Kingston - Violent street clashes triggered by a government tax increase on gasoline have left seven people dead, including a pregnant woman and a 16-year-old boy, authorities said yesterday.
Three days of demonstrations and riots all over the Caribbean nation followed the announcement by Finance Minister, Mr Omar Davies, that the price of gasoline had gone up more than 30 percent.
Police said that after being fired on and targeted with Molotov cocktails they returned fire on their attackers and some of those shot were killed. It is not known how many have been injured in the clashes but nearly 200 people have been arrested. "The effect of the demonstrations [on tourism] is going to be vast, but it's hard to quantify at this time" said Mr Josef Forestmayr, chairman of the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association, Montego Bay region.