"Now State Department warns Americans to 'reconsider travel' to Jamaica after 65 murders in January and frequent sex attacks - including at all-inclusive resorts'," reports the Daily Mail. This is on top of a similar warning about the Bahamas.
'Violent crimes, such as home invasions, armed robberies, sexual assaults, and homicides, are common. Sexual assaults occur frequently, including at all-inclusive resorts,' the warning for Jamaica read.
'Local police often do not respond effectively to serious criminal incidents. When arrests are made, cases are infrequently prosecuted to a conclusive sentence.'
'Families of US citizens killed in accidents or homicides frequently wait a year or more for final death certificates to be issued by Jamaican authorities.'
State said Jamaica's homicide rate was among the highest in the Western Hemisphere for the past several years.
However, none of the 65 people killed in Jamaica this year were visitors.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle visited Jamaica last week, meeting with Prime Minister Andrew Holness and other dignitaries - but under extreme security.
Sexual assaults are also common in Jamaica compared to other parts of the world, and are the number one concern of tourists in all-inclusive resorts.
Canadian travel warnings even advise women to avoid drinking heavily at resorts in case they fall prey to predators.
'There have been reports of sexual assaults at tourist resorts carried out by resort staff and, in some cases, by other tourists. Women travelling alone are often harassed,' it read
'Be wary of strangers who seem friendly, refrain from excessive drinking, especially at all-inclusive resorts, and ensure that your hotel room doors and windows are locked.'
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The second reason for the advisory was that medical facilities were well below American standards and specialized care was hard to come by.
Ambulances may take a long time to arrive and were not always staffed by trained personnel.
Elsewhere we read that "Jamaica is one of the most violent countries in the Caribbean. In 2022, there were approximately 52.9 homicides per 100,000 inhabitants in the island nation. This was highest homicide rate in Latin America and the Caribbean that year." You would have to go to St. Louis, Missouri, to find a higher murder rate. I wonder if there is some commonality between Jamaica and St. Louis?
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