NEGRIL, Westmoreland — Following last week’s devastation of the seven-mile strip of beach during the passage of Tropical Storm Nicole, Tourism Minister, Hon. Edmund Bartlett disclosed he will be seeking permisssion from Mining and Energy Minister, James Robertson for the mining of sand to take place as part of the beach restoration project.

“I will be speaking to my parliamentary colleague, Minister Robertson, as well as environmental state agencies in seeking permission and possibly securing a green light in getting sand mining done to help the owners and operators of properties in Negril to restore the beach,” Bartlett promised. ” During a tour of the area on Saturday, I saw first hand the effects of Tropical Storm “Nicole” and will be moving swiftly to ensure that any technical help that can be given to the stakeholders in order to have the beach in Negril restored, is given”.

The tourism minister who, spoke to the media following a tour of the tourism resort town on Saturday, expressed that stakeholders in the area were in need of assistance in repairing the damage done to the beach.

Accompanied on tour by tourism director and chairman of the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) John Lynch, Bartlett was quick to note that “Negril remains open for business despite the effects the storm had on buildings, flora and fauna, and certainly the beach”.