“Reconsider Travel” to Jamaica Says Latest US Travel Advisory Despite Very Few Crimes Against Tourists on the Island – Watch Report
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The US State Department has alerted its citizens to reconsider travelling to Jamaica due to crime and violence, which includes home invasion, armed robbery, sexual assaults and homicide. According to the Travel Advisory issued May 10, Jamaica has been placed at level three in crime following its latest update.
Level 3 Adversory means: Americans should “Reconsider Travel” to Jamaica because the island has “Widespread violent or organized crime is present in areas of the country. Local law enforcement may have limited ability to respond to serious crimes.”
The parishes listed in the travel advisory to be avoided by US nationals and US official personnel are as follows St. Ann, Trewlany, Manchester, St. Elizebeth, Clarendon, St. Catherine, Hanover, St. James, Westmoreland Kingston and St. Andrew, and St. Thomas.
However, in a report conducted by TVJ, Nicola Madden Greig, President of The Caribbean Hotel and Tourists Association, says she doesn’t take the advice for anything as she states, “We shouldn’t take it personal or anything like that this is their standard release we have all sort of persons coming, diplomats, we have regular Americans that comes here and has a wonderful time, so I don’t take it for anything.”
Also, giving a contradicting view to the US State Department Advisory was Senior Strategist in The Tourism Ministry Delano Seiveright, who says he has a problem with the wording of the advisory, especially given the fact that Jamaica is one of the safest destinations for tourists.
As Delano Seiveright outlined, “The fact is Jamaica remain a safe and seamless destination for tourist, local and international, crime against tourists is about 0.01% which is extremely low, so it is almost non-existent, but at the same time, we note their concerns.”
In an intriguing revelation, it was reported that US Secretary of the Treasury Janet Yellen allegedly was on vacation in Jamaica days before her country issued the travel advisory. However, Delano was tight-lipped on confirming or denying the report.
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Delano said in closing off the interview what he could confirm was, “Over the last several weeks and months, we have had multiple visits by leaders, the Canadian prime minister was on vacation here, we have a number of US officials who had been on vacation here weeks and months ago some of which of course we can not name.”
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