MONTEGO BAY, St James

Tourism Minister, Ed Bartlett, yesterday warned drug pushers and tourist harassers who operate on the popular Gloucester Avenue ‘hip strip’ in this resort city, that they will be caught and brought to book when the new crime fighting equipment is installed in the area.

“We will be watching you and we are going to catch you and we are going to apprehend you,” the newly appointed tourism minister warned.

He said that as of October 15, Close Circuit Television (CCT) as well as a Command and Control Vehicle (Mobile Police Station) fitted with state-of-the-art surveillance equipment will be placed along the busy hip strip.

“That will give us a comprehensive view of everything that is happening along the strip. The technology is pretty advanced and we are confident that we will succeed in our drive to have them (criminals) removed from the hip strip,

Bartlett stressed.

The tourism minister who was speaking at a media briefing in Montego Bay yesterday added that the government has commissioned the Florida- based firm, International Surveillance Technology Incorporated Company to outfit the vehicle with “high tech technology”.

He said two members of the Jamaica Constabulary Force will be leaving the island on the weekend for Florida where they will be trained to use the equipment.

Tourism officials in the resort city have long complained about the large number of drug pushers and persons harassing locals as well as tourists along the ‘hip strip’.

But despite efforts by the government in recent years to put an end to the practice the problem has persisted.

Yesterday, Bartlett noted that last year officials of the security force brought to the attention of the government and tourist officials the difficulty they were having in properly patrolling the resort area, due mainly to a lack of resources.

Consequently, Bartlett said, the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF) allocated $33.5 million to purchase the Command and Control Vehicle.

Meanwhile, Bartlett said his ministry is to undertake a massive clean up programme in resort areas in time for the 2007/2008 winter tourist season.

“We are going all out to make the start of the winter season as great as humanly possible and in that way were are going to undertake a massive clean up in the resort areas,” Bartlett said. “Already I have had discussions with the Montego Bay chapter of the JHTA (Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association) and we are going to talk with the other chapters to partner with us in this general preparation for the start of winter season,” he added.