The St. Ann Municipal Corporation has suspended event permits for Pearly beach in the parish following Easter Saturday gridlock.
The authorities held an emergency meeting on Sunday to discuss the gridlock that went on for hours on Saturday.
Residents of St. Ann and patrons heading to events such as FOF which was held at Pearly beach were held up in traffic for hours.
The state-owned party venue has gotten most of the blame for being the main cause of the traffic pile up.
However other factors such as indiscipline and heavy rains have been cited as contributing elements that led to the gridlock as patrons tried to make their way to several parties in the tourist town of Ocho Rios.
Mayor of St. Ann’s Bay, Sydney Stewart says they’ve decided to suspend the granting of permits for day events at Pearly beach.
Mayor Stewart explained that Pearly beach was the main cause of the gridlock because the major roadblocks occurred at that area.
The St. Ann’s Bay Mayor says they’ll be recommending to promoters shuttle service, additional parking and fewer patrons to match capacity at their events.
Meanwhile, persons have complained that the Municipality and the police granted permits for too many events in and around the tourist town on Saturday.
However Mayor Stewart says the number of events on the day was not the problem.
Meanwhile, Mayor Stewart says the absence of a greater number of police personnel along the affected corridors also posed a challenge.
He says Sunday’s traffic management fared better following the assignment of more police personnel in Ocho Rios.
Sydney Stewart, Mayor for St. Ann’s Bay speaking with Nationwide News.
