Rick Ross enjoys White River rafting following recent TPDCO clean up
ST MARY, Jamaica — US rapper Rick Ross enjoyed rafting on the White River attraction on the border of St Ann and St Mary on Easter Monday. This comes just a week and a half after government authorities moved to restore order to the once-buzzing attraction.
Rick Ross, whose birth name is William Leonard Roberts II, has over 17.6 million followers on Instagram and posted several short videos of his time at the attraction. The tour followed his headline performance at the Sandz Caribbean Music Festival at Plantation Cove in St Ann on Sunday.
At a virtual Sandz Press Conference last week Friday, Ross in expressing his love for Jamaica, highlighted that he wanted to come and perform his music but also “absorb that real Jamaica vibe.”
“As soon as I get there I wanna land and go to the best fish spot, I told them the next day I wanna go water rafting, I want to eat some real curry chicken, some oxtail… yes, me want live life, me only have one life fi live,” he said at the time.
READ: Sandz headliner Rick Ross excited for visit to Jamaica, wants to meet up-and-coming artistes
Senior Advisor and Strategist in the Ministry of Tourism, Delano Seiveright, noted that “the “clear, hold, and reset” strategy implemented by TPDCo in full collaboration with the Police and Army in ending illegal rafting and rampant disorder on the White River in St Ann” was successful.
According to a release on Tuesday, the “hold” phase is expected to last for approximately five weeks, during which many operators will be re-engaged to discuss the formalisation of their activities and the general restoration of order.
Following mounting complaints from local and international visitors and chaotic scenes in the past, TPDCo said it will be working with many of the illegal operators to “regularise them as well as offer training in lifeguarding, CPR, Team Jamaica, business development and customer service to allow for inclusion and improved conditions.”