National Parks' fees 'need to be raised'- NPT Director Dr Titley-O'Neal
This was told to reporters on Friday, August 26, 2022, during a press conference at the Department of Disaster Management (DDM) to announce the official commencement of a new two-year project funded by the United Kingdom (UK) Darwin Plus Initiative entitled “Integrating climate change resilience into protected area design and management'.
Faced with a major cut of subventions to the National Parks Trust over ten years ago, Director Dr Cassander P. Titley-O’Neal is confident that further cuts are continuing, hence the need for additional revenue generation.
"One of the biggest challenges for the Trust is our fees need to be raised. Right now there are only three terrestrial parks that under the law that we are able to charge fees for.”
Those she said are Sage Mountain National Park, J. R. O’Neal Botanic Gardens and The Baths, “Which everybody knows is three dollars, locals don’t pay.”
Current fees 'can't even keep the lights on'- Dr Titley-O'Neal
Dr Titley-O'Neal noted that an analysis done around 2015 concluded that the current model for revenue generation for the parks' upkeep is not cost-effective.
“Three dollars does not even pay to keep the lights on, it doesn’t pay to keep the sewerage system going and how the model was set up, it was set up for these three parks as well as conservation moorings that we have.
She said the monies raised from park fees also have to pay staff salaries as well as maintain the parks.
However, according to Dr Titley-O’Neal, “We have written and requested for the fees to be raised. The approval for the fees is not solely on the Trust, it is something that has to be done on Cabinet's side.
“The cost to maintain the moorings, the cost to maintain The Baths… it costs to maintain those things and unless our fees are raised there is not a whole lot that we can do.”
Minister for Natural Resources and Labour Honourable Melvin Turnbull (R2) was also present at the press conference.
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23 Responses to “National Parks' fees 'need to be raised'- NPT Director Dr Titley-O'Neal”
Everything cost money and everything can't be free for ever. So leave the woman alone let her find ways to bring in revenue to keep the parks forging forward. Donations are always welcomed I'm sure. If as a local all of us who go to these parks give at the least one dollar it can help to keep the parks opened. Just think about it. Not every time we may have but give what you can when you can.
My two cents of why send her home. Sometimes we are looking in from the outside and we are not fully aware of the dynamics on the inside. In a forum like this one wouldn't just jump up and air their mouth. Quite a bit of homework must be done to give proper and accurate information to the public.
Why are people allowed to use other parks that the trust not collecting for. The public is capitalizing setting up tours and hikes while the trust gets nothing.
I'm sure when the ships comes to our shores they leave a check with the agents for all their booked trips. When tours are pre booked with other agencies they get their monies up front so why is it the trust can't get paid on time.
Oh may be agencies got to collect some bank interest then the trust may get paid. Meanwhile the lights for the trust stays off. Selfish set of people.