Prime Minister Andrew Holness
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Prime Minister Andrew Holness
By Prince Moore
Prime Minister Andrew Holness says the latest travel advisory issued by the United States cautioning its citizens against travel to Jamaica due to crime is not reflective of the improvements made in reducing criminal activities.
The US embassy in Jamaica has issued a Level 3 travel advisory for tourists to "reconsider travel", which is just one level short of the most severe warning to Americans advising against travel altogether.
But Mr. Holness believes the advisory is based on a perception of the crime situation in Jamaica and not reality.
"It is clear that based upon all the statistics that I have given you and the direction in which we are heading, that the advisory is at variance with the statistics as the improvements are evident, certainly in terms of what we're doing with crime, violence and safety," he pointed out.
He said both governments and law enforcement personnel must now try to come up with strategies on how to "close the gap between how persons feel and the reality, especially in the age of social media and its impact on perception".
Mr. Holness was speaking Wednesday at a conference on organised violence and the threat to peace in Jamaica and the region.
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