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| Visitors Warned About Safety in St. Kitts After Tourist Robbery |
| By Sheena Brooks |
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Cruise liner in dock |
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Taxi and tour operators are complaining of not getting work, now that cruise lines have warned passengers not to venture past Port Zante for safety reasons.
Several taxi drivers called into local radio shows reporting that passengers had told them bulletins had been posted in their various cruise ships saying not to take much cash and not to wear jewelry when they disembarked in St. Kitts.
One taxi driver said that on Wednesday (Dec. 1) he secured a tour group who although favorably commenting on the beauty of the island, expressed fear in exiting the vehicle to take pictures. He also informed he was asked to lock the bus doors and windows when they pulled up to tourist attractions.
“They were saying how beautiful and clean the place was, but when it came time to come out and take pictures and enjoy the beaches and such they were afraid. I told them St. Kitts was very safe and they said they did not want to get shot or murdered. They were even afraid to take out their cameras, and they asked me to lock up the bus. The group told me the ship officials had warned them about St. Kitts and there were notices mounted inside the ship about St. Kitts,” the unidentified caller said.
The Observer spoke with Tourism Authority Communication Manager Saju Ng’alla on Thursday (Dec. 2), and he said he was unaware of any warning specific to the island.
“It is common practice for travel officials to alert tourists about safety precautions when visiting any foreign place. The ship personnel routinely advise passengers against making themselves targets for theft, etcetera, and there may be signs mounted in ships to make passengers aware of some of these safety travel tips. I am not aware of anything specific to St. Kitts warning passengers to be careful here,” he said.
Following a November 14 armed robbery of a group of tourists on their way to Brimstone Hill in a tour bus, two cruise lines had cancelled calls to St. Kitts. The 17 visitors had traveled to St. Kitts aboard the Celebrity Mercury cruise ship.
Local authorities, tourism and other government officials condemned the act and after five men were apprehended and charged in connection with the robbery, the ships returned to St. Kitts.
More than 17,000 cruise passengers visited St. Kitts last week, with this week showing a similar level of activity. On Monday, Celebrity Summit docked at Port Zante with nearly 2,100 passengers; on Tuesday, three other ships called with almost 4000 passengers; on Wednesday, four ships arrived. Thursday and Friday saw only one ship arriving each day, and two ships are scheduled to visit on Saturday.
Tourism Minister Hon. Richard Skerritt has said the nation has begun the healing process, and assured there was an international the public relations recovery effort.
“The process of healing our wounds internationally will have to be ongoing and will need the help of all well wishers everywhere. There must be no doubt that the tourism-related public relations and sales recovery efforts in the marketplace will need to be closely coupled locally with the implementation of a comprehensive security plan designed to build a proactive and pre-emptive culture in our overall National security programming and community policing,” he posited. |
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