NEGRIL, Westmoreland — Stakeholders in Negril are shocked and angered by the controversial staging of Mocha Fest at Rick’s Café in Negril last week, which was in clear breach of the Government’s COVID-19 health and safety protocols.

Stakeholders are also claiming that the event was also in breach of restrictions placed on the hosting of entertainment events which suggest a double standard in how certain categories of people are treated. The event, which formed part of a series of an entertainment package, was held over five days with two bonus days. It was open only to visitors to the island.

The event, which is in its sixth year after a postponement in 2020 was advertised on the Jamaica Tourist Board website up to May 27. It was later disabled, following an uproar from social media users and the general public.

Richard Wallace, president of the Negril Chamber of Commerce argued that similar to the public, the chamber was shocked and appalled after seeing the videos.

“People are upset and understandably so. We are upset as well because there were obvious breaches of the Disaster Risk Management Act (DRMA) and the COVID protocols that were put in place by the Tourism Product Development Company (TPDCo) which all entities should be abiding by. So, we were shocked and appalled just like the rest of the nation when we saw the footage and saw the videos online,” stated Wallace, who emphasised, “We do not condone any such acts that are contravening the law and also contravening protocols.”

Besides, Wallace pointed out that the local entertainment industry is not able to house events while it would appear others can do so. The entertainment industry was shut down in March of last year when the country recorded its first case of the deadly virus.

The chamber president is hoping that the firestorm that has engulfed Negril will be used as a teaching point that can assist with the reopening of the local entertainment industry.

“What I am hoping is that out of this firestorm we can look to find some good out of it and hopefully that good will be a path to the reopening of the entertainment sector in Negril. Not just in Negril but in Jamaica. Because we need to get back to some semblance of normalcy sooner than later, because entertainment is a vital part of our tourism product and Negril, in particular, has been known for entertainment,” stated Wallace.

Wallace further argued that even though it was not to everyone’s liking, in the past there would be some form of entertainment event hosted each night in the resort town which puts food on the table of several people.

“There are many people who make a living from the entertainment sector and those people are hurting,” stated the president of the chamber which not only represents hoteliers, the business community but also the entertainment industry.

The Jamaica Observer caught up with a pan chicken vendor along the Norman Manley Boulevard in Negril on Friday who argued that he is aware of both large and small parties presently taking place. The man, who did not want to be identified and claims he is a beneficiary of such parties, argued that there were inequalities in how the police treat each category of people.

“You see when the big… rich man bout yah a have them big thing, it gwaan till X Y Z time and if you think a lie mi a tell, mi can video that and show you seh a nuh lie mi a tell. You si the little poor man, as it reach time [curfew hours], the police nuh stop run after you, and the rich man over deh suh with him thing ah gwaan 24/7. Mi nuh fight ‘gainst nuh body an dem bashment still enuh, fah mi nuh de yah to fight ‘gainst anybody still, but every man needs to survive. Everybody needs to live,” stated the vendor, who emphasised, “Who yuh put eena high places [Government] must know dat poor people a part a di society and wi need fi live lakka anybody. Wi need to survive lakka anybody else.”

The man further pointed to the state of public emergency (SOE), which was implemented in Westmoreland on Tuesday, April 30, 2019 and ended on Monday, August 17 to make way for the September 3 General Election, which stifled business. However, the nightly curfew hours break lasted only for a few months as a new set of curfew hours was implemented in 2020 to help control the spread of the virus.

Meanwhile, Minister of Local Government and Rural Development Desmond McKenzie on Friday had ordered Rick’s Cafe in Negril closed for seven days. Reports reaching the Sunday Observer are that the closure of the popular daily chill and entertainment spot for both locals and visitors alike has left a void in the resort town.

It is understood that people tried to find other places to party, which proved difficult as other establishments became cautious. According to Superintendent Robert Gordon, who is in charge of the Westmoreland Police Division, “The police is now aware that these things are happening and we have become more vigilant and are occupying certain spaces to prevent the reoccurrence of those parties.”

The chamber president said that people were nervous.

“Everybody is nervous now. Nobody wants to get their business place shut down,” stated Wallace, adding, “It is not good for tourism at all, because what are the guests going to do? As I said, we need entertainment to come back in some form because tourists doesn’t come here to lock up in their room. Some come for rest and relaxation but a lot of them come to have fun.”

This is not the first time that Rick’s Cafe in Negril is being mentioned. Earlier this month, a party boat filled with patrons capsised offshore the popular entertainment spot.

The Sunday Observer was unable to obtain answers to a number of questions, to include: What will happen to the guests who flew in from overseas? It’s understood that the guests are staying across approximately four hotels in Negril.

It has also bee reported that party venues were rented solely for the hosting of Mocha Fest.