Anti-Jamaican Sentiments Prevalent Among Some In CARICOM

[Mosiah]

Anti-Jamaican Sentiments Prevalent Among Some In CARICOM, Says Carib PM

Published: Wednesday December 4, 2013 | 4:38 pm0 Comments
Prime Minister of St Vincent and the Grenadines, Dr Ralph Gonsalves says there is a residue of anti-Jamaican feelings among persons in authority in several CARICOM countries.

Speaking on Nationwide Radio this morning, Gonsalves said the anti-Jamaican sentiments are despite widespread Caribbean admiration and acceptance of Jamaica’s culture.

He was reacting to the issue of hassle-free movement throughout CARICOM, brought into focus by Trinidad and Tobago’s denial of entry to 13 Jamaicans on November 21 and the October Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) ruling in the Shanique Myrie case.

Gonsalves said the anti-Jamaican sentiments are not perpetuated by Heads of Government, who he declares are enlightened.

The St Vincent and Grenadines Prime Minister said immigration officials throughout the region are operating under outdated laws that were developed with the intent to restrict.

He said this is contradictory to the work of tourism departments that spend millions to entice visitors to their countries.

Prime Minister Gonsalves said it is important that regional officials read and understand the CCJ’s ruling that outlines how immigration protocols are to apply to CARICOM nationals.

The court used its ruling in the Shanique Myrie case to establish a number of benchmark treatments it says CARICOM nationals should enjoy when they travel throughout the region.

Yesterday, Jamaica’s Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Minister, A.J. Nicholson concluded a two-day meeting with his Trinidad and Tobago counterpart Winston Dookeran that was initiated after the November deportation of the Jamaicans.

Dookeran said the teams addressed specific issues that would inform the agenda on immigrations matters.

He also revealed that a detailed set of recommendations were fleshed out during the two days of meetings.

[Hortical]

Nonsense! Jamaicans are adored all over the Caribbean & every rational country should flex its own prerogative to keep out any undesirables.

[Islandman]

But what if 50 percent of a country falls in the undesirable category?

I think he is correct. They like our music, culture, athletic success. That doesn't necessarily translate into them liking us.

Ask Black America.

[Rudi]

You should have stopped at nonsense.

[Historian]

Well....

Nonsense! Jamaicans are adored all over the Caribbean & every rational country should flex its own prerogative to keep out any undesirables.

Horts, if you are being sarcastic (I just watched the YouTube video), then I understand . However, if the highlighted comment above is a literal view that you have and truly believe, then all I can say is that you obviously do not know a great deal about Caribbean issues and attitudes.

I don’t feel like discussing this topic except to say that, by way of an example, while Guyanese are probably the most disliked CARICOM nationals inside of Barbados (and to a slightly lesser extent inside of St. Lucia), Jamaicans are probably the single most disliked CARICOM nationals across the region.

Don’t let the popularity of reggae and dancehall music mislead you.

[Sir X]

Disliked because of what ? There is a reason for every behavior, is it because they are refered to as part of Jamaica or in Jamaica by ignorant westerners/forgeiners ?

I see no other reason but that when I mingle with my carribbean brothers in New York , arrogance they call it for their insecurity to speak ,dance eat ,dress and express themselves, they all get rolled up in one Jamaican prism by americans ,why would it be different in the carribbean ?

My thoughts , who gives a .......

[Islandman]

The Jamaicans trying to get into those countries give a ......

[Hortical]

Dislike is a strong adjective. I doubt the dislike is more intense than the rivalry between Nigerians & Ghanians, Scottish & English & the Chinese & Japanese (no!). There is real hate between Chinese & Japanese. And near Beijing I was told of an educational trip where kids could visit a very old Chinese lady who is said to have killed 5 Japanese soldiers during WWII. - that's hate....

[Islandman]

India and Pakistan too.

I don't think it is hate either but having spent a decent amount of time in Cayman I think it is fair to say they would rather not have so many Jamaicans in their country.

If Caymanians feel that way when Jamaicans literally built that place and few black Caymanians do not have Jamaican roots, then what different to expect from Barbados, Bahamas and others.

I am reasonably certain that many Jamaicans would have the same feelings if the socio-economic situations were reversed.

[Sir X]

Seriously who gives a ....... ,it wasn't no different being an immigrant in the USA,no one likes you ,or few do.You just have to get on with life.

A suh mi see it.

[Islandman]

What we should give a ...about is making our country a more habitable place so our people are not always looking to escape to somewhere else.

The pineapple pon the Cayman flag represents the era when they were governed by Jamaica. Many of their current leaders went to school in Jamaica.

Lawd look wha we come to now. Getting deported by T&T and Barbados.

[Sir X]

That I agree with ,our governance is the worst in the carribbean, cc hippo vs cheetah documentary,i believe the dislike is based on our poor governance by our leaders,not the people.They/we the people only suffer because of it ,once our carribbean brethren know us as the individual,they get infected to the point of jamacanization.

In other words the perception that our governance is corrupt,extrajudicial ,loud and bangarang from the leaders , follows the people.

[Willi]

Is a mad woman that. Not realted to the anti-Jakan problem, as every country have mad people!

[Rockman]

I wobder why he would think tge leaders are immune to the dreadful disease?
Hey,even some of our own Jakans are infected.
How often do we see atricles detailing abhorrent behaviour by the USA,and thoseamobgst us that routibely magnify our isolated pockets of misdeeds to bash Janaica as a whole chose not to do the same there?
If dem(Some Caricom members) doan like we,then they are our enemies.

[Gamma]

i lived and worked in the eastern caribbean for a while and i endorse the sentiment that (whether by default or otherwise) by and large the islands of the caribbean embrace jamaican culture, bask in the glow of jamaica's acheievement in the field of sports as it reflects on the caribbean but retain a latent dislike for jamaicans. this is not helped in the least when jamaicans in those territories run afoul of the law or otherwise.

for myself i do believe that there is a residual resentlment to the federation issue as Gonsalves as alluded to and this formed a part of the national psyche over the years this has been aggravated by issues which should would normally have been anything to speak of. jamaicans being jamaican have not trod lightly in those spheres and add to the friction.

this recent meeting (T&t/ja) is papering over something that has been there for a while and remains there. it is a part of the cultural identity in barbados and trinidad especially to, at best, hold jamaica and jamaican at arms length and at worst to punish jamaica and jamaicans ... in the business sense (there are numerous examples) and in the social sense.

in recent times home many bajans or trinis have been deported from jamaica? that is a genuine question, i know of none, but if there were, it did not make regional headlines.

without a doubt the dialogue needs to begin at the diplomatic level but what has happened so far is nothing but blustery rhetoric on BOTH sides!!!