Caribbean Marine Association Lobbies for the Interim Suspension of the Advanced Passenger Information System for Yachts

Created by doina. Last modified on 2007-11-01 15:08:47
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Topic: Cruising Information
Countries: Anguilla, Aruba, Bahamas, Barbados, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Cuba, Curacao, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Haiti, Jamaica, Martinique, Montserrat, Puerto Rico, Saba, Sint Maarten, St Barts, St Kitts & Nevis, St Lucia, St Martin, St Vincent & the Grenadines, Statia, Trinidad & Tobago, Turks & Caicos, US Virgin Islands

PRESS RELEASE

October 25th 2007, Port of Spain, Trinidad

The Caribbean Marine Association Lobbies for the Interim Suspension of the Advanced Passenger Information System for Yachts

The Caribbean Marine Association (CMA) hosted a meeting with members of the CARICOM Joint Regional Communication Centre (JRCC) and other officials on October 8th, 2007 in Chaguaramas Trinidad. The meeting was held to discuss the adverse impact that the implementation of the Advanced Passenger Information System (APIS) would have on the regional yachting industry.

According to Keats Compton, President of the Caribbean Marine Association “Ours is an industry which has been recognized (by ECLAC) as the second most important component of the Tourism sector in most of the region, behind land-based but ahead of cruise, by virtue of its total economic impact on our island economies”

The JRCC gave a presentation on the APIS for yachts and thereafter much discussion ensued amongst those present. The discussions ended with the fact that APIS will be implemented; however, a more workable system must be adopted in order for compliance to be achievable throughout the participating CARICOM countries.

Since the meeting; it has been confirmed that Grenada and Trinidad and Tobago currently have no legislation regarding APIS and yachts and at this time are not affected; St. Kitts and Nevis and Dominica have advised that they will not be seeking to implement this initiative at this time. St. Lucia and Antigua & Barbuda and St. Vincent and the Grenadines have agreed to suspend the implementation of APIS at this time; the Caribbean Marine Association and its member Associations will continue to work their individual Governments until a workable solution has been met.

The Caribbean Marine Association is a regional grouping of national marine trades’ associations, committed to facilitating the sustainable growth of the yachting industry.

For further information, please contact Sharon McIntosh, General Manager the CMA at: info@caribbeanmarineassociation.com