Montego Bay Marine Park Gets Boat
By: , November 7, 2014The Key Point:
The Facts
- The handing over was done by Dr. Christopher Cox on behalf of the donors, the German Government and CATS.
- Describing the gift as “timely”, Executive Director of the MBMPT, Hugh Shim, told JIS News that the boat has greatly enhanced the park’s ability to more effectively patrol the Montego Bay coast line.
The Full Story
A new 32ft. Glass Bottom Boat, valued at $4.5 million, was officially handed over to the Montego Bay Marine Park Trust (MBMPT) on Wednesday, November 5, by Caribbean Aqua-Terrestrial Solutions (CATS).
The handing over was done by Dr. Christopher Cox on behalf of the donors, the German Government and CATS. It was received by Chairman of the Montego Bay Marine Park Trust, Mr. Blaise Hart, at the park, Pier One Complex in Montego Bay.
Describing the gift as “timely”, Executive Director of the MBMPT, Hugh Shim, told JIS News that the boat, which has the capacity to carry 25 passengers on any one trip, has greatly enhanced the park’s ability to more effectively patrol the vast area of responsibility and also to conduct more educational tours on the Montego Bay coast line.
“The gift is very important to us as we have already started to utilize it for our educational purposes and for field trips. We take students/children out to view the reefs and the fish life, and to get a better understanding of the underwater world. The gift is good as it does help us to do more and more field trips,” Mr. Shim said.
Outreach Officer at the Montego Bay Marine Park, Joshua Bailey, informed that the Marine Park has responsibility for protecting, restoring and conserving a healthy eco system for the betterment of Montego Bay and the entire island.
“The Trust has confiscated over 40 ‘illegal’ spear guns and nets that were being used by unauthorized persons, and has recently increased the patrol hours by the Ranger Team from 8 to 16 hours per day. This has been made possible by the new glass bottom boat received from CATS,” he noted.
“We have also been able to partner with the Caribbean Producers Jamaica Limited on special projects such as the ‘Care and Protect Jamaica Project’, where we go into schools and help to enhance and increase the environmental awareness of students. The glass bottom boat has helped us to achieve wonders, as we work with these students on the interactive tours,” Mr. Bailey added.