Fourth decapitation in a week stuns Jamaica
(Jamaica Observer): The nation woke to news yesterday of yet another horrific beheading, this time of a man in August Town, St Andrew, which heightened fears that the heinous practice is becoming more popular across the country. The latest victim has been identified as 37-year-old Gary Emanuel Smith, whose headless body was yesterday found on a dirt track in a bushy area of Bedward Gardens, and the often volatile community in August Town, St Andrew. Smith's beheading is the fourth in asingle week, following that of an 18-year-old male in St Catherine last Monday, and those of a mother and daughter in the same parish Wednesday last.
Category: World News
23:43 &14:02
Jamaicans do not like the beach we love to work and have no time for the beach, and to 14:02 it is not endurance but ambition.
Over one hundred nationalities reside in the Cayman Islands yet it is only negative news from one of the several nationalities isthat is ever published on CNN.
Trinidad & Tobago is represented here yet i do not see any news published on this site about that country last week a mom and her son were bruatally murdered and they do have other negative news. All news house internationally are currently reporting on the tragedy in Norway but it is not reported here, hundreds are dying of hunger in Kenya, this is not reported on this site and there are several Kenyans living here. Canada and the UK has murders some gruesome yet never reported on this site.
I am left to wonder what is the motive of CNN with respect to Jamaica. Is it traffic that you are looking on your site?
Balance reporting would be greatly appreciated. But then what is CNN motive????
You meant CNS, but point well taken. Perhaps it is because Jamaica is the largest group of expats on the island and closely knit to Caymanian families, also being our next door neighbor, and it is in our common interest to know what is going on there. But still you have a good point. There could be alot more positive news posted on Jamaica. Unfortunately, it is crime – and not sports and entertainment that gets all the attention.
Take that chip off your shoulder. The motive is obviously to report news which will be of interest to a significant portion of our population. Jamaica is our nearest English-speaking neighbour. We have historic ties to Jamaica. Caymanians travel there regularly. Thousands in our population are from Jamaica nad have relatives there. When Miss Jamaica did well in the Miss Universe pageant it got reported. http://centos6-httpd22-php56-mysql55.installer.magneticone.com/o_belozerov/31115drupal622/world-news/2010/08/24/miss-jamaica-gets-number-two-spot-pageant. When Jamaica did well in the Olympics it was reported and we were all cheering for Usain Bolt and the others. However, the fact is that the media in every country has more coverage of bad news than good news. CNS's coverage of bad news in Cayman is very extensive.
Wow this is incredibly sad, but then new stories across both here and across the globe are also incredibly sad. Just look at Norway for example, or watch one of the Florida news stations and you will see.
My sincere condolences to all victims of crime, wherever you may be. Everyone that's passed on is someone's child or loved one, so bare that in mind when you are commenting on here. Have a heart.
Oh, and by the way — peace amongst all nationalities is a must if we want to survive in this country, or any other one. Let's stop pointing fingers and playing the nationality blame game, as there are good and bad in every single nationality on this earth.
Just my 2 cents. Deuces.
Cayman is like Little Jamaica. Time for Caymanians to get off your high horses. Most crimes here are being comitted by kids with Caymanian accents. This is a fact. Thank your government for the influx of low income Status Grants who Chilren are now becoming of age to show their appreciation.
It is sad how a few criminals and judgemental people, have caused many good citizens in the thousands to be looked at in a "bad" way. Yes, Jamaican criminals have done their part in hurting alot of innocent people, yes Jamaicans have committed crimes in the Cayman Islands and elsewhere, but those from the outside who judge and brand "all" Jamaicans in a negative light, have done the country more worse than the criminals themselves.
Some of you are not going to like what I say, but you have some people (even here), who see many Jamaicans inferior than themselves because of the dark color of their skin, their appearance, culture, and speech. And yes… I said, skin! I have even heard remarks from certain Caymanians say that that person looked like a Jamaican, and they were meaning the person's skin color and what they wore. Such people gossip and use "crime" as a word to brand Jamaicans and belittle them as nobodies!
You can't judge people based off of a few ignorant people! You shouldn't allow ego, pride, nationalism, hate, and destructive emotions to consume your soul against somebody else. And you ought to think before you speak! To judge wrongfully, is to encouraging others elsewhere to likewise judge you wrongfully; especially, if you are as well a dark colored person with a unique appearance. This immaturity and hate amongst people in the Caribbean has to stop! God is the world's Author and Sustainer! We are all from one same stalk – it is called humanity!
I am just wondering where all of this "cayman vs jamaica" is coming from,not just because of a reprint from a column in a jamaica news paper?(ITS A REPRINT of news) I would think you would rather it was'nt in any paper but I can't see where cayman vs jamaica played a part in this thing.About who committs the murders here how many caymanians or jamaicans have been convicted for these?.arrested yes (both) but not many convictions so we really don't know who really committed these crimes (what Nationality)
Color of skin?
Give me a break – we don't need that crap in Cayman!
People in Cayman need to stop blaming Jamaicans for every little thing. Come on, Majority of the crimes committed here are done Caymanians (yes, I am a Caymanian born and raised). If Caymanians contiune to blame others for their problems how will they ever be solved! The difference between Jamaicans and Caymanians is that they acknowledge the country has a problem and do take necessary steps to fix them. I would feel much safer if the police force in Jamaica was protecting me than the police force here. I wish Cayman people would get their head out of the sand and look at the issues.
22:20
How many Jamaicans are in our Caymanian prison? Let's be fair now.
CNS: If you click on "reply" under the comment you are responding to it would put your comments in context. I often delete comments that are out of context and therefore don't make sense.
How may Jamaicans are in prison does not give you the full picture of the problem.
8:50
That is the point. Since all of you want to blame the crime on Jamaicans, you tell me how many young Jamaicans you see in our Courts being charged? NONE! Please record this, Jamaicans need their guns to fight their political war. So leave the Jamaicans alone and let us all take care of our Caymanian problems by beating our kids and teaching them right from wrong. I just beat my 15 year old last night for talking back and being rude to his mom. Not in my house BOBO.
You obviously have not been in Court lately or even looked at the Cause Lists. Every nationality passes through our Courts and is in our Prisons!
Was the beating the right thing to do? Does your 15 year old have a summer part time job to take pride in? Does your 15 year old hang with bad boys? How is his grades? What alternatives have YOU given him to make himself better? What hobbies have you encouraged? YOU are the parent and he is a product of you. Beating is the WRONG answer…why not try setting a goal? "Son, you make $1000 this summer from an honest job and your mother and I will match it to send you to xxx camp or a day of fishing or towards a safe car or???" use your mind, not your fists. This is what is wrong with our parenting and youth. Then we end up with crazy gang related items like beheadings and youth crime.
I understand outright rebellion that could cause serious harm to your 15 year old or his life, but in your case, was the "beating" necessary? The reason why I ask you that is because there are many other methods of discipline that are effective as well, like: retribution, service, reward, grounding, taking away previleges, and talking to your son.
I am assuming from your handle name that you are the type that believe in following what the Bible says, when it states, "spare not the rod and spoil the child." Whilst that may be words of wisdom within a certain context, "beating" a teenager has its disadvantages too: It can close off valuable communication between you and your son; especially, if you responded out of anger and not principle.
I think the best discipline method for his age, is for you to be an examplar of tolerance and patience. Constantly talking and communicating quality affairs with your son, not only disciplines him in a loving way, but give you the opportunity to fill his mind with good values and personal experiences you have to offer him. As far as I know, rarely should physical force on a teenager be an option of discipline.
Its amazing how some caymanians rejoice whenever they hear about vioence in Jamaica. Do to others as you would have them do to you; if you still believe in the Christ and wot not.
I agree! It's like they can't help but kick Jamaica when she falls. God have mercy on us and Jamaica and heal our lands.
Actually, that seems to be attitude of many Jamaicans when they hear about violence in Cayman. There is gloating and statements that Cayman is worse than Jamaica.
Don't worry, people head will cut off here and it won't be Jamaicans doing it.
It will soon happen here and they will still deny the influence those people have here. We need a quota system once and for all. Then we will be able to control crime.
"Those people"?? Just remember that the majority of the violent and gun crimes here are OUR OWN young men. AND that OUR OWN mothers, girlfriends, sisters, grandmas, fathers, brothers, etc… are the ones enabling them!
So if you want to keep blaming Jamaica for influencing our young men, just remember it's an admittion that WE lost influence of them. I wonder when and where they lost our respect and found "those people" more influential?
We need to stop passing the buck and accept responsibility for our degrading society. The sooner we do that, the sooner we can look into ourselves, fix ourselves and work to correcting Cayman.
Just saying that we need to know when we can actually jump on our high horse and ride it. Let's get real!
We do not know who is committing "the majority of the violent and gun crimes here". However, if you do and have not reported them then you are aiding and abetting the criminals.
"Those people". Three reasons "those people" have so much crime are:
1) Political corruption / agendas. Their politicians live like royalty.
2) Poor education. (Which never used to be the case, but was essentially destroyed by 1.)
3) Lack of opportunity. (Created by 1 and 2).
None of the above is the fault of the average citizen, which happen to be decent, church going people. Armed with basic Christian principals, they travel the world to seek better opportunity because their political parties have failed them.
Its the year 2011. Those people have been suffering since 1970, or 41 years.
Now lets evaluate our selves:
1) Our political parties are relatively new. However, they don't seem to leading us down the path of prosperity. Quite the opposite.
2) We have NEVER valued education here.
3) We complain all the time that there is lack of opportunity and that is why our youth are turning to crime.
In short we are heading down the same road as "those people".
But here is the difference, we do so by choice. I say that, because we have tremendous opportunity here. The very fact that others come here and do so well is proof. We have an advantage of our ties with the U.K. – this is a business fact and not up for debate. In truth, all we need to do is fast track EDUCATION. This will not only empower our average citizen, allow us to choose more appropriate leaders.
Generally speaking, I wouldn't call a Jamaican education "poor". Wheras the country is predominantly poor and some people can't afford it, the education certainly is not. The problem with Jamaica is that there are more "dogs than bones", meaning too many people qualified to do a job, but too little jobs.
Cayman's problem is the opposite, more bones than dogs. Hence expatriates. I suggest we fix the poor regard for education and start teaching our children that it is their only avenue for success.
Throwing money at huge elaborate structures to teach in is not the answer. Are schools needed? Yes. But we need to realize that the attitudes have to change first. There are students in poor rural communities in Jamaica in classrooms without A/C, no shoes on their feet and do their homework by candle light that are getting "A". Makes no sense putting the cart before the horse or what we will have are students still failing… but in a classroom.
If the plan included a strategy for addressing the students, teachers and the bogus curriculum, maybe I'd be impressed with the structures.
Jamaicans across the world, including England, the US, Canada, etc. make up a high percentage of the prison population. No surprise here.
Not really. See – http://www.kcl.ac.uk/depsta/law/research/icps/downloads/wppl-8th_41.pdf According to this report, Jamaica has 4709 people incarcerated. But Dominican Republic along with Cuba, has themost in the Carribean. Dominican Republic has about 16000. Then Puerto Rico has 13000. Haiti has 6370 and then follows Jamaica. In the world, the United States has the most incarcerated people. Let us just say that a high percentage of the prison population is mix, but Jamaica is just a drop in the bucket.
The statistics you quoted are not actually relevant to the point the poster was making. They show only the numbers imprisoned within those countries (which may include other nationalities). It does not show how many of the nationals of those countries are imprisoned on a worldwide basis.
Here are some relevant facts:
-It is estimated that between 1996 and 2007 40,000 prisoners have been deported to Jamaica from Canada, the United States and Britain. (http://ffbj.org/wordpress/?p=56)
– Jamaican men (listed as confirmed aliens meaning not having US citizenship) account for the third-largest group of Caribbean nationals in Florida's prisons today. Cuba has 2,376, the largest number, and Puerto Rico has 1,895 (http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20110227/lead/lead21.html). Cuba's population is estimated at 11.2 million as compared to Jamaica's 2.9 million and Puerto Rico's 3.8 million.
– among foreign nationals Jamaican and Americans account for the largest segment of the Canadian prison population.
And we should remove the visa restriction???
20: 19 Ye dogone right. Rome what visa, are you people crazy or what, wanting to sell your souls for a fist full of dollars.
Go ahead and remove that visa and see what happen. Crazy.
Yes sweetie, i agree we should keep the visa restrictions for Jamaicans and allow the blue eye blondies to come in free; they are not coming to committ any crime, only to use the poker machine card at our ATMS, only to sell property that are not theirs, only to come in with black money and the list goes on- oops what am I talking about, these are not crimes; these were some kind of mistake, crimes are only committed by Jamaicans.
I say remove the "visa restrictions" because it didn't help crime here one bit! The restrictions has only put a wedge between us and Jamaica. One day we may just need Jamaica again to help us with infrastructure and economy like it did in the 1960's. And besides most of the crimes committed in Cayman are by a mixture of other locals / Caymanians. We need to keep strong relations with not only the UK, but Jamaica as well. I know for certain that they will not just throw us on the wayside. Jamaican are closer to us than US, UK, and Canadian citizens.
We don't know that it didn't help crime one bit. However, we do need to constantly review to see that is as effective as possible in screening out undesirables. However, a visa by itself will not be sufficient to protect our borders. If guns anddrugs are being landed by canoe there is no reason to rule out criminals similarly being landed.
Please stop making statements about who is committing most of the crimes in Cayman. You don't know and I don't know since few of them are caught. We can only speculate. When the culprits were speaking with Jamaican accents it was argued that they could be other nationals imitating Jamaicans. Now that we hear that some of the culprits are speaking with Caymanian accents that must be equally inconclusive.
Cayman stopped being Little Jamaica a long time ago it has how become the United Nations. There is a representative from every country that make up the united nations and every demands and is allowed and demands free speech, equal time and the right to vote.
Cayman is becoming more like the Middle East and Asia major/minor.
Please tell me more, I am not sure I understand.
It is just small minded xenophobia with the undertone of generic racial and religious prejudice.
Don't worry. The crime will drive everyone away, and then it will just be the Jamaicans and the Caymanians pretending to be Jamaicans left here to enjoy the beach.
23:43 You are right about that because Jamaicans are not moving. Talk about endurance.
…"Stopped being Little Jamaica a long time ago"?…. My foot…. Just take a close look at how many Jamaicans we have in our Law Enforcement and JUDICIAL/JUSTICE Systems as well as EVERY OTHER area of control in these here Cayman(Jamaica) Islands. Just look around you and SEE the SHEER NUMBER of Jamaicans we have here. These include both Legal and ILLEGALS we have here in these here Jamaican(Cayman) Islands… and dont tell me we don't have absolute ILLEGAL JAMAICANS here. Our Borders have NEVER truly Protected from back when until this present moment. I know these things as I worked with the Immigration Dept. and besides, my good COMMON SENSE tells me that we DO.
Last but not least, Just pay close scrutiny of the rather CLOSE TIES and INDULGENCE of Jamaican Nationals to Politics and Elections the Premier has been promoting here in these Jamaica(Cayman) Islands. and NO ONE can ARGUE this with ME. Thank you very much.
I rest my case!!!
Cayman will be soon to follow. Afterall, this is Little Jamaica now isn't it?
We do not need that sort of negativity. Speak positive words over these Islands. Your words are void and of no effect.
Exactly. Don't speak of reality, as no good will come of it. Go back to talking about religion and whatever Mac is feeding you to distract you from whatever he's really up to.
The poster was not speaking of reality. There have been no decapitations in Cayman. He was simply speaking negatively about our future. It is quite right that nothing good will come of it. If you had a litle more depth you would understand the point I am making.
I don't know how you've got McKeeva into this discussion. He does not enjoy my support.
This is so sad my heart goes out to the people of this community and the people of Jamaica in general. Sorry to say it but this is what happens when there is no respect for law and order and when people are allowed to commit crime with impunity because they know that eye witnesses will not come forward.