JHTA welcomes new crime-fighting measures

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THE tourism sector has welcomed Government's new crime-fighting measures, which the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA) says are doing more good than harm to the country.

The measures, which were implemented in May as criminals loyal to former Tivoli Gardens don Christopher 'Dudus' Coke attacked members of the security forces in their bid to prevent his extradition to the United States, include cordon, searches and curfews, while a limited State of Public Emergency has given additional powers to the security forces.

At the Observer's Monday Exchange of editors and reporters, JHTA President Wayne Cummings said the association has always been forthright in its call for the crime issues in Jamaica to be addressed.

"We felt we had gotten to the point where we can take no more... crime and tourism does not work, but I am more concerned about crime in general," he said.

"We are in full support of the security forces being out, to the extent that we can push back the criminals, because you can't have 600 and 700 people dying and we continue as if nothing is going on," said Cummings.

He, however, noted that the State of Emergency must be assessed based on the needs on the ground.

"... Like everything, it must be well used and there is an exit strategy which must be fully communicated," Cummings said.

With some destinations with far less to offer than Jamaica seeing growth, the JHTA head said that the time is right to employ strong crime-fighting strategies to push back the criminals.

Following an estimated US$350,000 loss to the sector as a result of the West Kingston unrest, Cummings said things have returned almost to normal in terms of the relationship with the travel trade, but that there was no change in perception for new bookings.

"The visitors who are looking down into September, October, many of those bookings have not returned," he said.

According to Cummings, the sector is already down an average 25 per cent off last year and the previous year, which he said were both challenging.

"So one can only imagine that we are looking down the barrel of crisis," he said.

Cummings said it was believed that the recovery rate for the sector would have been faster had Jamaica not been in direct conflict with the United States.

He was making reference to the delay in signing the authority to proceed on the US' extradition request for Coke to stand trial for drug and gunrunning charges.

Cummings said the JHTA began working with the Jamaica Tourist Board (JTB) a week after the West Kingston incursion to apprehend Coke, and devised a plan to bring in overseas representatives and public relations agencies out of United States, Canada and United Kingdom markets.

Asked if he was in support of the soldiers remaining on the streets longer than the additional month, Cummings said "yes", adding that the days when tourists were afraid of seeing soldiers on patrol are long gone.

He explained that prior to the 9/11 terrorist attacks in New York, the sight of soldiers with long guns on the streets was a bit of a shock to tourists, but not anymore.

"Now, whichever airport or train station you travel through, it is accepted that security is there for your safety," he said.

Jamaica, he argued, is too small to not use all the resources to make both Jamaicans and tourists alike feel safe.