EDITORIAL - Let's show the world

Leisure travellers and business people often check local conditions before embarking on overseas trips. It is perfectly understandable that persons may be concerned about the economic, political or social stability of a country and want to be assured that the risks are minimal before deciding to visit or even invest in a particular country.

Many travellers count on their diplomatic missions to provide them with accurate information about local conditions. Right now, Canadians contemplating travel to Jamaica would have to heed the following advice from their government:

"There is a relatively high level of violent crime and murder mainly related to gang activity and reprisal killings in inner-city communities. In the Kingston and St Andrew Corporate Area, the communities of Waterhouse, Drewsland, Grants Pen, Cassava Piece, Rockfort and downtown/central Kingston have seen significant upsurges of violence. Police may impose curfews with short notice in areas where flare-ups have occurred. Travellers are advised to listen to media reports and follow the advice of local police and military officers.

"Political demonstrations, marches, and strikes may occur in the capital and throughout the country. General elections are scheduled for December 29, 2011, and there will be a heightened risk of demonstrations in the period leading up to and following the elections. Roadblocks may occur on main roads and cause travel disruptions. Canadians should not attempt to cross blockades, even if they appear unattended. They should also avoid large gatherings and demonstrations, and monitor local news reports."

The US Department of State, which has issued its own travel advisories and warnings from time to time, can be expected to issue an advisory of its own in the coming days as the election campaign heats up. And other governments are likely to take their cue from Canada and the United States.

A question of fairness

Because these advisories can affect the economic health of a country, they often stir intense debate about the fairness and accuracy of these claims and analyses. Many people have criticised these advisories as being highly prejudicial to business in general, and tourism, in particular.

While a forceful argument can be made that foreign governments would be doing a disservice to their nationals if they failed to warn them about potential danger, there is a duty for these foreign governments to be accurate and avoid disseminating misleading information.

Let us acknowledge that crime is still a problem, and many locals avoid certain areas in the country for fear of being targeted by criminals. Jamaicans have identified crime and violence as a major concern and are demanding that the police do a better job of reducing crime, particularly the murder rate. There is much work to be done to bring crime down to an acceptable level.

So even though the Jamaica Tourist Board and other tourism interests have spent time and resources trying to polish our image as an ideal vacation destination, there are lingering concerns.

The Jamaican people have the opportunity to rise to the occasion and demonstrate to the world that we have matured and are able to carry out an election without mayhem.

Let us demonstrate that we are a progressive country trying to ease our way out of the tough economic and social challenges that continue to haunt us.