VOLUME 15 ISSUE 21

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MAY 31TH, 2019 – JUNE 7TH, 2019

Website: www.suntci.com

VOLUME 15 - NO. 21

Email: sun@suntci.com

Tel: (649) 348-6838

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JET SKI DANGER! by Hayden Boyce Publisher & Editor-in-Chief

S

ome jet ski operators in Turks and Caicos Islands are operating their vessels dangerously close to the shoreline, placing persons who use the beach in danger and posing a threat to the country’s vital tourism industry. The practice has been ongoing for quite some time, but it came into sharp focus over the past week following the wide circulation of a video showing an altercation between a jet ski operator and the owner of a luxury villa. The villa owner, Zlatko Maric, a multi-millionaire who is also the owner Sokol Maric, the largest privately owned security company in Croatia, financial institutions and covers the entire territory of Croatia, said he has been struggling with jetski operators driving at high speeds just off Long Bay Beach for more than two years. The villa which Maric owns, is frequented by several international celebrities and dignitaries. The guest that was almost run over by the jet-ski operator was at a micro resort located on Long Bay Beach, which provides ultra-luxurious and ultra-exclusive accommodation and experiences that cater to elite travelers, most recently hosting the main characters and filming location for two episodes of a popular U.S. television show, but also hosting dozens of well-known celebrities and ultra-wealthy individuals over the last five years. Maric’s lawyer, Norman Saunders, of Saunders & Co., said: “The operation of watercraft in swim zones is a serious and well-known hazard for tourists swimming just off beaches in the Islands, but also for the jet-ski operators. In recent years tourists have been run over and killed by watercraft while swimming just off beaches in the Islands. There are consequently now laws in place regulating the operation of watercraft in swim zones,” he says, “but also generally prohibiting the reckless operation of watercraft. Operating jet skis at high speeds within 100 feet of any beach is dangerous, reckless, and

FORMER CHIEF MINISTER MR. NORMAN SAUNDERS HONOURED Former Chief Minister Mr. Norman Saunders and his wife Emily Saunders, who was a former deputy speaker and government minister, pictured with their family after a Black Tie Banquet to honor Mr. Saunders for his outstanding contribution to the Turks and Caicos Islands. (Photo by Penrhyn Brooks) irresponsible, and the jet-ski operator in 2019 at about 4:30 pm, in the water just Long Bay Beach incident was considerably off Long Bay Beach, in front of a micro closer.” resort. The lawyers and Maric said that The lawyers said the video the jet-ski operator at the centre of the circulating on social media has been controversial video clip circulating on edited, showing only part of the incident. social media “was not on the beach and “Not included in the recording is the jethe was never told to get off the beach”. ski operator almost running over a guest, They said the video clip which who was swimming just off the beach in went viral on social media, stemmed from front of the beach front micro resort, with the jet ski operator allegedly riding too the jet-ski coming within five to ten feet close to the shore, adding that the matter of the guest at a speed of approximately had nothing to do with private beach, 25 mph,” the press release stated. “The blocking beach access or racism. confrontation had nothing to do with the A press release from Saunders and colour of anyone’s skin, their nationality, Harvey, of the Saunders & Co, said the or use of the beach. It does not matter to video circulating on social media, showing the issues, but the guest that was almost an argument between Zlatko Maric, a run over, and whose safety was the subject resident of Providenciales living on Long of the confrontation, is black, and he was Bay Beach, and a jet-ski operator, is being vacationing at a micro resort on Long Bay misconstrued as a racist confrontation Beach with fifteen black friends.” over use of the beach by the jet-ski The attorneys told The SUN that operator, when it was an argument over the jet ski operator, an employee of Sun the dangerous operation of jet-skis in a and Fun Seasports, was first told by the swim zone. guest that he should not be operating The confrontation with the jet-ski the jet-ski so close to the beach, at such operator took place on Sunday 26th May high speeds, and the operator resisted that

advice, admonishing the guest that he did not own the beach. “Zlatko Maric (“Maric”), a Long Bay Beach resident who was also staying at the micro resort, the main character in the video, then entered the discussion. Maric says ‘he has been struggling with jet-ski operators driving at high speeds just off Long Bay Beach for more than two years’. He says he ‘heard the commotion from the jet-ski operators, so he went on the beach to advise them they should not be operating jet-skis so close to the beach.’ Listening to both sides of the conversation makes it clear the operation of the jetskis was the subject of the confrontation. Maric says “you will kill somebody here, you will kill somebody here’,” the press statement added. Bianca Harvey, an attorney with Saunders & Co., the attorneys for Maric and the micro resort, says the jet-ski operator responded to Maric’s warning, saying “this is not your beach, you don’t own the beach here”.

Conserve Energy & Save!

Continued on page - 2

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