Less than a month after it debuted in Ocho Rios, the mangled husk of the Poko Loko floating bar sits beached on the shores of the Caribbean Sea.

The newest attraction for St Ann’s tourist hub sustained major damage from Category 4 Hurricane Beryl last Wednesday and was washed by storm surge from Mahogany Beach to the popular Little Dunns River enclave.

Opened in mid-June and conceptualised by American owner Antony Warren, the US$1 million facility lost a section of roofing, among other structural damages. The floating bar also spewed its contents along the coast, which attracted looters in the initial aftermath who pilfered Poko Loko for parts and liquor. Our Today could not immediately verify if the facility was insured.

Efforts by Our Today to contact Senior Superintendent of Police Vernon Ellis, head of the St Ann Police Division, for a comment were unsuccessful up to the time of publication.

The looting of Poko Loko, confirmed through viral TikTok videos, has sparked condemnation by Jamaicans on social media who criticised both the police and government for failing to protect the floating bar from looters.

In one clip obtained by Our Today, a few opportunists seemed to take delight in the looting, instructing on-lookers to “tek mi picture” as they boasted of their exploits.

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Among the arguments was the ineffectiveness of the curfew order declared by Prime Minister Andrew Holness ahead of the fallout from Hurricane Beryl, which netizens say ‘failed’ to deter unscrupulous interests.

Poko Loko is a multimillion dollar investment. For that to just open and be destroyed like that is really really sad. I hope they are able to rebuild and come again. I know many ppl, including myself, wanted to go.

— Air Fryers' PR Consultant (@theonlysabriena) July 4, 2024

Other Jamaicans expressed hope that Warren and his team would be encouraged to rebuild, though judging from the deactivated Poko Loko social media pages, the likelihood seems low.

Poko Loko floating bar removed their Instagram page ☹️

— Blonde Baldie (@_Neeshuur) July 4, 2024

Poko Loko was officially opened on June 16 as a 6,000-square-foot facility designed to offer guests an unparalleled experience on the crystal-clear waters of the Caribbean.

Warren, in his remarks at the time, said the attraction would initially target a diverse range of patrons, including cruise passengers, hotel guests and locals.

Poko Loko was to operate on a reservation-only basis, to manage capacity, prevent overcrowding and maintain a high standard of service.

Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett, who was on hand for the opening ceremony, expressed his excitement for the facility, adding that Poko Loko had the potential to attract locals and visitors who are looking for more diverse and adventurous experiences.

“For us, this is what tourism is about. It’s about people wanting new experiences. We are excited about enabling more of these kinds of activities to happen, because it drives more visitors to Jamaica,” he said.