Bartlett says Jamaica remains safe after Sangster Airport police shooting

Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett on Saturday sought to calm concerns about visitor safety after a United States citizen was shot during an encounter with police at Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay, St James.

Bartlett spoke with reporters while at the airport for the official opening of the Artisan District. He said the Ministry of Tourism wanted to send a clear message to the international market following the fatal incident.

“The Ministry of Tourism is very concerned about the safety of our visitors and we want to make it very clear to the world that when you come to Jamaica, you will be safe,” Bartlett said.

Reports are that the American man was shot on Friday morning after he breached security at the airport. He was reportedly seen in the fuel storage area, prompting a call to the police. The man allegedly attacked the officers and was shot. He was later taken to hospital, where he died from his injuries.

Bartlett said the episode should be viewed in a wider security context, especially where a person strays into a restricted area and may not be fully in control of their actions.

“I think we have to look at it in the broader sense that if someone made a mistake and drifted to the wrong places and then because of either not being in full control of their faculties or something, the risk of them doing the wrong thing and causing a massive disruption in our airports or anywhere is too great,” he said.

He added: “I think the security forces are alerted to act, and when they act we need to recognise their actions for the critical value that it represents, notwithstanding sometimes the unintended outcomes for some.”

The minister said safety remains a central concern for tourism and for all visitors, “even though sometimes the price of enabling the safety is terminal in an instant or two.”