The United States Embassy in Jamaica is claiming that the recent adverse travel advisory cautioning Americans against visiting Jamaica was routine and not timed with any other issue.

“The U.S. Department of State’s priority is the safety and security of U.S. citizens overseas. The department is obligated to provide information to U.S. citizens traveling or residing abroad through travel advisories. These advisories are aimed to help people assess the risk of international travel and understand what steps to take to ensure their safety overseas,” the U.S. Embassy said in a social media post on Wednesday, February 7.

“The State Department’s update on January 23, 2024, was a routine release. The release provided analytical update on medical services. It was not timed with any other issue,” the Kingston embassy added.

Albeit the issues highlighted existing over many years, the embassy argued that its latest update incorporated an analysis of accidents, illnesses, and deaths of U.S. citizens based on a review of health services and the medical care received when U.S. citizens were hospitalised.

In its travel advisory, which coincides with Jamaica’s peak tourism season and came on the heels of the historic official visit of China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi, the U.S. State Department went in detail to highlight that Jamaica’s public hospitals are under-resourced and cannot always provide high-level or specialised care.

Similarly, it said private hospitals require payment upfront before admitting patients and may not have the ability to provide specialized care while noting that ambulance services are not always readily available, especially in rural areas, and are not always staffed by trained personnel.

But the embassy clarified that the level of its travel advisory for Jamaica did not change with the latest updates and has remained at Level 3 since March 2022.

The adverse travel warnings by the U.S. have sparked concerns among local tourism stakeholders and the Government, with Foreign Minister Senator Kamina Johnson Smith retorting that the notices do not reflect the island’s advancements.

Foreign Affairs Minister Kamina Johnson Smith also moved to engage U.S. Embassy officials, including the U.S. Ambassador to Jamaica Nick Perry, himself a Jamaican, in discussions to interrogate the issues outlined in the advisory.

“Jamaica is and will continue to be a major tourist destination for U.S. citizens. We will continue to work with the Jamaican government and our local partners to serve the interests of U.S. citizens and promote the well-being of Jamaicans,” the embassy added.