Dear Source,
My earlier email about safety in the islands spawned another response from your reader in Maryland.
My thoughts were not intended to suggest that the Virgin Islands guarantee anyone's safety. I merely suggest that the Virgin Islands, and ANY destination, take the issue very seriously. And, I totally agree with you that people should use common sense precautions wherever their travel may take them.
After living in the islands for 34 years, I think the majority of people in the islands are deeply concerned about how the islands are perceived by the rest of the country. I don't hear a great deal about travelers who are concerned with safety in traveling to, or through, Maryland.
Maryland doesn't generate a lot of press in that regard. But, we both know that the islands have suffered a great deal from negative publicity in the past. So, I would suggest that a method be found to neutralize the negative publicity that seems to visit the islands all too often. How to do that becomes somewhat problematic.
Since you have traveled extensively, perhaps you would share with the readers how Hawaii, Alaska, Canada and Europe deal with the problem and still maintain such a favorable perception.
Robert Miller
