Minister of Tourism Kerrie Symmonds is deeply disturbed by the number of violent deaths in Barbados during the first month of the year, warning that it had the potential to impact gravely on the island’s bread and butter tourism industry.
Calling for an end to the violent crimes, most of which have been gun-related, Symmonds at the same time welcomed the announcement by Prime Minister Mia Mottley that a concerted effort would be made to curb the violence.
“I am heartened and happy that from the highest level of government – the Prime Minister herself – through to the Attorney General, the Commissioner of Police, everybody is onboard in this matter because it is simply not to be tolerated. It has to be stomped out as ruthlessly as possible,” Symmonds told Barbados TODAY.
Last Friday, Mottley announced that close to 100 soldiers would work alongside the Royal Barbados Police Force (RBPF) and the service of of former commissioner of police Darwin Dottin would be enlisted as Government embarked on a major fight against crime.
With Barbados experiencing another bumper tourist winter season, Symmonds expressed shock at the number of violent incidents that were taking place.
“Whenever we have a shooting incident we compromise the image of the country and do untold potential damage to what we could be achieving financially. It disturbed me deeply that those things were happening while we had 6, 500 English guests in the island,” said Symmonds.
“It is a good thing that you can have that level of occupancy that we had, but the reality is that all of those people were here on the island at the time when that lawlessness was taking place in Barbados,” he said.
Describing the crime situation as problematic, Symmonds said: “I want people to be a lot more conscious and aware of the consequences of that kind of activity and that the foolishness they do hurt innocent people who are working hard trying to get this country back on its feet again. We can’t tolerate that.”
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Carmen Outridge: Not excusing violence in Barbados,but both Britain and Canada are having their share of violence.Bruce McArthur recently pled guilty for the murders 8 men- in Toronto.England and Wales have been pluaged by a spate of stabbing murders.There is no Valhalla anywhere.Just be careful everwhere.The days of leaving one's door unlocked are all gone.Even in your hometown.Stay safe.Predators are everywhere.
The concern citizens of Barbados has been saying so from day one. So tell us something we don't know. "Economics vs Politics", which is it Sir.
Over and over I keep reminding the Powers that Be , that there is a Lot more WORLD to see out there. The Tourist will spend their money where they feel safe.
@Bajan Steve...on point!
Crime is an issue wherever you travel...and most travellers are aware of this...and follow the general rule of being "alert..aware..and enjoy yourself!"
Look at Jamaica....tourists still flocking there.
Florida...and we are still flocking there.
Quite frankly more visitors appear to be concerned with the high costs...shopping for groceries etc...transportation around the island...hence the ZRs were very popular with the British cricket fans.
Yes @Beverley... because of this countries heavy reliance on Tourism what we absolutely CANNOT have is miscommunication and misinformation.
I do think tourism is "generally" safe... and what happened to tourists is unforgivable - perpetrated by citizens who couldn't careless about this country. I think what makes it FEEL unsafe is our proximity to these violent crimes... we're a small island and we're never very far from an incident.
Tourism and Tourists need to be protected and EVERYONE needs to feel safe!
I really feel that we needed to diversify our industries and not wind up in the trap of depending on one single foreign exchange generating industry. And also that we should have made sure to invest in improving our tourism product, like maintaining our heritage sites as well as protecting and maintaining our natural reserves like Mangrove swamp or the Animal Flower cave
They all with this nonsense of a "bumper" tourist season, yet the central bank governor on Thursday expressed concern of the unexpected tourism results was the cause for the economy contracting. They keep counting every bird the fly through the airport and seaport and calling it "bumper" but no one could ever speak of the tourism spend. Stop educating people and then think they are stupid. It's an insult.
Tourist in Bim is much safer than its citizens...
90% of tourists coming into this country save for years for a vacation. Last thing they want is to be raided and plundered by lunatics and serial killers.
Why in the world would you single out 6500 English visitors on the Island??!! If we receive half a million tourists a year then there were a lot more visitors on the Island whose safety should be valued. What message do you think you're sending? A exceptionally poor piece of media communication Mr Symmonds!
However, there are a number of factors that affect tourism - violence is no doubt one of them but I doubt it's the major worry for "most" tourists living hotels. I suspect it would mostly affect the AirBnB sector (i.e. people living locally experiencing the local vibe).
But! Mostly the expense of living on the Island (particularly if you're self-catering) occupies the lions share of "concern".
The Tourism sector (the main egg in a small basket) is facing the Room Levy, Departure Tax, Airline Fee ($70), increase in VAT to come, fuel price increase, increase in Water Bills, 10% Service charge and 2.5% Product Development Levy at restaurants and a suite of other economic tax revenue increasing measures that will no doubt filter down to the holiday maker - and all this on top of the expense of groceries.
How can any right thinking politician believe that this won't affect the decision making of any traveller thinking of coming to this fantastic Island. What message are you sending and what do you think the response is going to be Ms Mia "BLP" Mottley?
I don't think that taxing the holiday maker coming to an already expensive Island is great thinking, great politics or a great idea.
The idea of "sharing the burden" is flawed thinking. Holiday makers didn't create this mess so why tell them they have to help sort it out? You decrease massively corporation tax for business (whilst increasing taxes on the most vulnerable in society) do you think they will past on the saving to holiday makers?
It seems to me to be a foolishly flawed and short sighted idea (all in an effort to raise a massive surplus) - tax the main revenue earner on the island. I guess people will soon vote with their feet and go else where, and that, my friends, would be an absolute tragedy.