As Jamaicans remain under lockdown, a cruise ship docked in Ocho Rios Monday allowing visitors to frolic on a government-imposed “No Movement day” has received heavy backlash from social media users.

According to a memo from the St. Ann Development Company that has gone viral, Dunn’s River Falls and Green Grotto Caves were opened today to facilitate the tourists.

One social media user wrote, “And the corruption continues.” While another said, “One question, so St. Ann Development Company is not a part of Jamaica? If so, why does it not fall under the Disaster Risk Management Act? Has it been deemed an essential service?”

Entertainer Zagga in his comment on Instagram, said, in part, “Welcome to Jamaica where everything anuh fi everybody.”

In addressing the concerns, Tourism Minister Edmund Barlett in a press release sent to the media on Sunday, said, “The schedule for the cruise season had been agreed on with Carnival Cruise Line prior to the imposition of the no-movement days under the Disaster Risk Management Act.”

The Carnival Sunrise cruise ship arrived in Ocho Rios on Monday (September 13, 2021), with approximately 1,700 cruise passengers onboard.

At present, the three consecutive lockdown days are observed on Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday. Other measures imposed by the Jamaican government to combat the spread of COVID-19 are currently nightly curfews.

As Jamaicans remain under lockdown, a cruise ship docked in Ocho Rios Monday allowing visitors to frolic on a government-imposed “No Movement day” has received heavy backlash from social media users.

According to a memo from the St. Development Company that has gone viral, Dunn’s River Falls and Green Grotto Caves are opened today to facilitate the tourists.

One social media user wrote, “And the corruption continues.” While another said, “One question, so St. Ann Development Company is not a part of Jamaica? If so, why does it not fall under the Disaster Risk Management Act? Has it been deemed an essential service?”

Entertainer Zagga in his comment, said, in part, “Welcome to Jamaica where everything anuh fi everybody.”

In addressing the concerns, Tourism Minister Edmund Barlett in a press release sent to the media on Sunday, said, “The schedule for the cruise season had been agreed on with Carnival Cruise Line prior to the imposition of the no-movement days under the Disaster Risk Management Act.”

The Carnival Sunrise cruise ship arrived in Ocho Rios on Monday (September 13, 2021), with approximately 1,700 cruise passengers onboard.

At present, the three consecutive lockdown days are observed on Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday. Other measures imposed by the Jamaican government to combat the spread of COVID-19 are currently nightly curfews.