UPDATE: The US Embassy stated on its Facebook page on Wednesday that the Overall Travel Advisory for The Bahamas remains the same as it has for the past year. “The Travel Advisory for The Bahamas remains unchanged,” the embassy said. “The only update made yesterday, November 26, removed the special alert issued for Grand Bahama related to Hurricane Dorian. The rest of the Travel Advisory for The Bahamas writ large remains unchanged.”

By SYANN THOMPSON

Tribune Staff Reporter

sthompson@tribunemedia.net

THE US Department of State has issued another travel alert for The Bahamas ahead of the holiday season due to the “increased risk” of becoming a victim of crime.

The US agency issued the Level 2 travel advisory yesterday on the heels of the upcoming American Thanksgiving holiday weekend, urging its citizens to exercise increased caution. The warning is similar to an alert the US State Department issued in February. 

“Violent crime, such as burglaries, armed robberies, and sexual assault, occurs even during the day and in tourist areas. Although the Family Islands are not crime-free, the vast majority of crime occurs on New Providence and Grand Bahama islands,” the statement read.

The alert gave several warnings to tourists, including noting that burglaries, armed robberies and sexual assault can happen during the day in tourist areas. American visitors were also cautioned of getting involved in recreational water sports, with the State Department stating that water craft like Jet Skis are not regulated and such operators are known to commit sexual assaults against tourists.

In 2017, a Canadian woman was allegedly sexually assaulted by a Jet Ski operator on Cabbage Beach and earlier this year, a 20-year-old died in a Jet Ski accident on Grand Bahama.

Minister of National Security Marvin Dames recently told reporters that the police force will increase manpower on the streets for the holiday season in hopes of cracking down on crime, including armed robberies – which have been occurring on a near daily basis in recent months.

“They have now implemented their holiday strategy and that’s super imposed on the ongoing strategy that they currently have to…protect our business people and residents,” he said.

“I can assure members of the general public that the police are out there and in large numbers and they will continue to do what they have to do to ensure that the good people of this nation are safe...the police have assured me that they’re in holiday strategy mode...and to those that are hell bent on misbehaving, it’s just a matter of time before we get you off the streets and I make no apologies for that....”

The US State Department also repeated previous warnings for Americans to not go into the “Over-the-Hill” areas and Fish Fry at Arawak Cay.

During a previous interview, Mr Dames said every country has crime issues. “There is no country in the world that can boast of having a zero crime rate. Like everywhere else, you have to be smart and take necessary precautions to keep you and your family safe,” he said.

Local stakeholders in the tourism industry are gearing up for the busy Thanksgiving weekend and upcoming holiday season. In particular, Lynden Pindling International Airport is expecting some 90,000 travellers to move through the airport hub between today and Monday, December 2.