Finally, someone is talking about the elephant in the room – an issue that is glaringly obvious but one that no one will address.
Radio airwaves were rife with chatter Monday morning about the speech Jamaican Prime Minister PJ Patterson made Saturday night at the Chamber of Commerce’s 40th anniversary dinner.
Many of those who called in were angry that Mr. Patterson was allowed, firstly, to come to the Cayman Islands and, secondly, to speak out about a proposed visa requirement for Jamaicans.
Whether you agree with what Mr. Patterson said, he does have a right to say it. We are, after all, a democracy that allows free speech.
The whole Jamaican visa requirement issue has been blown out of proportion and there has been much finger pointing.
Some of that pointing is directed squarely at the Caymanian Compass, which broke the story recently that the Cayman Islands government was looking at a visa requirement for Jamaicans.
We investigated and wrote the story after listening to concerns being voiced in the Jamaican community, which was aware of the proposed requirements after talking with their friends and family back home. We didn’t think it appropriate to wait until the visas had been mandated and a press release issued.
On the surface it would appear that talks about visa requirements for Jamaicans have been discussed for quite a while, even long before the Chamber of Commerce came out with its crime reduction proposals in which they suggest visas for anyone from high risk countries.
The Chamber of Commerce never singled out Jamaicans in its suggestions. It is that agency’s duty to help come up with ways to keep this country crime free, especially as far as the business community is concerned.
Everyone who is honest with himself knows that Jamaicans are being targeted.
Theirs is a high risk country.
But that doesn’t mean all Jamaicans are bad.
Americans get arrested in the Cayman Islands.
Canadians get arrested in the Cayman Islands.
Residents from the UK get arrested in the Cayman Islands.
Caymanians get arrested in the Cayman Islands.
Anyone who commits a crime, no matter where they’re from, is or should be arrested and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
Jamaicans account for almost half of the expatriate workforce in Cayman. If they all left tomorrow this country would be in a state of chaos.
It’s time for the finger pointing and tongue wagging to stop.
If visas are to be introduced for Jamaicans or any other nationality, government needs to go ahead and get the ball rolling. If the authorities make that decision they must take into account the possibility or repercussions against Caymanians.
If not, then say so.
Don’t remain silent and let this issue be discussed only in the media and talk shows.
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