03-15-2015, 10:42 AM
I don't know if everyone saw this article from a few weeks ago ( http://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/lead-stories/20150225/negril-woman-killed-lotto-scam-related-shooting ), but it points to the influx of criminals to Negril because of the lottery scam. As a long-time visitor (not as long as many), I remember when I first saw the "Dan Rather Reports" story about the lottery scam and became very alarmed and honestly quite stunned by what was going on. I have tried to keep up with what the Jamaican authorities have attempted to do the stop the lottery scam, but it appears it continues to be at the root of many issues in Jamaica. It just shows that greed, as is the case with numerous concerns in the U.S., is very likely at the heart of the growth of the criminal element in Negril.
Rastagrl has pointed out several times that things started to change in Negril once the new road opened up the area. Perhaps this is true. It makes the area more accessible to the criminals. And, since it is a beautiful beach area, naturally these nouveau riche scammers want to be there. I will never forget reading one newspaper article about the scammer who had so much cash, he was burning it for fire wood. Whatever the reason, I personally have noticed more criminal-seeming personalities there. As I have been reading all of these comments about the situation, I have hoped that it was just another "wave of concern" which might too pass as the others have previously. But, when the U.S. Embassy posts alerts like the following, it makes me believe this isn't going to fade away like the rest. What was interesting about the below link was the gentleman who has the "other" message board seemed to be discounting the below alert. I never did quite make out his point.
http://kingston.usembassy.gov/travelalerts05032015.html
I don't know what the Jamaican authorities will do to stop the rise of the criminal element there. My fear is that they will feel the need to become so aggressive that many innocent Jamaicans will fall victim to their attempts to stop the rise of crime. I pray for the Jamaican people that this criminal ulcer growing within the society will be stopped and soon.
Rastagrl has pointed out several times that things started to change in Negril once the new road opened up the area. Perhaps this is true. It makes the area more accessible to the criminals. And, since it is a beautiful beach area, naturally these nouveau riche scammers want to be there. I will never forget reading one newspaper article about the scammer who had so much cash, he was burning it for fire wood. Whatever the reason, I personally have noticed more criminal-seeming personalities there. As I have been reading all of these comments about the situation, I have hoped that it was just another "wave of concern" which might too pass as the others have previously. But, when the U.S. Embassy posts alerts like the following, it makes me believe this isn't going to fade away like the rest. What was interesting about the below link was the gentleman who has the "other" message board seemed to be discounting the below alert. I never did quite make out his point.
http://kingston.usembassy.gov/travelalerts05032015.html
I don't know what the Jamaican authorities will do to stop the rise of the criminal element there. My fear is that they will feel the need to become so aggressive that many innocent Jamaicans will fall victim to their attempts to stop the rise of crime. I pray for the Jamaican people that this criminal ulcer growing within the society will be stopped and soon.