PM assures US tourists Ja still no problem despite travel advisories
Published:Wednesday | July 31, 2024 | 12:16 AMAinsworth Morris/Staff Reporter -
With numerous travel warnings issues in recent times by the United States (US) Department of State for that country's citizens to be wary when travelling to Jamaica, Prime Minister Andrew Holness is seeking to provide reassurance that there is no need for concern.
During his address at the US Agency for International Development (USAID) handover ceremony of partial delivery of relief supplies to assist with the Hurricane Beryl relief efforts on Tuesday, Holness directed his message to Nick Perry, the US ambassador to Jamaica, who was present.
“Jamaica is a very safe place for particularly American male tourists and our security forces and indeed our health services. We are a developing country. We face certain realities, but we are building a society, economy and a country that is safe for all, and what we want to achieve is not just sun, sea and sand, those key messages. We have some other messages that we want to add to it,” the prime minister said during the event held at the offices of the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM).
These other messages include words such as safety, security and seamlessness.
In a new travel advisory issued on July 25, the US State Department maintained the island's Level 3 designation, but adjusted its language to indicate that "tourist areas generally see lower rates of violent crime than other parts of the country" and noting that the US Embassy "routinely receives reports of sexual assaults, including from US citizen tourists at resorts".
The previous travel advisory, which had raised concerns among local officials, had stated that sexual assaults take place "frequently, including at all-inclusive resorts".
With the new language representing what Jamaica's Ambassador to the US Audrey Marks considers a softened position, she told The Gleaner on Tuesday, “It is not where we want to be but it is an improvement.”
She said discussions between the Jamaican Government and the US Department of State are ongoing to try to get the Level 3 designation reduced to Level 2.
“We are making progress but crime continues to be the major concern,” she said, noting that the State Department is looking at the overall Jamaican crime statistics in making its call.
In the meantime, responding to the significant damage caused by Hurricane Beryl in Jamaica on July 3, the US yesterday completed the partial delivery of items received at the handover.
The US government, through the United States Agency for International Development's Bureau of Humanitarian Assistance (BHA), has committed US$2.5 million to support relief efforts. This funding provides essential relief supplies, emergency logistics, and various forms of support to help the affected communities recover.
On Tuesday, some supplies from both air and ocean shipments were formally handed over to the ODPEM. The value of these commodities is US$360,000 and forms part of the initial US$2.5 million support.
The essential relief supplies included: 10,000 plastic tarps, 5,000 shelter fixing kits, 24 water tanks for households in Clarendon and St Elizabeth, 1,500 gallons of safe drinking water, mattresses, chainsaws, food vouchers, flashlights, lanterns with batteries, bedding, cleaning kits and hygiene kits.
The US government, through USAID, has provided an additional US$200,000 for the Jamaica Red Cross, while working with the ODPEM to support households in the most-affected parishes of Clarendon, Manchester, St Elizabeth and St Thomas, as well as hurricane-affected pockets in other parishes.
This assistance included food vouchers, essential relief supplies, emergency logistics, telecommunication assistance, shock responsive social protection and cash transfer programming.
For his part, Perry said the US is committed to helping Jamaica rebuild following the hurricane.
“The United States is committed to supporting all your ongoing efforts. The supplies being handed over today will play an important role in meeting the immediate needs of as many of those affected as we can,” Perry said during his brief address.
“The United States government stands in solidarity with Jamaica, not just in time of disaster, but as enduring friends and partners in resilience and recovery.”