By comparison, with what older Jamaicans recall as the political temperature of the 1970s, 80s and 90s, yesterday’s actions by the Opposition People’s National Party (PNP) and counter-actions by the governing Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) seem mild.

And yet, what might seem mild now can easily escalate into a boiling cauldron of tribal political violence that threatens the stability that the Jamaican people have sacrificed so much to achieve.

The latest in this enduring story of stability is the substantially more favourable United States travel advisory that is a reflection of hard work and multi-stakeholder effort, notably by the tourism sector, that must be protected at all cost.

Our constitution enshrines the right to stage protest demonstrations as part of the expression of free speech and the ability to freely assemble for peaceful activities. Great care must be taken to exercise this right without jeopardising our economic future.

The previous advisory — Level Three — had urged US citizens to “reconsider travel” to Jamaica due to concerns about crime and health care, which hit us hard. The new Level Two designation now advises travellers to take “increased caution” due to elevated safety and security risks, but represents a welcome improvement in perception.

That the new advisory makes reference to the decrease in crime here is clear indication that continued improvement in this area will most likely lead to even more favourable advisories, and possibly no advisory, which is the ideal.

Every Jamaican stands to benefit from continued growth in arrival of visitors who choose our beautiful country over other destinations to spend their hard-earned money. It’s a competitive world out there and every destination is going all out to woo tourists.

Beyond the tourism industry — our number one foreign exchange earner — the country has started to realise meaningful gains in areas not witnessed for the better part of our Independence and certainly not since the last five decades.

The dramatic drop in murders and other major crimes is perhaps the brightest light in national achievements because of all the mayhem and bloodshed that have consistently made crime the number one issue for Jamaicans. This will have economic benefits too, with our nationals overseas feeling better about returning home to invest and retire.

There is no Jamaican who does not cherish the record fall in poverty and unemployment, which will help to solidify the fall in crime as idle youth find work, feel hope for the future, and become harder to become recruits for the bloodthirsty gangs.

As the clock ticks down to a general election which is constitutionally due September, there is every likelihood that there will be opportunities for party supporters clashing over any number of issues. The party leaders must hold the reins of control tight.

Our election campaigns have been generally robust, not for the faint of heart, and by no means a stroll in the park. Yet, since the early 2000s, we have managed to hold peaceful elections, a fact that has gained us global respect.

The days of the scorched earth approach to elections must not return. Let us honour the sacrifices of our long-suffering people by cooling down the political temperature before things get out of hand.