Since the 1980s, Jamaica has been a favourite holiday destination for North Americans. The island boasts palatial hotels that cater to every need, meaning that one never need leave the luxury of one’s accommodation. Roughly 3 million tourists visit every year.
Newlyweds Jean and Aurianne are honeymooning, but are also there to pay homage to the legend that is Bob Marley. Others are visiting for the breathtaking scenery – waterfalls and landscapes of James Bond fame that dazzle both on-screen and off. Yet the capital, Kingston, is almost completely isolated from the tourist trade. Crime is rife and whole neighbourhoods are controlled by drug traffickers. One district, Tivoli Gardens, was the site of a bloody conflict in May 2010 that claimed the lives of 76 people.
Jamaica, then, is both heaven and hell – a place of unparalleled beauty and interest that is also home to extreme violence.