Barbados peeved at UK travel advisory

The Barbados government has taken offence at the decision by the United Kingdom to issue a travel advisory this week, warning British travellers of terrorist attacks on the Caribbean island.For the first nine months of this year, Barbados welcomed 160,749 stayover visitors from the UK, a slight decrease from the previous year, with the United States becoming the new top market, though UK visitors still represent a significant portion of tourism.In its travel advisory, the British Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) cautioned that “although there’s no recent history of terrorism in Barbados, attacks cannot be ruled out.

The British government is also urging its nationals to be aware that in Barbados, “there have been incidents of violent crime, including armed robbery, sexual assault, gang-related shootings and carjackings.“There has been an increase in gang-related murders involving guns. Some incidents have taken place in populated and public areas. Take sensible precautions to protect your personal safety,” the FCDO further advised.The FCDO also posted a special message to LGBT+ travellers saying that “in the Caribbean, attitudes towards the LGBT+ community are mostly conservative.“It is uncommon for opposite or same-sex couples to show affection in public, for example, holding hands or kissing. Doing this may attract unwanted and negative attention”.

UK travellers have also been advised to make sure their accommodation is secure, to be careful when walking alone off busy main roads and taking money from ATMs, avoid isolated areas, including beaches, particularly after dark, and to only use licensed taxis.“Take particular care around large gatherings, including street and beach parties, especially after dark or during the festival season. Do not carry large amounts of cash or wear expensive-looking jewellery. Leave valuables and travel documents in a safety deposit box or secure hotel safe.

Che....

What is Mia doing about this?

Been very busy over the past few months; haven't followed up on Caribbean newspaper reports.

Is Barbados becoming like T&T?😳

The FCDO also posted a special message to LGBT+ travellers saying that “in the Caribbean, attitudes towards the LGBT+ community are mostly conservative.“It is uncommon for opposite or same-sex couples to show affection in public, for example, holding hands or kissing. Doing this may attract unwanted and negative attention”.

Well……no wonder the Bajan government is upset!

How dare they make that statement?

The national cricket team name is “Barbados PRIDE”!

They even play in PINK!!!!

And to tell you how hurtful the statement “in the Caribbean, attitudes towards the LGBT + community are mostly conservative” is to the Bajans, how can they lump them in with the rest of the Caribbean on this issue?

Which other Caribbean country regularly names their male children Alison, Shirley, and Hilary??

Doh talk fuh de PM……..

@imusic

Oh geez.

After their cricket players, you're now inciting the locals. 😂

Barbados mut have changed. When I studied there in 2007 to 2009 the only crime was the stealing of food or shiny objects by the bajan monkeys.

There were a few incidents of mugging of female students just before Xmas at campus. Nothing more.

What going on in Bim?

@Trex

Tourists walk about unhindered in ones and twos, women and men all on Barbados South Coast. Most of the tourists are found on the West and South Coast and one sees them walking all hours in the morning especially on the cheaper South Coast. I dont understand this misinformed advisory at all.

Nobody bothers tourists, women or men holding hands together in Barbados. What negative attention? Barbados? Tourists does as they like in Barbados esp on the coastlines!

 and to only use licensed taxis.

You cant stop these modern seasoned tourists from ketching the local $3.50 maxi taxis aka ZRs....tourist love them! Call them reggae buses. Tourists in the numbers even avoiding taxis at the airport and go to the local bus stops to ketch zrs, minibuses and Govt buses! De tourists would laugh at this advisory!

@itito

don’t forget Wendy, Stacey, Marlene and Mia and now Kamla

@analyst-kid

one of the v few times I agree with you

English tourists go anywhere in Bim that cheap

they luv the south coast especially oistins

BTW you still doing tax returns?

I disagree with that warning i would feel more safer in barbados than in many parts of the uk.

Net, net, is that Mia is way too outspoken, so she always carries the risk of making utterances that are not always universally acceptable. Yes, she reminds us of the 1970s Jamaica's Michael "Joshua" Manley.

She needs to take a leaf out of (new) Caribbean leader, Kamla's book.

@Drapsey

why should Mia?

has the USA removed the travel advisories for Trinidad since Kamliar’s Act of Massive Obeisance ?

.............

Why should the USA remove the travel advisor of T&T? It has been in existence since the last decade plus as approximately 500 murders per year occurred. If a house has been on fire for ten years, you don’t take down the “FIRE” sign because it’s become part of the décor.

Did you forget the ratings in Crimes and Murders, where T&T was ranked worldwide? How ironic!!!

What has been the crime and murder rate since the new government was elected?

It kept the SOE that your government claimed that it would not introduce, yet did.

If T&T can show that consistently, the advisory can be revised. If not, then the U.S. keeping it isn’t “obeisance” to anyone; it’s risk management.

You don’t get to demand a better safety label while refusing to fix what’s driving the label. The advisory isn’t an insult; it’s a receipt.

Massive Obeisance  my rass!!

Agreeing to help Guyana if it is attacked to use bases in T&T? This is the part where people confuse geopolitical alignment with travel safety.

Stopping guns and drugs from Venezuela and Columbia?

Stopping the gangs from killing each other?

The US is T&T's biggest trading partner. Plenty of countries have deep trade ties with the U.S. and still get hammered with travel warnings. Commerce doesn’t cancel crime. It just coexists with it.

How does a radar in Tobago harm T&T?

A radar doesn’t increase street crime. If anything, better surveillance and interdiction could reduce trafficking spillover over time.

I am not interested in hyperboles that may or may not happen. Your yelling “massive obeisance” doesn’t change reality. It just changes the volume.

Sarge

An advisory is a caution; there are various levels, there is nowhere in the Caribbean where, some level is not warranted.