US issues travel advisory for some J’can parishes due to crime

KINGSTON, Jamaica— Ahead of the summer tourist season, the United States on Tuesday issued a level three travel advisory for Jamaica which asks residents to “reconsider travelling” to the country due to crime.

The advisory went to state that those who decide to visit the country should avoid areas in seven parishes.

The parishes are Clarendon, Hanover, Kingston and St Andrew, St James specifically Montego Bay and other areas, St Ann, St Catherine and Westmoreland.

The statement listed some crimes that visitors may experience while visiting the country.

“Violent crimes, such as home invasions, armed robberies, sexual assaults, and homicides, are common. Sexual assaults occur frequently, including at all-inclusive resorts. Local police lack the resources to respond effectively to serious criminal incidents,” the advisory warned.

“Emergency services vary throughout the island, and response times may vary from US standards. The homicide rate reported by the Government of Jamaica has for several years been among the highest in the Western Hemisphere,” it continued.

The advisory stated that US government personnel who are in the country are prohibited from travelling to certain areas in the parishes listed. They were also cautioned not to use public buses, and to avoid “driving outside of prescribed areas of Kingston at night.”

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