The U.S. Department of State has issued a new warning for American travelers headed to the Caribbean due to violent crime that has impacted the local populations of Jamaica and the Bahamas.
US raises travel advisory for travel to Jamaica
The State Department reissued a Level 3 travel advisory for Jamaica last month, asking Americans to “reconsider travel to Jamaica due to crime and medical services.”
“Violent crimes, such as home invasions, armed robberies, sexual assaults, and homicides, are common. Sexual assaults occur frequently, including at all-inclusive resorts,” the advisory, reissued on Jan. 23, stated in a summary of what’s happening in the Caribbean country.
“Local police often do not respond effectively to serious criminal incidents. When arrests are made, cases are infrequently prosecuted to a conclusive sentence,” the alert warned. “Families of U.S. citizens killed in accidents or homicides frequently wait a year or more for final death certificates to be issued by Jamaican authorities.”
The State Department further reminded that homicide rate as reported by the Jamaican government “has for several years been among the highest in the Western Hemisphere.”
As of time of publication, the State Department has “prohibited” U.S. government personnel under Chief of Mission (COM) security responsibility “from traveling to the areas” listed in the advisory, as well as “using public buses, and from driving outside of prescribed areas of Kingston at night.”
Additionally, the agency said emergency services and hospital care in Jamaica may not meet U.S. standards, because response times and quality of care can vary throughout the island.
“Public hospitals are under-resourced and cannot always provide high level or specialized care. Private hospitals require payment up front before admitting patients and may not have the ability to provide specialized care,” the State Department said. “Ambulance services are not always readily available, especially in rural areas, and are not always staffed by trained personnel.”
The State Department does not pay medical bills, and advisory notes, so it strongly encourages that Americans “obtain traveler’s insurance, including medical evacuation insurance, before traveling to Jamaica.”
Finally, U.S. Medicare or Medicaid does not apply overseas and most hospitals and doctors overseas do not accept U.S. health insurance, according to the advisory.
“U.S. citizens with medical emergencies can face bills in the tens of thousands of dollars,” the advisory stated, adding that the cost of air ambulance services to the U.S. can range from $30,000 to $50,000.
Read the country information page on the State Department website for additional information on travel to Jamaica.
Areas in Jamaica on State Department’s Do Not Travel list
St. Ann’s Parish, St. Catherine’s Parish, Clarendon Parish — except if passing through Clarendon Parish using the T1 and A2 highways — St. Elizabeth’s Parish, Hanover Parish, St. James Parish and Montego Bay, Kingston and St. Andrew Parish, Cassava Piece, Downtown Kingston, Manchester Parish, St. Thomas Parish, Trelawny Parish, Westmoreland Parish.
Click here for further details regarding each county and parish, including specific neighborhoods and popular tourist areas.
Safety information for Americans who travel to Jamaica
While the State Department has urged U.S. travelers to avoid the Caribbean country, it also shared a list of best practices if you are still planning to visit the island.
- Do not attempt to bring firearms or ammunition. This includes stray rounds, shells or empty casings. The penalties for carrying firearms and/or ammunition, even inadvertently, are severe, and can include lengthy prison sentences.
- Avoid walking or driving at night.
- Avoid secluded places or situations.
- Do not physically resist any robbery attempt.
- Be aware of your surroundings and keep a low profile.
- Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive Alerts and make it easier to locate you in an emergency.
- Follow the Department of State on Facebook and Twitter.
- Review the Country Security Report for Jamaica.
- Prepare a contingency plan for emergency situations. Review the Traveler’s Checklist.
- Visit the CDC page for the latest Travel Health Information related to your travel.
- Violence and shootings occur regularly in many neighborhoods, communities, and parishes in Jamaica.
- If you do decide to travel to the above-listed “Do Not Travel” areas, the Department of State asks Americans to visit this website for information on travel to high-risk areas.
What to know about US travel advisory for the Bahamas
The advisory, issued on Jan. 26, urged travelers to “exercise increased caution” should they decide to visit the Caribbean country.
According to the State Department, the majority of crime – which includes burglaries, armed robberies, and sexual assaults – has occurred on the island of New Providence, home of the Bahamian capital of Nassau, and on the island of Grand Bahama.
MORE | US issues travel alert for Bahamas due to increasing crime rate