Jamaica Tourist Board Responds to State of Emergency Ongoing in Western Jamaica

The U.S. Embassy in Kingston, Jamaica recently declared a State of Public Emergency for the parishes of Westmoreland, Hanover and St. James, “based on escalating criminal activity and threats to public safety and the rule of law,” according to the Embassy’s website.

“Expect to encounter increased police and military presence, checkpoints, and searches of persons and vehicles within the borders of the Westmoreland, Hanover, and St. James Parishes,” according to the Embassy.

According to the Jamaica Star, Prime Minister Andrew Holness said at a special press briefing on April 30 that he had been advised by the security forces that the crime situation in these parishes “would warrant” such declaration.

“The reinstatement of the enhanced security presence in the three parishes in Western Jamaica will in no way serve as an impediment to residents and visitors enjoying the experiences that the country offers but will boost the destination’s record of safety and security,” according to a written Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) statement.

The state of emergency officially took effect on April 30 and will run for 14 days, according to the Jamaica Star report. As of April 15, Jamaica remained a Level 2 on the U.S. Department of State’s travel advisory. Level 2 means travelers should “exercise increased caution.”

“The action taken is a deliberate strategy on the part of the Government of Jamaica to take proactive steps, at key intervals, to maintain a safe, secure and seamless experience for all law-abiding citizens as well as visitors,” according to the JTB statement. “This is evidenced by our strong arrivals of more than 1.7 million visitors for the first four months of 2019, which generated some $1.2 billion in revenue for Jamaica’s tourism sector.”