WESTERN BUREAU:
TOURISM INTERESTS have again appealed to the Government to take steps to put a lid on the growing crime problem and protect the upcoming winter tourist season.
The latest call comes from the President of the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA), Godfrey Dyer, in the wake of the shooting death of a gardener and the robbery of several tourists at a small hotel in Negril last week. According to Mr. Dyer, the success of the winter tourist season, set to begin in December, will depend on whether the crime problem is brought under control.
SIGNS OF RECOVERY
"We are at the stage where the industry is showing signs of recovery, and we cannot allow crime to just continue to rear its ugly head driving fear into the heart of everyone. Something has to be done and the JHTA is very concerned because this in our opinion can make a difference whether or not we have a good winter season," Mr. Dyer told The Sunday Gleaner on Friday.
The impact of last week's incident at the Falcon Cottages in Negril, on the island's tourism is yet to be seen, but Mr. Dyer feels that it will be minimal, as long as such incidents remain isolated.
"If it remains the only one I think we will overcome it, but if we continue to have more then the impact is going to be even more severe," he noted.
The JHTA president said crimes against tourists were rare. In fact, while describing last week's incident as an aberration, State Minister for Tourism and Industry Dr. Wykeham McNeill, said crimes against tourists were extremely low at 0.01 per cent.
AN UPSURGE IN CRIME
However, according to Dr. McNeill, who is the Member of Parliament for Western Westmoreland including Negril, the West End area where the robbery took place has seen an upsurge in crime in recent times.
"We've had a spate of robberies but the truth of the matter is that this is the first that we are having something of this magnitude on the West End and we have to contain it. This is not the norm, it is an abnormality and we want the people to know it," Dr. McNeill stressed.
The guests, who were robbed of an undetermined sum of money. The police have since taken four men into custody in connection with the incident. On Friday, Superintendent of police in charge of the parish, Cecil Fletcher, ordered that additional police personnel be immediately deployed in the resort town.
D.C.
