Holy Shite- State of Emergency declared for St James Jamaica (that includes Montego Bay)

[malaise]

.
Heavy military presence as I type. This follows a shoot out among gang members close to the airport and of course the over 300 persons killed last year.

http://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/lead-stories/20180118/prime-minister-declares-state-emergency-st-james
<snip>
Prime Minister Andrew Holness has declared a state of emergency in St James.

This means that extraordinary powers have been given to the security forces and some rights have been suspended.

Members of the security forces may also search places without a warrant.

The declaration coincides with an increase in violence including murders and shootings.

The latest incidents occurred three hours apart near the round-a-bout to the Sangster International Airport on Tuesday leaving one man dead and three others seriously hurt.
-------------
Bangs head. See once it gets close to the tourism product, they wake up and don't give a damn about violating innocent citizens' rights.

[brooklynite]

1. Where every resort tourist lands...

[malaise]

3. The vast majority for sure

The hurricanes may have missed us but this will be worse

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

46. The hurricanes missed "this year".

Hurricane Gilbert will not be forgotten. Amazing, it's been almost 30 years.

Stay safe.

[malaise]

47. Thanks and yes the most important words re the hurricanes

is that they may show up 'this year' just in time for that anniversary.

[spanone]

2. K&R...

[malaise]

4. Is Anderson Cooper on the way?

[spanone]

7. probably!!!

[saidsimplesimon]

5. Jamacia

This is George Orwell territory. Declare an emergency and attack the people. Please stay out of the "fray", or "carry on"?

[malaise]

6. I am in a state of stunned incredulity

This makes no fucking sense whatsoever.

[saidsimplesimon]

13. It does if,

you support the fat man with the button.

[mahina]

8. Good luck Malaise,

Thinking of yiu. Please keep us informed and of course if anything we should do from here. Aloha no.

[malaise]

10. We are miles away

I wish good luck to my friends who live there and the people of that parish.
Most can kiss their winter season tourism good bye.

[GetRidOfThem]

19. I can't believe this...

I was just in Ocho Rios, and Nine Mile... (Cruise stop)

[malaise]

26. Yep - it's true

we suspect it's because State put up a travel advisory about some parts of the parish

[SoCalDem]

24. We spent two weeks in Jamaica back-in-the day

LOVED it..never felt unsafe (except for the coconuts people chucked at our rented vw )

We drove all over that place..even "discovered" a little sleepy place with a roundabout and a bar/post office/general store and little more ..except for a gorgeous beach... it was called Negril

It always makes me sad when bad things happen in Jamaica..

[malaise]

27. This is a beautiful island but there'regr lots of

Last edited Thu Jan 18, 2018, 04:48 PM - Edit history (1)

angry people who will do anything for the good life (as they perceive that).

Negril is lovely.

[KY_EnviroGuy]

33. "lots of angry people who will do anything for the good life"

In relative terms, sort of like that everywhere. Makes me think of Washington and Wall Street, LOL.

Stay safe and we hope this issue is settled quickly with no one harmed.

.................

[malaise]

35. Yes and no

re doing anything for the good life. The lotto scammers have deestroyed that parish robbing old American and Canadian folks.

[SoCalDem]

44. It made me queasy when ,years later, Negril was "developed" n/t

[malaise]

45. Yes they sure spoiled Negril

A major missing problem that had led to many of the social problems in tourist areas is that developers and the government planners failed to develop housing for the workers. There are some goo documentaries about this.

[Lochloosa]

9. Stay safe my friend.

[malaise]

12. Thanks - St James is North-West JA

miles from Kingston and St Andrew.

[kentuck]

11. K&R

[MineralMan]

14. Yikes! Keep your head down

until this blows over.

[Brother Buzz]

15. Same could be said for Mazatlan, Mexico

All hell is breaking loose in the area with the Sinaloa cartel drug war, yet the resort area is humming right along; business as usual.

[malaise]

17. Well now that the gang shootings have reached the airport round-about

our thoughtless folks are panicking. This is crazy.
Have no fear State Department will respond within the hour.

[HipChick]

16. Stay Safe my friend..I know that parish very well...

Barbados does not report crime stats...bad for tourism..

[malaise]

18. True but when the shooting gets that close to the airport

men panic and have no problem violating their own citizens' rights.

[suffragette]

20. That sucks, sis.

Stay safe. I saw above this isn’t near you, but such actions can spread.

[malaise]

28. Thanks sis

[gademocrat7]

21. Take care, malaise.

[bdamomma]

22. Take care of yourself malaise

we are thinking about you.

[malaise]

30. Thanks

[DownriverDem]

23. Yikes

My brother and sister-in-law are in Jamaica on vacation. It's a good thing they are not near there. They stay at Treasure Beach which is a fishing village.

[malaise]

29. Gorgeous and unspoiled

in St Elizabeth (St Bess). Lots of friends live there - actually come from there.

[LeftInTX]

25. Keep us updated. Wouldn't know about this unless you told us.

Glad you're far from it

[malaise]

31. And not heading there in a hurry

[spiderpig]

32. Peace and safe harbor, malaise.

What kind of insanity has Orange unleashed on this world?

[catbyte]

34. Please stay safe, malaise!

[denbot]

36. Be safe malaise

Peace to the Jamaican people.

[BobTheSubgenius]

37. I think your final para is the reason there is ANY kind of lid on the hostilities in Mexico.

The violence there is insane in certain parts...but not the parts where tourists go.

Stay safe! I hope your country can get much, much closer to being the tropical idyll that it could be.

[Sunsky]

38. Wow

My mom is in Montego Bay. I just spoke to her, she said that she went downtown in the morning and saw no military presence. I was supposed to sent my daughter with her for a family occasion, but my husband wouldn't allow her to go due to the violence. I was skeptical of the negative stories, but this is all too real and scary. I want to tell mom to come home now, but I know she won't listen.

[malaise]

39. Your mom will be perfectly safe

The army will ensure that resorts are safe. It's the locals who aren't part of the gangs who have to worry. Don't worry. Let mom enjoy some sunshine.

[Sunsky]

40. That's what I'm worried about

She's not at a resort. She has a home in Montego Bay.

[malaise]

41. ALl those gated places are safe

She'll be fine

[Squinch]

42. Take care of yourself, my dear.

[malaise]

43. Thanks everyone

We're safe here in Kingston & St Andrew.