by Jim Byers
Last updated: 10:35 AM ET, Sun January 21, 2018
Having a state of emergency declared in Jamaica because of crime issues is a positive move, says the man in charge of Jamaica's tourism board in Canada.
In an exclusive conversation with TravelPulse Canada, Philip Rose, Regional Director, Canada for the Jamaica Tourist Board, said Jamaica "has always enjoyed a very low crime rate against visitors; probably one of the lowest percentages in the Caribbean."
He also said he's confident the government measures, including use of the Jamaican Defence Force to counter criminal activity, will restore order quickly.
Last week, the prime minister of Jamaica, Andrew Holness, declared that a state of emergency was needed to "restore public safety" in St. James Parish, which includes the popular Montego Bay region.
Rose said it's important to note that crimes aren't taking place at Jamaican resorts or beaches frequented by Canadians and other visitors.
"I think this (the PM's action) is a pro-active move, and I expect the initiative will end quickly. Right now it's business as usual. Visitors and locals are enjoying St. James and Montego Bay and all the area has to offer. There's really very little impact on law-abiding citizens, and these measures are welcomed by 99 per cent of Jamaicans.
"This sounds somewhat utopian, but these things are being done to ensure an even better tomorrow for us. It's not that we want to keep an eye on things; we want to get rid of the problem.
"It's really a positive," Rose said of the government measures. "Having a state of emergency does invoke a certain imagery but people can still enjoy things that are off the beaten path. We continue to encourage that. I'm not saying they should wander around strange cities at 3 a.m. but I wouldn't do that anywhere in the world."
The Canadian government's travel advisory website says Canadians should "exercise a high degree of caution in Jamaica due to the high level of violent crime and the state of emergency in St James Parish."
The website also says that, "while reports of violence perpetrated against tourists are actually very low, (Canadians should) maintain a high level of personal security awareness at all times, follow the advice of local authorities and monitor local media."
While any travel advisory is unnerving, the advisory the Canadian government has issued for Jamaica is the same one that's in place for the Dominican Republic, France and St. Lucia; all popular spots for visitors from Canada.
The Canadian government is current stating that visitors should exercise a high degree of caution. But the travel advisory website has two warning levels that are much higher. For example, the website says Canadians should "avoid non-essential travel" to Lebanon, Venezuela and Bangladesh and several other nations. For Burundi and Afghanistan and a few other countries it says Canadians should "avoid all travel."
Sunwing last week issued a statement that said they wanted to "reassure passengers that all of our flights, cruise and vacation packages" are operating as scheduled.
"We are in close contact with our destination team, who have advised us that while tourists are being encouraged to exercise a degree of caution, all tours and excursions are operating normally and there are no restrictions on their movements," airline officials said. "Over 95 per cent of our customers choose all-inclusive resorts when they vacation in Jamaica, however we are extending flexible re-accommodation options to any customers booked in a self-catering hotel in St James Parish.
"Jamaica is consistently one of our most popular destinations and we send approximately 5,000 visitors through Montego Bay airport each week without related incident," Sunwing stated. "Customer safety and security is our primary concern and we will continue to seek the advice of the Canadian government, local government, and our local representatives on this matter and adjust our policies if required."
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