It's that time of year again when American college students travel in droves to well-known hot spots for their spring break festivities.

I found out just how much our hotels treasure spring-breakers 16 years ago, when my wife and I reserved a room in the same Montego Bay hotel that we spent our honeymoon and several short breaks. We were shocked by a stolid desk clerk who dryly announced that our room was given away to accommodate spring-breakers - she sent us to try our luck elsewhere. Of course, there was no room in any inn anywhere that time of year, so we had to drive all the way back to Kingston. Plaintive letters to the relevant authorities didn't even merit one acknowledgement of receipt - indicative of the scant regard they had/have for our citizens.

Consequently, the socio-economic disparity between lavish tourist resorts, hotels and attractions and the poor communities nearby is shameful and provides the perfect medium for culturing hostility, crime and violence. So, when I read that the (United States) State Department issued travel warnings for Mexican border towns citing violence and shoot-outs in the streets and that many colleges and universities went one step farther by advising students not to go anywhere in Mexico for spring break, I wondered when Jamaica would share the same fate. Already, downtown Ocho Rios and Montego Bay have experienced several shootings and brazen armed robberies. Additionally, MoBay has volatile communities festering on its periphery.

The State Department recently posted a list of about 30 countries that it considers "unsafe and highly avoidable for its citizens". One reason for issuing travel warnings is, "to describe long-term, protracted conditions that make a country dangerous or unstable".

Politics and gangs

Paradoxically, in spite of our penchant for violence and the wide variety of powerful weaponry in criminal hands, Jamaica is politically stable. Our psyche, history and international obligations preclude political revolutions. Besides, both major political parties are evenly matched in firepower. These rivals continue to enjoy the staunch support of heavily armed thugs who, in spite of diversification into gang activities and the drug trade, remain loyal to their political roots.

However, there can be no doubt that Jamaica is a dangerous place. That same gun culture bequeathed a warped and false sense of empowerment to our underprivileged youth. Steeped in violence, devoid of family life, education or vocational training, some have turned to guns as tools for criminality, extortion and oppression. We, therefore, have several murders every day and fret about who will be next. The really scary part is the realisation that the criminals can do what they want when they want and that their only limitation is their lack of unity and creativity.

Although spring break arrivals have declined steeply over the past eight years, 5,000 spring-breakers visited Jamaica in 2008. In 2004, Spring Break alone earned us US$12.3 million. If we continue to make the international headlines with our violence and murders, concerned parents and tertiary institutions are certain to advise their wards to steer clear of the island perhaps before the State Department issues a travel warning.

Hypocrisy

Not only must we continue to increase security efforts to make a significant dent in crime; we must also respect all our citizens and remedy our social disparities if we are to make Jamaica safe for everyone. We can't continue the hypocrisy of falsely advertising our people as happy, contented and part of the 'tourist package' while failing to address their needs.

Garth A. Rattray is medical doctor with a family practice. Feedback may be sent to garthrattray@gmail.com or columns@gleanerjm.com