Thousands of Jamaicans who work on the hospitality side of the cruise shipping sector are now guaranteed paid passage back home, minimum vacation leave and enough time to rest.
The changes, which are among those that come with the passing of the Shipping (Amendment) Act, will benefit bartenders, stewards, nail technicians and others not traditionally seen as seafarers.
“As you can imagine, their place of work is also their temporary home and it is important that they have minimum standards to ensure that their living and working conditions are at the appropriate standard,” says Director of Legal Affairs at the Maritime Authority of Jamaica (MAJ), Bertrand Smith.
The MAJ will ensure the rules are being followed with the help of Port State Control Inspectors, who can board foreign ships calling at Jamaican ports to inspect the conditions. They have the power to detain ships if they are found to be in breach. Shipowners are also required to have a complaints mechanism, so that the seafarers can alert the MAJ to any areas of concern.
