Five die in fresh Jamaica violence

Jamaica has one of the highest murder rates in the world

Fresh violence has erupted in Jamaica, with five more people shot dead in the same area of the capital, Kingston, where 25 people were killed earlier this month, police said.

Local residents said the shootings were carried out by members of one gang seeking revenge from the followers of another group blamed for the previous disturbances.

Supporters of Edward Seaga were blamed for the earlier clashes

Two houses have also been firebombed. Police have been deployed to the area - Tivoli Gardens in West Kingston - in an attempt to restore calm.

The latest violence comes as the British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, prepares to depart on an official visit to Jamaica this weekend.

It also coincides with a multimillion dollar government campaign intended to restore Jamaica's international image as a safe tourist destination.

Gang land

Jamaica's image as a sun-kissed tourist spot, home of reggae king Bob Marley, was tarnished when gun battles began on 7 July and raged for three days in gang strongholds of West Kingston.

Although this month's violence was localised there are fears for tourism

The police accused supporters of the leader of the opposition Jamaica Labour Party, Edward Seaga, of instigating violence.

Bur Mr Seaga denied this, and said that the police overreacted.

The impoverished Caribbean island is badly in need of tourist revenue, which last year provided it with $1.3bn.

In response, the Jamaican Government has approved an initial $5m for "Operation Grow," a tourism campaign based in part on Marley's anthem "One Love."

Tourism campaign

TV adverts began running this week in the United States, which provides 71% of the island's tourists.

Officials say the violence earlier this month has had no immediate discernible effect on the industry, but there have been suggestions that there will be a delayed impact.

Journalists will be encouraged to visit the island and counter the images they sent round the world of tanks and gun-toting gangs.

Industry experts stressed that the violence was only limited to pockets of West Kingston and did not impinge on the tourism meccas of Montego Bay, Ocho Rios and Negril on the north and west coasts.