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US citizens urged to reconsider travelling to Jamaica

May 17th, 2023 | Tags:
According to the US State Department, violent crimes, such as home invasions, armed robberies, sexual assaults, and homicides, are common in Jamaica. Photo: Loop News
LOOP NEWS

The United States is urging citizens to reconsider travelling to Jamaica due to the crime situation and also prohibited government personnel from travelling to many areas due to increased risk.

In a travel advisory, the US State Department has given the island, the sixth most popular Caribbean cruise destination, with roughly 1.66 million visitors annually, a Level 3 warning of the four-tier system, with only Level 4 “Do Not Travel” considered a more urgent warning.

The travel advisory of Level 3: Reconsider Travel was first advised for Jamaica in early 2022. But while this new update maintains that advisory, it expands on the discussion of types of crime and specific regions of the country where more crimes are recorded to give travellers the most detailed information to make their travel decisions.

According to the US State Department, violent crimes, such as home invasions, armed robberies, sexual assaults, and homicides, are common. It said sexual assaults occur frequently, including at all-inclusive resorts.

“Local police often do not respond effectively to serious criminal incidents. When arrests are made, cases are infrequently prosecuted to a conclusive sentence. Families of US citizens killed in accidents or homicides frequently wait a year or more for final death certificates to be issued by Jamaican authorities,” Washington said.

It said emergency services and hospital care vary throughout the island, and response times and quality of care may vary from US standards.

“The homicide rate reported by the Government of Jamaica has for several years been among the highest in the Western Hemisphere,” the advisory said, adding that US government personnel are prohibited from traveling to the several areas, from using public buses, and from driving outside of prescribed areas of Kingston at night.

Jamaica has recorded 409 murders so far this year as compared with 489 for the comparison period last year. There have been 336 shootings so far this year as against 389 last year.

5 Responses to “US citizens urged to reconsider travelling to Jamaica”

  • Greg (17/05/2023, 09:46) Like (12) Dislike (5) Reply
    What's the difference between Jamacia and redneck racist KKK allowed doing what they want to innocent people because of the color of their skin in the USA? America is filled with Karens and Kens doing hateful things to people for no reason and calling the police on them for no reason, just because of the color of their skin, and they don't get arrested for it. America has no right to talk about other countries when they themselves turn a blind eye to their white privileged people killing, raping, and committing crimes against their own citizens, and let's not forget raiding the government building, instantly siding with their own even though camera evidence shows differently. If people want to go to Jamaica, they can, but just like the USA, know where to go and where not to. The Marine who just murdered by choking the young man on the subway in front of so many people, and was allowed to walk free for now. REALLY USA? REALLY?
  • hmm2 (18/05/2023, 10:29) Like (9) Dislike (15) Reply
    BVI should also heed such warnings and minimize the entry of such countries residents entering our Nature's Little Secret. Make it harder for such nationals to enter our country and possibly increasing the challenges/crimes that we face here already.
  • Laurie (19/05/2023, 14:23) Like (3) Dislike (10) Reply
    Hello Greg - half truths and lack of factual information in comments made here by you merely fuel the white vs black mentality. Let’s remember that most people are good! We should all do our best to be color blind and deal with all perpetrators the same. With videos and cameras we may be able to get the bad eggs out of our police forces and out of our societies by aide in properly punishing the bad humans. Sadly the white on black crimes are picked up by all types of media outlets, and highly publicized. All races, all colors do bad things and everyone needs to be held accountable and properly punished. And all countries need to treat everyone equally. I hope all countries improve. The report about Jamaica is based on murders per capita - meaning based on the total population. The US is huge and has a high population and is ranked at #28 with roughly 7 murders per 100,000 people. Jamaica ranks #1 with 45 murders per 100,000 people. Do your research and base comments on fact. And FYI- #2 is Honduras, #3 is S. Africa, #4 is Mexico, #5 St Lucia, #6 Belize. The US State Dept is merely issuing a warning but its residents can chose to go or not.
  • Oh Really? (22/05/2023, 11:36) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    The same can be said for the US.
  • Game Over (23/05/2023, 19:53) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    The US is the wickedest country on the planet. The wrongs that they have done to people of colour can never be forgotten. They somehow feel they are entitled to dictate to other people so as to maintain their self proclaimed superiority which was established through the wickedest crimes this planet has ever seen. Jamaica is getting too close to China so they must be sanctioned. What the US is doing in Ukraine should be of much more concern to it's citizens than Jamaica every step takes us closer to nuclear war.


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