Jamaica’s state of emergency could threaten its tourism industry as crime continues to rise in the country and local authorities struggle to crack down on it.
“That’s all the government is trying to do,” Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness said, adding that Jamaicans “have to hide under their beds, hide their daughters, can’t go to church, and they see their sons and their boyfriends and husbands killed.
The US State Department on Oct. 10, 5 issued a Level 3 Travel Advisory, stating that Americans should “reconsider travel” due to an increased risk of crime in the country. The advisory noted that “violent crimes, such as home invasions, armed robberies, sexual assaults and homicides, are common” and that “sexual assaults occur frequently” even in detention centres. all-inclusive resort.
“Local police lack the resources to respond effectively to serious criminal incidents,” the notice said. “Emergency services vary across the island and response times may differ from US standards. The homicide rate reported by the Jamaican government has for several years been among the highest in the Western Hemisphere.
Jamaica seemed to recognize the seriousness of its problem by declaring a state of emergency on November 11. 15 To better empower authorities to deal with crime in the capital city of Kingston as well as popular tourist spots like Montego Bay, she then declared a new state of emergency on December 13. 6 due to the increase in gang-related violence and crime.
The state of emergency has proven controversial because authorities can arrest people and search buildings without a warrant, which could lead to police abuse, critics say, but Holness stressed the need for a crackdown the problem.
“We face very serious criminal threats and we must use all the powers at our disposal,” Holness said.
Tourism provides Jamaica with its main source of income, accounting for up to 29% of the country’s GDP in 2019 (pre-pandemic) according to Statista, and linked to remittances (money or goods sent back by nationals who have emigrated from country). Jamaica welcomed more than 1.5 million tourists in 2021 who spent more than $2.095 billion, according to the Caribbean Tourism Organization.
And the United States was the largest and best-performing market for tourists on the island, with fewer than 1.3 million stopover arrivals (over 24 hours for international travellers) in 2021.
According to David Katz, a former US federal agent who is the founder and CEO of Global Security Group, the double whammy of a US travel advisory and a national state of emergency could significantly hamper the industry. Jamaican tourism and therefore threaten its economy. Inc.
“Over the past few years, the State Department, depending on the political situation, was sometimes reluctant to even issue a warning,” Katz told Fox News Digital, explaining that an advisory on its own can harm the state. economy and is “generally not well received by the subject”. . of the notice. »
Katz noted that people will do a lot to ignore the travel warning, but Jamaica’s state of emergency is likely to have a bigger impact and draw attention.
“For me, for Jamaica, to say ‘we have a state of emergency, we’re completely out of control’, that’s going to have an impact,” Katz said.
Katz also underscored the greater need to focus on safety while traveling, pointing to the situation in Peru in which hundreds of American tourists cannot leave the country due to protests that erupted last week following the withdrawal of Pedro Castillo from his position as President. At least 200 Americans remain stranded in Machu Picchu with no way to even get back to their hotels, let alone get home, since protesters shut down trains, roads and airport runways.
“I ask people all the time: Where are you going? Do they have a professional fire department? What are the traffic laws? What are the statistics of traffic fatalities? Katz said, adding that “statistically the largest number of Americans who are seriously injured or killed overseas [is] following traffic accidents. »
“So, you know, you want to watch these things… you still have to understand some basics: you need a place to stay, you need a way in and out, you need care medical – does your medical insurance cover you when you cross the border?”
We would recommend in our practice: Postpone all non-essential travel unless there is something really, really critical needed about the trip. Put it back,” Katz said.
A request for comment from the Jamaican Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Tourism Board was not immediately returned.
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