The Tourism Development Company (TPDco) has ordered individuals operating rafts illegally at White River in St Ann to desist from this activity and vacate the premises by Thursday, February 13.

This comes in response to security complaints from tourists who visit the area to enjoy rafting.

The announcement was issued last Friday at a meeting by TPDCo’s visitor, safety, and experience coordinator in Ocho Rios, O’Neil Fitten.

Fitten stated that authorities are distraught over the issues and have been receiving numerous complaints about incidents at the attraction.

“The cruise ships continue to send reports about this specific location, and I was here two weeks ago, and based on my attire, I assume a guest thought I was an official, and he came up to me and said, ‘Sir, I don’t feel safe.’ These are the things that we have to take into consideration,” the Jamaica Observer quoted Fitten as saying.

He further outlined that White River has to go through a process of restoration in an effort to protect the tourism product and ultimately brand Jamaica. “Right now, White River is like a sick cancer patient, and in order to treat it, it has to go through a process to be cured,” he added.

Some raft operators have expressed dissatisfaction about TPDco’s approach stating that they are being instructed to look for jobs elsewhere but “they are not certain if those said operators will employ them.”

While this has been the livelihood for these operators to support their family, they have been given strict evacuation orders.

Deputy Superintendent of Police Rochelle McGibbon-Scott of the St Ann Police Division has ordered the raft operators to evacuate the river in an effort to prevent the recurrence of a March 2023 police/military operation in which unauthorised rafts and other vessels on the river were destroyed.

“In 2023 the authorities moved into the space and did what we called a shock and awe effect. So they just took control, confiscated, and dismantled the rafts that were on the water. We don’t want to do that this time around, but if come Thursday the space is not evacuated, we will be forced to dismantle your rafts and police officers will be placed within the space to ensure no operation is happening,” Scott said.