NEGRIL, Westmoreland — Despite concerns about two recent killings here, the statistics have shown that Negril is the safest it has been in the last 16 years. The business community, residents, and police are earnestly working together to keep it that way.

“We, as a community, have to unite because this isn’t an ‘I’ destination, this is a ‘we’ destination for tourism. We are one of the number one tourist destinations, and it’s important that we remember this.

“Our community not only includes big hotels but [also] small hotels, small businesses, the chicken vendors that you see on the road, [and] the artisan and craft vendors that you see displaying their arts and crafts. It is incumbent upon each of us to look at Negril as our home and as our place of business, because everything, everyone, depends on tourism down here,” argued Negril stakeholder and director of Wavz Rosa Young.

Young was speaking with the Jamaica Observer following a community meeting held at Wavz in Negril last Thursday.

“It not only bodes well for a harmonious community but also for a safer community so that visitors can feel that they can wander around, get lost, and not feel afraid; they can feel safe that somebody’s going to point them in the right direction. We all look out for each other. We are our brother’s keepers and we have to come together in that light, because we just have one road in Negril, one road up at the cliff. So out of many, one people, one Negril,” insisted Young.

Last Thursday, the commanding officer for Westmoreland Police Division Senior Superintendent of Police Othneil Dobson, who led members of his team to the meeting, told the gathering that Negril is seen as “laid-back, free, and a place that you go for fun”.

“That’s why so many artistes sing songs about this little cabin in Negril…And we are here to make Westmoreland and Negril as safe as it can be. What I must say from a police perspective, Westmoreland is the safest it has been in the last 20-odd years,” said SSP Dobson.

Negril recorded eight murders in 2011. However, at one point, the number or murders surged to 27. Last year, 14 murders were recorded. SSP Dobson noted that, with his management team’s crime-fighting strategies, “we were able to take it down to eight murders; year to date, we are seeing a 33 per cent reduction in murders in Negril.”

As for the wider parish, SSP Dobson, who assumed command of the police division in January 2023, noted that when the management team took over Westmoreland, there were 117 murders. However, within eight months, the figure was reduced to 100 murders.

“Over the next 12 months, we took it down to 39 murders — 61 per cent [reduction] — the highest murder reduction percentage-wise across the country. And year to date, we have 13 murders. We are down by 41 per cent over last year,” said a confident SSP Dobson.

Also present at the meeting was the business development officer for the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB), Marsha Roberts, who called on stakeholders to take the Negril market seriously and protect it.

“Negril is no joke out there in the marketplace. It’s one of our preferred resort areas in Jamaica. Since the inception of brand Negril, the area has been recognised for its resilience, beautiful physical attributes, and other unique qualities. And, it is important that we all work together to preserve that. My role here today is to encourage everyone to continue to build together, because together we are stronger,” said Roberts.

With Jamaica currently in the midst of the summer tourism season, which runs from June to August, the community meeting was used to unveil a new ‘Resilient, Stronger and Safer Negril’ framework.

The goal is to demonstrate to visitors and investors that Negril is not just safe, but actively supported by a unified network of emergency, medical, and community resources. It marks the formal alignment of private sector assets with public safety protocols.

Regarding safety and crime prevention, the aim is to collaborate closely with neighbourhood watch groups and the police. The strategy relies on a “see something, say something” approach, emphasising that residents must act as the “eyes, ears, and heart” of Negril to look out for one another.

The health and well-being strategy is aimed at building a “stronger core community” by promoting better health for all ages, including seniors. This includes a partnership with the Ministry of Health and Wellness to offer free medical screenings and encourage neighbours to check on each other’s well-being — ensuring they are eating, resting, and staying hydrated in the heat.

Fire safety is also on the list, which looks at practising good safety habits such as not leaving stoves unattended and preventing emergencies rather than just relying on the fire department to respond to them.

Young also defined resilience as a spirit of togetherness and mutual care, in which every community member takes individual responsibility to be “their brother’s keeper”.

Among other entities represented at the meeting were the Jamaica Fire Brigade, the Westmoreland Health Department, the Negril Chamber of Commerce, and Omega Hospital.

The commanding officer for the Westmoreland Police Division, Senior Superintendent Othneil Dobson, addressing a Negril community meeting held at Wavz in Negril on Thursday.