also saw extended roles of the boat and called on the citizens of the area to play a more proactive role in safeguarding one of the major economic contributors to the area.

“It will also allow us to assist local emergency authorities with search and rescue missions, thereby, further ensuring the safety of our visitors as yacht tourism is a significant economic contributor to the people of Portsmouth and it is critical that everyone make it their business to ensure our visitors well being.”

In the meanwhile, President of the Dominica Marine Association, Hubert Winston, lamented the fact that the ideal would be not to have a boat at all as community policing would suffice. Needless to say, he was happy that at least something is being done to protect this very fragile part of our economy.”

“Today, it is rather unfortunate that we have to go this route to actually get a dinghy for security...because the industry in itself is very delicate....we would think that it would be more of a public awareness and more of a neighbourhood watch, more or less a hands off approach to the industry where everybody respects each other’s property and people would move on with their daily lives so that others can come and visit and enjoy themselves. But we know that is the ideal and it is not true and we do have to provide the security.”

Mr. Winston also believes that yachting is one of the biggest contributor to the economies of islands across the Caribbean and that we must continue to help improve it.

“...I think that yachting industry, in general, is one of the biggest industries in the region, bigger than cruise tourism. When a yacht comes here, they spend a week or two here. They have to buy food, provisioning; they have to get facilities, restaurants, hotels at times, tours, gifts and such, they do everything. But on the other hand, the cruise tourists are a different breed of tourists. They will come and spend a few hours, at most, buy a trinket, a little something to take back as a gift. Yacht tourism is here to last, and they have been contributing to the economy of the Caribbean, not just Dominica and Portsmouth.”

Hon. Minister for Tourism, Legal Affairs and Civil Aviation and Parliamentary Representative for the area, Ian Douglas, commended those who have stayed steadfast with the yachting industry back when in the day when it was just the ‘Jetty Boys’. He described the industry as a silent success that is not accurately and precisely captured in the approximately one hundred and seventy-five million dollars that tourism brings to the economy of Dominica.

“While some have gone on, some of you have stuck with it... it has existed for well over forty (40) years and has been a silent success in Dominica that a lot of people have not known about and that a lot of people do not speak about. Yet, you have made this industry survive in Dominica. Today, we are proud to identify with the yachting industry as an authentic part of Dominica’s Tourism product.

We have seen the banana industry steadily decline but today, we can depend on tourism. Tourism brings in approximately one hundred and seventy five million (EC$175 000 000.00) dollars annually into the economy...yet I feel that yachting is not precisely and accurately captured in that figure. A yacht would spend on average six days in harbour and spend approximately one hundred and fifty (EC150.00) dollars a day. That sure does add up especially in the ‘peak’ season when there are some forty (40 to fifty (50) boats in harbour.”

The dinghy will be used to provide support to the Dominica Coast Guard for search and rescue missions as well as providing surveillance to Dominica’s waters.