Jan 19, 2018 Travel Alert for MONTEGO BAY

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Canadians urged to exercise caution during state of emergency in Montego Bay

St. James is a suburban parish, located on the north-west end of the island of Jamaica. (Google Maps)

 

 

CTVNews.ca
Published Friday, January 19, 2018 7:42AM EST

Canadian travellers seeking sun in Montego Bay, Jamaica should exercise caution during a state of emergency over a spike in violent crime, the Canadian government is warning.

Jamaican authorities imposed a military lockdown in St. James Parish Thursday, which includes the popular tourist destination.“Military forces have been deployed to the area in an attempt to stabilize the situation,” reads a safety and security notice posted by Travel Canada.Jamaica imposes curfew in Montego Bay amid rise in crime

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“If you are staying at a resort in the affected area, restrict your movements beyond resort security perimeters. If you do travel outside these perimeters, use transportation arranged or provided by the resort. Use organized tour operators for excursions and travel to and from the airport. If you are in the affected area, be extremely vigilant, follow the instructions of local authorities and monitor local news.”

Jamaican authorities say violence, in particular murders, has been escalating and endangers public safety. Prime Minister Andrew Holness said in a statement Thursday that the parish recorded 335 murders in 2017, twice the number of any other parish.

Under the state of emergency, security forces will have “extraordinary powers and some rights will be suspended,” he said. Those powers include search of persons and vehicles, curtailing business hours and detaining people without a warrant. Checkpoints will be set up on roads in and out of the parish.

“This does not mean that use of these extraordinary powers can be arbitrary or are beyond review. The security forces are expected and have been directed to treat citizens with respect and protect the dignity and safety of all.”

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An update

Canadians in Jamaica's Montego Bay warned to stay within resorts

Jamaican government declares emergency and deploys military forces to area after spike in murders, thefts

CBC NewsPosted: Jan 19, 2018 11:23 AM ET Last Updated: Jan 19, 2018 3:59 PM ET

Tourists having fun on the sea at Doctor's Cave Beach Club, Montego Bay, Jamaica. The Canadian government has warned tourists in the area to remain within their resort due to a spike in violent crimes. (Shutterstock)

 

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• Government of Canada warning

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The Canadian government is warning tourists in the popular Jamaican destination of Montego Bay to remain in their resorts due to an increase in violent crime.

Travel Canada issued the warning after the Jamaican government declared a state of emergency and deployed military forces to the island's St. James Parish after a spike in thefts and murders.

The Canadian advisory says there have been reports of alleged sexual assaults at tourist resorts that were carried out by resort staff and, in some cases, by other tourists.

• 2 Winnipeg seniors killed in their vacation home in Jamaica

It warns sun seekers to avoid travelling to the area, citing "an extreme risk to your personal safety and security," and to remain within the resort compounds if you're already there.

"If you are staying at a resort in the affected area, restrict your movements beyond resort security perimeters. If you do travel outside these perimeters, use transportation arranged or provided by the resort," the advisory says.

"If you are in the affected area, be extremely vigilant, follow the instructions of local authorities and monitor local news."

'Holding the country to ransom'

According to the Jamaica Observer, Thursday's declaration of a state of public emergency was immediately supported by the People's National Party, the official opposition in Jamaica's Parliament. The state of emergency will remain in effect for at least 14 days or as long as three months, the news outlet reported.

 The Jamaican Chamber of Commerce backed the move, according to the Observer. 

"The implementation of the state of emergency under the nation's constitutional provisions is appropriate in light of the grave danger posed by gangs and individuals who have, for too long, been holding the country to ransom, and threatening the gains arising from the difficult but necessary economic policies put in place by successive administrations," the chamber said. 

Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness has told Jamaicans that the security forces being deployed to St. James have extra powers and some rights are being suspended but that the rule of law still applied. 

"Crime and violence, in particular murders, have been escalating in the Parish of St. James," Holness said in a public address."I have been advised by the security forces, in writing, that the level of criminal activity experiences, continued and threatened, is of such a nature, and is so extensive in scale as to endanger public safety."sing U.S. citizens that the 1966 Emergency Powers Act allows Jamaican security forces in St. James Parish to "arbitrarily detain and deport suspicious persons, enter premises and seize property with a warrant."

"Expect to encounter increased police and military presence, checkpoints, and searches of persons and vehicles within the borders of St. James Parish," the U.S. embassy said. 

The embassy is advising its citizens to co-operate with police and military forces, monitor local media for updates on the situation and to expect travel delays.

Anyone witnessing criminal activity in Jamaica should use local emergency numbers including the crime stopper hotline 311 or the security forces hotline 830-8888