Jamaican Ambassador to the United States, Audrey Marks, says the recent revised travel advisory issued by the US State Department cautioning Americans against visiting the island was triggered by a recent protest staged by members of the diaspora highlighting their concerns about the country’s crime situation.

The Department of State in recent weeks updated its travel advisory on Jamaica, warning Americans to reconsider travelling to the island due to the country’s crime situation and medical services.

It said US government personnel under Chief of Mission (COM) security responsibility are prohibited from traveling to many areas due to increased risk.

“A couple of weeks ago, seeking to use the upcoming election in Jamaica to garner immediate attention, approximately 30 members of the Jamaican diaspora in the USA staged a protest in Miami to highlight concerns about crime in Jamaica. Their rhetoric unfortunately gave the impression that there was a serious outbreak of violence on the island,” Marks said in a statement on Tuesday (February 6).

Jamaica’s envoy in Washington DC said the protest elicited lobbying by certain groups which resulted in the US government revising its travel advisory to include stronger language and including a broader list of ‘Do Not Travel’ communities.

“The post-COVID turnaround of Jamaica’s economy is internationally acclaimed and stands as a testament to our resilience and collective efforts. For us to continue our growth and generate the resources necessary to develop our infrastructure and combat crime and violence, we must safeguard our economic gains,” Marks argued.

Acknowledging the strides the country has made to become one of the leading tourist destinations, the ambassador says now is the best time to visit Jamaica with its favourable weather conditions.

“Lastly, please share with family and friends and know that Jamaica needs your support against this adverse communication. We will continue to provide updates on this situation and look forward to your continued love and support of Jamaica, Land We Love,” Marks added.