THE EDITOR, Sir:
THIS IS my first letter to you and I sincerely hope it gets published while the issue at hand is still current. I listened with interest to the story in the news on Friday, July 11, 2003, concerning some Russian dancers who on arrival at Sangster International Airport, Montego Bay, were detained and interrogated by Immigration officials before they were allowed to proceed to their destination, albeit without their passports.
The impression was given that somebody had secured work permits for these dancers to come to Jamaica to dance in a club and that this was an offence. It struck me, however, that we have a club in New Kingston where Russian dancers dance nightly. I checked with the Ministry of Labour and was told that the New Kingston dancers are here on work permits.
I wonder why Immigration and the media are making a big deal out of the advent of these new dancers since a precedent is already set. Further checks have shown that these new dancers are not related to the establishment in New Kingston but to one in Ocho Rios. I wonder if this is another form being used by an established business to derail a competitor.
I always thought that the Ministry of Labour has the sole authority or responsibility to approve and issue work permits and that it does its groundwork before doing so. It therefore seems very strange that Immigration would seek to question its authority and decision to issue the work permit approval to these dancers. I would think that as two government entities that deal with the movement of foreigners within Jamaica, they would have collaborated on an issue such as this. The inalienable fact here is that the dancers had valid work permit approval letters from the ministry authorised to give such approvals.
Finally I must say that the handling of this situation by the Immigration officials was very repugnant. I work between resort areas and there are many foreigners working in these places without work permits. Many came here as tourists and then decided to stay and are given jobs that Jamaicans can perform. I would think that the Immigration Department should be trying to find these persons instead of harassing those who enter the island with valid work permit approval letters.
I am etc.,
GEORGE YOUNG
malu696@yahoo.com
