Norman Grindley/Deputy Chief Photographer
This huge pile of garbage makes a bold statement in the town of Ocho Rios, St. Ann.

Garwin Davis, Sunday Gleaner Writer

Tourist harassment has once again raised its ugly head on the streets of Ocho Rios, forcing visitors to either retreat hastily back to their ship or simply stay behind the safe walls of the hotels.

The problem has so infuriated the town's business community that many are now calling for the return of the resort patrol to assist the police.

"The police by themselves cannot control harassment," argued Jim Lakhwani, businessman. "Policing in a resort town is a lot more challenging than in other areas, and unless you have enough officers at your disposal, there is no way to keep pace with all the problems we have here on the streets."

Sanju Chatani, owner of the new Hard Rock Café, agreed. "When we had the Richard King-led resort patrol visitor harassment was significantly curtailed," he said. "Today, no visitor can walk from the cruise ship pier to the Ocho Rios clock tower without being harassed about fifty times. I look outside my office at the Taj Mahal Plaza daily and I am embarrassed at what I see on the streets. I don't care what it takes but we need for the resort patrol to be brought back to assist the police."

The resort patrol programme was scrapped nearly seven years ago for what the government said was a result of inadequate resources. Patrol officers were mandated to monitor the tourist prescribed areas so as to ensure that visitors could walk the streets without being badgered or harassed. The police have long complained that it was extremely difficult for them to adequately monitor the prescribed areas and deal with everyday policing at the same time.

Preying on visitors

"It's difficult for us to commit people on the streets and leave ourselves thin in other areas," one senior officer who requested anonymity told The Sunday Gleaner on Thursday. "The road leading from the Reynolds Pier all the way up to Ocean Village is a major problem. The pimps, touts, hair-braiders and others, some under the guise of selling craft items, are out there in their numbers preying on the poor visitors like a moth to a flame. It is very embarrassing for the country, and has been very damaging to the tourism sector. We just don't have enough officers to sustain any kind of drive against this problem."

There are also reports of tourists being lured by the pimps into remote areas where they are oftentimes intimidated and robbed. Usually in fear for their lives or being pressed for time, they are more inclined to go back to their ship or hotel room without making an official report. The police say that because of the perceived notion that Ocho Rios 'is the land of milk and honey'; the town is now being preyed on by outside criminals, many coming from as far away as Kingston and St. Catherine.

"The government will have to intervene here quickly," said Robert McKenzie, businessman. "We cannot afford to subject our visitors to what former Prime Minister P.J. Patterson once called the 'leading ill facing the sector'. We also may have to impose stiffer fines. It can't be that somebody is booked today for harassing tourists and tomorrow that person is back on the streets doing the same thing. That makes no sense at all."