Port Antonio welcomes cruise ship
The resort town of Port Antonio had its first cruise ship visit for 2017 when docked at the Ken Wright shipping pier shortly after 10 a.m. on Wednesday.
It is a mini cruise vessel/sail boat, and came into port with 131 passengers and 79 crew members, much to the delight of Portlanders.
“This is a proud moment for all of us,“commented Paul Thompson, Port Antonio’s mayor.
“Portland is where tourism started, and the parish capital was highlighted in a negative sense for its commercial waste lying on just about every street. But today paints a different picture as the town and its environs are in mint condition. Every street and corner is as clean as new whistle, and this will be the trend from now on,’’ he added.
Some passengers visited the Rio Grande rafting station, Portland’s premier tourist attraction site, where they experience the three-and-a-half hour ride aboard bamboo rafts, while viewing the lush vegetation along the glittering waters of the Rio Grande.
Other passengers visited the craft market section of the Musgrave Market and made purchases, while some became engaged in conversations with the local people.
Port Antonio came under the microscope last week after com- mercial garbage, which was allowed to pile up over a period, became a breeding ground for roaches and rats, and a playground for dogs.