Why doesn't the government want the tourists to know this incident which happened in Jamaica?

Question

What are they hiding?

http://jamaicaobserver.com/news/html/20071227T220000-0500_130789_OBS_COPS_MUM_ON_FOILED_ABDUCTION.asp

Answer 1

Simple really. Natalie Holloway ring a bell? After she disappeared tourism went way down in Aruba and they're still recovering from it. Jamaica wants to deter stories like this from surfacing because of the panic factor. If tourism goes down the country will be screwed. Tourism is vital to the economy.

Answer 2

My goodness.  Good question, WHY, indeed.  You would think her family would have raised a stink and blown it wide open to the media, right?  Sounds shady.

Answer 3

They don't want to scare visitors away. Like previously mentioned, this happens daily in the U.S. though.

Answer 4

I agree with Shelley C, christnp and stingjam...

1)  The circumstances of that story sound questionable. Very questionable if you ask me.

2)  We don't know the details of this particular incident, so the motivation for this 'gag order' is unclear.

I think Jamaica has a right to protect itself from reports that are damaging to important industries such as tourism.

Fact is that media seeks first to capitalize on any negative news emanating from so called "third world" countries such as Jamaica, and widely ignore the good (no matter how little) that we have to offer.

All you have to do is look at the Natalee Holloway incident. . .and who remembers Claudia Kirschock? Do you recall how heavily publicized these were in American media?

To be fair, however, no gag orders should be placed on negative news reports, because we all need to know what is going on. Crime needs to be exposed and dealt with.

But there is a reason for everything, perhaps further details of the incident will unfold in the future.

We shall see what we shall see~*

Answer 5

This person might not really be a 'Tourist' per sey. You have to be really connected to get a 'gag' order put in place that fast.

There is also no indication that the 'abductors' were charged. This indicates that something else is amiss.

This perhaps a 'business' deal that went bad. It would appear that both sides would want the issue to dissappear and both sides would have to be in good relations with 'the powers that be' to make this story happen how it did.

Also, Jacks Hill is 2-3 hours drive away from St. Elizabeth (rural), and is generally a 'posh' community.

To be fair, this matter has NOTHING to do with tourists who would regularly visit the island. It smells more like 'mafia' or 'cartel' activity.

Answer 6

Jacks Hill is one of the most expensive and exclusive areas in Jamaica.  While it could have been a bona fide abduction, it may very well have been something of a political or personal nature.  The woman could have been a Jamaican, naturalized US citizen, not a tourist as some would assume. This incident was handled in a very suspicious manner, unlike most other crimes which are openly reported.  Most tourists, especially female tourists do not typically drive around alone like that. This was probably no ordinary tourist.

Answer 7

Things like this happen in the U.S. all the time.  Carjackings, kidnappings, rape, murder.

If there is a very high rate of abductions and violent crime, the state department will issue new warnings and press releases, but crime happens everywhere.

The state department does have some general warnings about crime in Jamaica.  http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw...

I love Jamaica, but am aware of its dangers as well.  As a woman, I would never drive alone in Jamaica, especially in less densly populated areas.  This is true of many other countries as well.