Unrest will be costly - Hundreds of millions in lost revenue

By McPherse Thompson, Staff Reporter

This burnt pick-up was among old drums, wood and other debris used to block Red Hills Road in St. Andrew on Monday. Businesses were closed as a result of the unrest. - Junior Dowie

THE CIVIL disturbance in Western Kingston and its environs is likely to cost businesses as well as the Government hundreds of millions of dollars in lost revenue, not to mention the repercussions it will have on the tourist industry and direct foreign investment.

The Jamaica Chamber of Commerce (JCC) said last month, at the height of the disturbances which culminated in last weekend's explosive gun battle between gunmen and the security forces, that sales had plummeted between 50 per cent and 60 per cent during the flare-up in violence in recent times in downtown Kingston.

Add to that the fact that businesses were forced to pull down their shutters for extended times during that period and the costs will become even more evident.

For the second successive day yesterday, most businesses in the Corporate Area of Kingston and St. Andrew remained closed, with some, such as Cable & Wireless Jamaica (C&WJ) advising its workers, through the electronic media, not to venture into areas in which they might be exposed to harm. C&WJ also said it could not guarantee the level of certain services because its business offices in Kingston and Spanish Town, St. Catherine were closed and would be re-opened when it became feasible.

The Bank of Jamaica (BoJ), other banks and financial institutions also remained closed yesterday, and throughout the course of the day companies such as Grace, Kennedy and Company advised that all their offices and factories as well as their remittance service in Kingston and Spanish Town would remain closed for the day.

Although some members of staff of the Financial Sector Adjustment Company (FINSAC) turned up for work at their New Kingston office, the agency was not officially opened to the public yesterday. Some fast food restaurants along the usually busy thoroughfare of Knutsford Boulevard in New Kingston, some of which were closed on Monday, opened their doors yesterday along with a few other businesses.

The U.S. Embassy in New Kingston was opened to the public and, according to media relations co-ordinator at the Office of Public Affairs of the U.S. Embassy, Emma Lewis, the disturbances did not affect those who had visa application appointments.

However, among other things, the U.S. State Department, in a warning on its web site, "advises United States citizens travelling to or residing in Jamaica to exercise caution in Kingston, Jamaica's capital. Ongoing gun battles between security forces and politically-affiliated gangs in West Kingston have resulted in some deaths and multiple injuries from gunfire. In addition, some roads in other areas of Kingston as well as the primary route to Norman Manley International Airport have been blocked at various times."

Public relations manager at the Jamaica Public Service Company (JPSCo), Winsome Callum, said their customer service offices at East Parade in downtown Kingston, Ruthven Road and Constant Spring Road in St. Andrew, and Spanish Town were closed yesterday, but would be re-opened this morning.

Digicel's chief operating officer, Seamus Lynch, said they were hoping that the disturbances would not be prolonged as the company, in addition to preparing to launch some additional products to complement its existing services some time in August, was "in the middle of adding another 40 (cellular) sites by the end of this month."

Mr. Lynch, asked about his perspective as a foreign investor, said there was concern as to why the political directorate could not meet and seek to resolve the problem. "Yes, there are alarm bells ringing and if you look at the U.S. Embassy website they are warning people to be wary about travelling to Jamaica."

Noting that investors would not be willing to invest in a country to which tourists would not travel, Mr. Lynch said, "what I'd urge politicians to do is to sit and resolve the issue. There has to be a common policy and approach to crime by all political parties."

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