Getting a handle on crime

TOURISTS in Barbados remain in a safe zone. In fact, the chance  of a visitor becoming the victim of a crime remains lower than that of the average Barbadian.
Statistics revealed  to the island’s hotel sector earlier this week showed  a victimization rate in Barbados of 25 for every  1 000 persons who are visitors, compared with  27 out of every 1 000  in the local community that have been affected by criminal activity.
But Commissioner  of Police Darwin Dottin still thinks too many tourists are taking chances during their stay in paradise, bringing  valuable items to the beach, leaving expensive electronic equipment in open spots, or even leaving windows open or forgetting to lock their doors.
 “Barbados remains  a very safe place for tourists – one of the safest in the world. But we are still seeing habits which we, the police, and the hotel sector as a group want to see come to  a stop,” he said.
The Commissioner made the revelations yesterday during an exclusive interview with the SATURDAY SUN in which he detailed  a number of issues  brought to the fore  by membership of the Barbados Hotel & Tourism Association (BHTA)  during a members-only special meeting held  at the Island Inn Hotel  on Thursday.