THE GOVERNMENT of the Cayman Islands has not sugar-coated the imposition of visa requirement with diplomatic niceties. The visa requirement for Jamaicans has been introduced as a means of screening out undesirables. Bear in mind that there was already a work permit screening. While the British colony relies heavily on Jamaican labour to help sustain its economic prosperity, it has become increasingly wary of the importation of crime from Jamaica.
The territory joins its mother country, the United Kingdom, in imposing visa requirements on Jamaicans wishing to enter.
Up until I962, when we gained independence, the tiny Cayman Islands was a Jamaican dependency. The territory chose then to revert to direct British control. With little by way of natural resources and with heavy dependence on imported migrant labour, the colony has done well for itself over the last 43 years. The CI$ is now generally somewhat stronger than the US$ on our foreign exchange market.
Jamaica has supplied much of the labour which has built the Cayman Islands economy. It is on the strength of that economy that the tiny territory can now impose visa restrictions on Jamaicans. Our crime problem transferred to other countries is prompting more and more restrictions on our international travel. Every sovereign state and even colonies with internal self-government have the right to impose entry restrictions. We may object to any singling out of Jamaicans for particular restrictions, but the truth is our crime record is affecting our travel freedom and will continue to do so more intensely unless the trend is reversed at home and abroad.
The Prime Minister has declared, while in The Cayman Islands, that Jamaica would consider reciprocating against any country that imposed visa restrictions on Jamaicans. Perhaps we should begin with the United States, or with the United Kingdom which has been among the most recent to impose visa restrictions on Jamaica. The Prime Minister knows very well that his statement is a grandstanding bluff more in the interest of national pride than a reflection of any practical possibility. Quite simply, those who have imposed visa requirements on us can and we can't because the unhindered entry of their nationals as tourists and business visitors into our weaker economy is a matter of our survival.
The freedom of our people to move as migrant labour and for business is also a matter of great economic and social significance to us. Smarting from the sting of the latest visa restrictions imposed by a tiny former dependency, our interest would be better served if the Prime Minister devoted his time and energy to fixing those problems which are triggering more and more visa restrictions against Jamaicans than bluffing about reciprocation.
THE OPINIONS ON THIS PAGE, EXCEPT FOR THE ABOVE, DO NOT NECESSARILY REFLECT THE VIEWS OF THE GLEANER.
