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Durrant Pate/Contributor

The Canadian government has issued a second travel advisory this month warning its citizens about travel to Jamaica and urging them to exercise a “high degree of caution”, due to the “high level of violent crime” on the island.

The first travel advisory was issued in early December, shortly after a state of emergency (SOE) was imposed in eight parishes on December 6. However, this travel advisory was updated on Wednesday (December 28), the same day a new slate of SOEs was imposed across eight parishes.

The SOEs, which were declared in Kingston, St Andrew, St Catherine, Clarendon, St Ann, Hanover, Westmoreland and St James, will be in effect until January 11. Interestingly, in spite of the declaration of the SOEs and the travel advisory, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and members of his immediate family are currently vacationing in the island.

The Canadian government advised its nationals that the SOEs were reinstated due to increased violence and gang-related crime noting that “during this period (of the SOEs), security forces have increased rights to conduct searches, seizures and detain persons of interest”.

Caution to Canadian nationals

The Canadian authorities cautioned its citizens that if they are travelling to the areas under the emergency measure, they “may be subject to searches” by security forces. The advisory recommends that Canadian travellers always co-operate with military and police officers, carry valid identification at all times and be prepared for various checkpoints, allow extra time to reach your destination, follow the instructions of local authorities and monitor local news to stay informed on the current situation.

The advisory states, “crimes tend to be concentrated within what the police refer to as ‘traditional hot spots’ or ‘high-risk communities’, but can take place anywhere and at any time”.

The advisory pointed to the following areas as having significant gang populations and high incidences of violent crime:

Corporate Area

·      Arnett Gardens

·      August Town

·      Balmagie

·      Cassava Piece

·      Delacree Park

·      Denham Town

·      Drewsland

·      Felstead Pen

·      Four Miles

·      Glendale

·      Grant’s Pen

·      Greenwich Town

·      Hannah Town

·      Harbour View

·      Hunts Bay

·      Jones Town

·      Lower Cockburn Gardens

·      Maverly

·      Mountain View

·      Nanse Pen

·      Olympic Gardens

·      Payne Land

·      Portmore

·      Rennock Lodge

·      Riverton City

·      Salmagie

·      Seaview Gardens

·      Tavares Gardens

·      Tivoli Gardens

·      Tower Hill

·      Trench Town

·      Waltham Gardens

·      West Kingston

·      Whitfield Town

St Catherine

·      Central Village

·      Ellerslie

·      Homestead

·      Ravensworth

·      Spanish Town

·      Tawes Pen

Montego Bay

·      Bottom Pen

·      Canterbury

·      Flanker

·      Hart Street

·      Mount Salem

·      Norwood Gardens

·      Rose Heights

·      St Clavers Avenue

South Coast

·      May Pen