North America, UK maintain travel warnings
Published:Tuesday | June 8, 2010 | 12:00 AM
SECTIONS OF Jamaica's capital were up to yesterday still painted by North America and the United Kingdom as risk zones their nationals should avoid.
Two weeks after an unprecedented clash between the security forces and gunmen in west Kingston, leaving one soldier and 73 civilians dead, travel advisories and alerts from at least three powerful nations remain in place.
The security forces are still on an islandwide hunt to arrest deposed Tivoli Gardens strongman Christo-pher 'Dudus' Coke, after he escaped a massive dragnet.
A front-page picture on the website of the British High Commission in Jamaica shows lawmen approaching a burning roadblock in west Kingston. This, however, does not represent the current situation, as the blockades and burning debris have long been removed.
The Jamaican Government today launched a US$10-million tourism marketing blitz aimed at damage control in North American and European markets.
The UK government has advised its nationals that there remained an increased risk of further outbreaks of civil disorder and shooting in Kingston and, possibly, Spanish Town.
"British nationals should avoid the areas of west Kingston (Tivoli and Denham Town, in particular) and Mountain View," the UK advisory said.
Extra security precautions
The United States travel alert, which expires on June 23, says the US Embassy in Kingston was taking extra security precautions, including travel cancellations by government personnel into Kingston.
The travel alert was issued by the US on May 21, days after Prime Minister Bruce Golding announced, in a national broadcast, that the Jamaican Government would sign an extradition request for Coke.
Coke is wanted in the US on drug and gunrunning charges.
Meanwhile, the Canadian High Commission in Jamaica is urging its citizens to exercise a high degree of caution when travelling in certain sections of the Corporate Area. The areas listed include Waterhouse, Drewsland, Grants Pen, Cassava Piece, Rockfort and central Kingston.
Canada has removed the travel warning for downtown Kingston.