Jamaica Sends Troops to Protect Resorts

Jamaica is sending troops to back up police at resorts and major cities such as Kingston to combat crime and harassment of tourists.

A joint committee of the ministries of national security and tourism decided last week to deploy the troops, which were expected to be in place this week.

Adrian Robinson, chairman of the Jamaica Tourist Board, said the troops will mostly assist “behind the scenes” and will be in plainclothes during patrols. “One thing for certain, they will not be in battle dress on the beaches,” he added. He declined to say how many troops will be deployed, citing security concerns.

Overall, reported crimes against tourists in Jamaica have declined in recent years, from 612 in 1992 to fewer than 200 last year, according to government statistics. And Robinson emphasized that about 80% of such incidents are petty theft or other nonviolent crimes. However, the U.S. State Department as of last week was still warning visitors that “violent crime is a serious problem in Jamaica,” and several attacks in recent months, including separate holdups of German tour buses near Montego Bay and Port Maria, have received wide publicity.

Tourism is Jamaica’s leading industry, generating more than $1 billion annually. It gets about 1.2 million visitors (not counting port calls by cruise ships) each year, of which about 800,000 are Americans, Robinson said.