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Director of Tourism Donovan White and Pearnel Charles Jr, State Minister for Foreign Affairs
The Tourism Ministry has responded to concerns about the negative publicity the country has been receiving internationally since the killing of an elderly couple in Mount Pleasant, Portland on June 22.
Major newspapers such as The Guardian in the UK and other international news outlets have been reporting that retirees returning to Jamaica face an extreme risk of murder.
When RJR News spoke Monday with Director of Tourism Donovan White about the impact this will have on Jamaica's image, he said the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) is working alongside the Tourism Product Development Company (TPDCo) to continue to market the island in an innovative, creative and sustained way to ensure that "potential visitors and visitors feel safe, secure and have a seemless execution of their vacation in Jamaica."
Mr. White added that the police have been assisting in trying to retain Jamaica's image by assuring potential visitors of their safety through the provision of facts and information.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has confirmed that meetings are being held with the police as well as groups representing returning residents in the wake of security concerns.
Pearnel Charles Jr, State Minister in the Foreign Affairs Ministry, said the meetings, which have already begun and will continue this week, are aimed at reassuring the stakeholders that "the government is listening and is acting appropriately and with the necessary urgency that is demanded is this situation."
In the meantime, Mr. Charles Jr has urged returning residents to take the necessary steps to ensure their safety. He noted that police will also assist in conducting background checks "so that our returning residents are not placed in deleterious positions or don't place themselves in those positions."
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