Amid a wave of murders in the Caribbean nation, the U.S. government has increased its travel alert level for Jamaica and advised Americans to think twice before visiting "due to crime and [unreliable] medical services."
Only a few days had passed since the State Department warned Americans to "exercise increased caution" in the Bahamas, where there had been several murders, before announcing the change to a Level 3 travel advisory for Jamaica.
At a time when many Americans are organizing and scheduling their summer vacations for the upcoming year, there are cautions regarding visiting the well-known tourist locations.
"Violent crimes, such as home invasions, armed robberies, sexual assaults, and homicides, are common," the U.S. Embassy in Jamaica issued a warning. Sexual assaults happen all the time, even in all-inclusive resorts."
Jamaican police, it was stated, "often do not respond effectively to serious criminal incidents." The warning stated that certain private facilities might demand payment in full and that ambulances and hospitals are not always trustworthy.
"The homicide rate reported by the Government of Jamaica has for several years been among the highest in the Western Hemisphere," stated the State Department.
The country, which has a population of about 2.8 million, recorded 65 homicides between January 1 and January 27, according to statistics released by the Jamaica Constabulary Force. Although there were 81 homicides during the same period last year, that is a significant decrease. However, this January saw an increase in shootings and the number of people injured in crimes. Comparing January 2024 to the prior year, the data reveals a significant decrease in the number of rapes reported.
The oldest newspaper in the country, the Jamaica Gleaner, revealed on Monday that 19 of the 65 murders this month were committed in just the last week.
In a message released on January 24, the U.S. Embassy in Nassau, Bahamas, reported that since the year's beginning, there have been eighteen homicides in the nation's capital, which have "occurred at all hours including in broad daylight on the streets."
It advised visitors to "exercise extreme caution in the eastern part of New Providence Island (Nassau)" in particular and to take extra precautions when driving or walking at night. It stated that the majority of the recent killings had been connected to gang violence.
"Review your personal security plans," the embassy advised, adding a warning not to physically resist any robbery attempt.
Jamaica's economy heavily depends on the tourism industry, and in December, Minister of Tourism Edmund Bartlett informed the legislature that he anticipated the "spectacular growth pattern" observed in 2022 and 2023 to continue.
According to a statement on the website of his ministry, "the island should record a total of 4,122,100 visitors for the period of January to December, 2023," he stated. "This would signal an increase of 23.7% over the total number of visitors recorded in 2022."
The ministry estimates that in 2023, tourism will contribute about $4.2 billion to Jamaica's GDP.
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