Jamaican Government expresses disappointment over latest US travel advisory

Monday, February 5, 2024

The Jamaican authorities have voiced their unease and dissatisfaction with the travel advisory that the United States recently released, advising U.S. nationals to think twice about traveling to the island.

The advisory, a Level 3 warning from the U.S. State Department, was published last week. It advises American citizens to reconsider their travel plans to Jamaica because of the increasing crime rates and the unreliability of medical services.

This cautionary notice follows reports from the U.S. Embassy in Jamaica highlighting frequent violent crimes, including break-ins, armed thefts, sexual assaults, and murders, which occur even in all-inclusive resorts.
But the island’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Kamina Johnson Smith said the advisory does not accurately reflect the affairs of the country.

“Notwithstanding our care and concern for the safety of all visitors to our island, and notwithstanding our understanding that the overall ranking of Jamaica has not deteriorated in this most recent advisory, the Government of Jamaica is disappointed that the language used does not reflect our country’s significant progress”, said Minister Johnson Smith in a statement.

She highlighted the significant improvements recorded in security and healthcare, acknowledging the high level of cooperation between Jamaica and the United States to tackle some of the very issues listed.

“In recent years, the Government has more than doubled its investments to strengthen our capacity to tackle crime and health-related challenges across the island for the benefit of our citizens and indeed everyone who wishes to visit Jamaica,” she said.
Jamaica is experiencing an unprecedented surge in tourist arrivals. The minister highlighted that this increase comes despite the travel advisory, following a recent Gallup survey that identified Jamaica as a top destination within the Latin America and Caribbean region. The country continues to attract a growing number of tourists who experience safe and enjoyable holidays.

By May 2023, Jamaica had welcomed over 1.5 million visitors. Additionally, in August, the island was honored at the 2023 World Travel Awards Caribbean and America’s Gala, being named the leading travel destination in the Caribbean.

Regarding health concerns, the travel advisory issued a caution about the reliability of medical services in Jamaica, noting that healthcare might not always be dependable. It mentioned that some medical facilities could require upfront payment before providing services.

However, the Minister of Health and Wellness, Christopher Tufton, has emphasized the country’s progress in improving healthcare service delivery, showcasing the efforts to advance the quality and reliability of medical care available to both residents and visitors.
“We have continuously committed to capital investment around infrastructure; increased technical competencies of our workforce and comprehensively reformed the organization and development of our health professionals to deliver service with care and compassion. We continue to appeal for collaboration on the training of healthcare workers, given the mass recruitment of our staff to other global markets including the USA. The country, of course, is open to dialogue with our international partners to strengthen Jamaica’s healthcare system”, the Health Minister said.

Travel advisories were also issued for other countries in the Caribbean, including The Bahamas and Trinidad and Tobago.

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