St. Vincent and the Grenadines is launching a coordinated campaign to protect its tourism and investment reputation after a mass shooting on Friday left four people dead and four others wounded, Deputy Prime Minister St. Clair Leacock announced on Monday.
Leacock told NICE Radio that Tourism Minister Kishore Shallow had assembled a response unit headed by Tourism Authority CEO Shafia London and marketing professionals. The group will contact prospective visitors and business partners to counter what officials view as harmful international reporting of the weekend incident.
The government has faced coverage from CNN, the BBC, regional media outlets and social media platforms. Leacock expressed concern that such negative attention could discourage travel to the islands and deter foreign investment.
In his messaging to the tourism sector, Leacock stressed that "it's still a wonderful place to be. It still is your choice destination. By all means, come to St. Vincent, the Grenadines."
Beyond tourism promotion, Invest SVG and diplomatic representatives at embassies and high commissions are working to safeguard the country's appeal to international business interests.
Leacock acknowledged the tension officials face: taking firm action on security while managing how that response is communicated. He noted that violence can inflict "collateral damage" on sectors like tourism even when authorities respond decisively. "We have to be careful in our messaging that we continue to promote our country," he said, while emphasising that the government must also demonstrate it is addressing the security threat.
The Friday shooting in Green Hill marks the deadliest such incident in SVG since July 19, 2023, when a shooting in Kingstown killed five people.
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