SOE a Potential Threat to Westmoreland Tourism

Hotellier and Negril Chamber of Commerce President, Richard Wallace is expressing concern about the State of Emergency, (SOE) in Westmoreland and how it is affecting businesses that thrive on tourism. He says that the SOE may turn off visitors from the parish of Westmoreland. Though not opposed to the effort he suggest other solutions that my stem crime.

A double-edged sword is how the Negril Chamber of Commerce President, describes the state of emergency in Westmoreland, as it poses a threat to businesses in the tourism sector; the pull factor of the parish. He notes that one an SOE is declared in the parish tourism is automatically affected, he however adds that he hopes this time around considering that an SOE is not new to the parish it will not have a huge impact.

Wallace agrees that crime is a serious issue that the Government should tackle but says that while it may bring murder numbers down, it may not be a permanent solution. Wallace identifies the fundamental issue with crime to be legislation in the justice system where there aren’t stronger consequences for offenders. He believes Jamaica would benefit greater if laws were enacted that are relevant to the present.

More in this CVM Live story from Jhanielle Powell: