Bush blames governor for continued Jamaica-visa
(CNS): The failure to remove the local requirement for Jamaican nationals with US, UK and Canadian visas to still apply for a Cayman visa, as proposed by government, is down to the governor, the premier revealed on Wednesday evening. Bush stated last year that he wanted to lift the restriction but had accused the PPM of being the ones likely to object. During a public meeting about the limited influence the elected officials have on the UK’s representative, McKeeva Bush revealed it was the governor who had refused the UDP government’s request to change that rule. He said that he had waned to ease that restriction for sometime but despite that he was told by the governor that because of security reasons the UK would not allow it.
In a statement released from his office on Thursday afternoon, Governor Duncan Taylor confirmed that, although he had agreed to the premier’s proposal of removing the visa requirement for children under 15 and people over 70, he did not agree with an across the board waiver for all Jamaican nationals coming to Cayman with US, UK or Canadian visas. This, he said, was because the Cayman immigration department does not have the capability to detect forged visas.
At the West Bay meeting, which was called to discuss the crime problem, the premier was using the point to illustrate that the elected government had no power over the governor and issues of national security. He said the country’s new constitution was not much different from the old one, which is why he warned people not to vote for it and lambasted all of those he accused of supporting a new constitution that still left all of the power regarding security in the governor’s and ultimately the UK’s hands.
In his statement Thursday, the governor said he had taken advice from the UK on the issue and while most Jamaicans were law abiding citizens, the visa restriction had ensured that the few that were not did not get access to the Cayman Islands, which, if the restriction was lifted, might happen.
“I know that the vast majority of Jamaicans are law-abiding citizens. This includes residents who make a positive contribution to our society and economy in the Cayman Islands and short-term visitors, including business visitors, whose visits are welcome and trouble free. There is, unfortunately, a small minority who have the potential to cause problems,” the governor said Thursday.
He pointed to the “lively market in forged and counterfeit documentation” in Jamaica which, he said, included UK, US and Canadian visas.
“The Cayman Islands Immigration Department does not have the capability to determine whether such a visa is genuine or not and the respective countries have indicated that they are unable to provide the Cayman Islands with the access to the resources on which they rely to make these determinations. The authenticity of a Jamaican national’s UK, US or Canadian visa could therefore not be guaranteed and this fact could be exploited,” Taylor said in defence of the decision.
He also stated that the introduction of the requirement in 2005 led to a direct and significant reduction in the involvement of Jamaicans in crime locally. The governor added that lifting the visa could potentially allow unscrupulous Jamaicans to gain entry to the islands using forged or counterfeit visas.
Category: Local News
Do you count white and Portuguese Bermudians the same as black Bermudians? Do you not have quotas in the workplace based on race? Are your political parties divided on largely racial grounds?
One thing that you don't have to ask a Bermudian, that is "who is a Bermudian"? Bermudian knows who is a Bermudian and what it takes to be a Bermudian. Any Bermudian can tell you who their Bermudian born grandparents and parents are. Not because one is born in Bermuda does it make that person a Bermudian. White, Portuguese and Black Bermudians are the same they are Bermudian and are called nothing else, simply "Bermudians". I believe that the political parties are divided just as they are in the UK, USA and every where else in the world, people vote and choose who they want.
People like you are jealous of Bermuda because of their standard of living, wealth and the full control that Bermudian have over their country. Bermudian will not bend under pressure or is easily influenced to change anything that is not in the interest of Bermudians. Bermudians have direct control of Bermuda and no one can and will change that. The divide and conquor mentality does not work there, Bermudians are just too smart for that. That is why they are called stuffy and arrogant, which they can afford to be the world is trying to get into Bermuda and very few Bermudians will live outside of Bermuda.
You are falsely trying to give the impression that there is unity among Bermudians regardless of colour. The political dialogue is always ultimately about race. The Progressive Labour Party is a `black party' with primary concern for the plight of the blackBermudian while the United Bermuda Party is the party of whites, and blacks on the make. Why is there a group called "Citizens Uprooting Racism in Bermuda [CURB]"? Why is there a Ministry for Race Relations? How do you explain this article from Reuters? http://uk.reuters.com/article/2007/01/21/uk-bermuda-politics-idUKN2138566820070121
FYI your standard of living is no higher than Cayman's. You may be confusing standard of living with per capita income. Given Bermuda's payroll tax and extremely expensive accommodation the higher per capita income does not translate into a higher standard of living.
You clearly have a puffed notion of Bermuda's importance. I for one have no jealousy of anything that is in Bermuda, nor would I wish to live there although I could if I so chose.
9/25/11 -21:44 You got it wrong. You say Jamaicans been here since 1970's. WRONG! WRONG! When Christopher Columbus discovered the Cayman Islands all he found was 2 Jamaicans and all the turtles that those two Jamaicans had in their possession. Check your history, your forefathers are Jamaicans and the turtles are your cousins.
I assume you are joking. I know my history very well indeed. Cayman had no inhabitants in 1503 and there was no such thing as Jamaicans at that time, only Arawak or Taino inhabitants of that Island. Speaking for my own line, my forefathers were not Jamaicans although it is the case that there are some Caymanian families of which that is true. Jamaica was settled by the English after 1655. Cayman was first settled in the 1660s.
My point about the 1970s was not to say there were no Jamaicans here before but rather that is when they arrived in large numbers.
A Caymanian is a Jamaican who has been here long enough to feel superior to Jamaicans who have not been here for so long.
a Caymanian is a Caymanian and a Jamaican is a Jamaican.
Sorry to do a bit of historical nit-picking, but I would like to point out the following:
If one considers slaves from Jamaica, as "Jamaicans", by 1802 there were nearly twice as many "Jamaicans" as "Caymanians": 545 slaves to 388 whites. Most of those "whites" were also from Jamaica.
Although you could call the first settlers English, i.e. the Cromwell soldiers from Jamaica, many of the other "English" also came from Jamaica, according to the first land grants.
As an interesting side-note there was a settlement of Jamaicans on Little Cayman in 1670 under the leadership of Captain Ary (who may have had a home in Cayman Brac). When Rivero Pardel (Spanish) plundered and burnt their huts, four children were captured , and it was not turtle season, which indicates it must have been a permanent settlement. (Craton: "Founded upon the Seas")
I apreciate that your ancestors were not Jamaican, as they could have been Cuban, Honduranian or any other interesting mix.
I am, however, often gob-smacked to hear the painstaking detail Caymanians will go into in order to distinguish themselves from Jamaican ancestral connections.
It seems that you believe that if anyone spent any time in Jamaica at all that means they are Jamaicans. The ancestors of many Caymanian familiees did pass through Jamaica but obviously that did not make them Jamaicans. Since the English began to occupy Jamaica after 1655 it should be obvious that persons in inhabiting Cayman in 1670 could not be termed Jamaicans.
I am gobsmacked by the lengths people will go to try to confuse Caymanians with Jamaicans.
There was no slave market in Cayman but there was one in Jamaica. Caymanian slave owners went to Jamaica and purchased slaves. The slaves came from Africa.
There are a number of posts (probably by the same author) on here suggesting that Rollover amounted to "ethnic cleansing" of Jamaicans. It should go without saying that this is false and reflects paranoia. Rollover was applied across the board to every nationality and occupation. Theidea was to prevent too many persons, regardlesss of nationality, from becoming eligible for permanent rights including, ultimately, the right to vote. Rollover clearly has not, and could not, achieve "ethnic cleansing". The largest segment of our non-Caymanian population is still Jamaican, followed by Filipinos.
When terms like "ethnic cleansing" are used in this way it libels the Cayman Islands and Caymanians, it promotes hatred, and it trivialises the moral evil which is ethnic cleansing. Please stop it.
Actually, I believe the poster was trying to highlight that such attitudes are evil and intolerable and hoped to change people's minds on such attitudes. He was therefore effectively supporting your view. However, you appear to have missed the not-so-subtle message that was trying to be highlighted and prefer to focus on the negative, like a young girl outraged at a non-politically correct joke. Satire is a useful and can be a poigniant form of criticism.
And what if your assumption that the poster was Jamaican is wrong? What if the poster simply wants to get people's thought processes going? Admittedly that will in some cases require more voltage than brought life to Frankenstein's monster , but nevertheless would simply like to encourage open debate? Your contribution appears to have been "no fair. I'm telling my mummy that you said something nasty". Hmm.
I think your wrong there – even David Ritch said as much – it was aimed squarely at the Jamaicans, other natinalities just got caught by the same wide net. It may make you feel better to think otherwise but you are wrong.
What Mr. Ritch was saying is that if we allowed large numbers of indigent workers to gain permanent rights it would be an unmanageable strain on the govt. purse strings as it would have to support them in their retirement. Obviously he was entirely correct. As we know many of our domestic helpers and gardners etc. (many of whom are Jamaican) would fall into this category. This was a valid economic consideration but it was spun as racist sentiment instead. However, as I have explained, Rollover has not and could not effect any "ethnic cleansing" because it was applied across the board.
Actually they did use rollover and work permit renewals as a way to send Jamaicans home and refuse Jamaicans entry, its right there in black and white in some of the decisions issued in recent years, where they say 'too many from a certain demographic region' and invite the prospective employer to hire someone 'of a different nationality'.
You are confusing a re-balancing of nationalities policy on the grant of work permits with Rollover.
Thank you Governor another great decision. Our immigration visa system is working- read the Jamaican Gleaner and you will see murders every day including beheading of women. Yes our Caymanians are doing these killings- but can you imagine what our islands would be like if we had to deal with Jamaican criminals too?
A few years ago, I was leaving Jamaica to return home to Cayman and I noticed that the Immigration official was about to scan my US VISA.
I quickly stopped him and asked him what was he doing since it was none of his business to scan my US VISA, and instructed him to scan my passport main page instead. He made some feeble excuse, but on my subsequent visits I did'nt see him again.
In retrospect now I wish I had got his name and reported him as it was suspicious to me.
Thanks, Mr Governor.
Can anyone imagine this Government, running the Country without any checks and balances. A 1 man rule
God help us, and keep the Union Jack flying.
Are you all noticing the T.D. & LOL when anyone suggest good things for these Islands.
If you really like it here, why all the TD, LOL
If Jmaicans were forging UK, USA or Canadian visas as was said believe me they would not choose to come to the Cayman Islands.
The Cayman Islands would hold no intrest to them.
So stop the crap argument. What Caymaninas need to do once and for all is accept that the highest level of crime ever seen in their homeland is being commited by their own. How much longer can this be denied
LOL. Errr. We have many Jamaicans already here. Been that way since the 1970s. Many who were here and rolled over can't wait to get back.
Clearly the US etc. would be able to detect forged US visas but we won't.
I'm from Bermuda. I find it strange that the Governor exercises so much day-to-day power in the Cayman Islands, especially over immigration. Here in Bermuda (a fellow British Overseas Territory) such a decision on Jamaican visas would be up to our elected Minister of Immigration.
I think Cayman needs a new constitution that gives more delegated power to the elected Government. We had a similar debate about limiting Jamaicans visiting Bermuda some years ago and the Minister of Immigration took the decision to require visas to enter Bermuda — you never heard of the Governor.
Bizzare.
You clearly don't know anything about the quality of our elected government ifyou suggest that they should have more power – and I am Caymanian.
The UK has made it clear that the powers given to Bermuda were a mistake and will not be repeated. If the Cayman Islands wants this power then the option of independence is always available. It is disappointing that the Governor has so little control here, given the massive democratic deficits in local governance.
And I think Bermudans should let people have more than one car per household, allow expatriates to own homes, and stop being so hung up on skin colour. Bizarre.
I'm Bermudian and I resent your comment about race. We are not 'hung-up' on skin color, we just want to ensure that Bermudians are given priority in their own country. We have a very small island, 21 square miles, we cant afford to just allow any outside to own property and take up crutical space. And yes, expats can own homes — just the higher-end homes that are priced in the millions.
Sorry to be “crutical” but the reputation is well known and well deserved. As they say in CNSworld, the thumbs don’t lie.
You wouldnt think it so bizzare if so much power was given to the Ministers of our current Government!
Oh you mean like the decision of Bermuda Premier to give shleter to the Guantanamo detainees that got him into all sorts of trouble with the UK Govt?
Sometimes I really wonder If some of these people on here think through the stuff that they write..I mean If Jamaicans were successful at forging US, Uk and Canadian visas why the heck would they choose to go to Georgetown?…I mean Mobay is bigger and nicer! rotfl
You obviously don't understand the point of the forged visas. It's not to gain entry into the respective countries where the forgery can be detected but to enable them to travel to countries who have a relaxed immigration policy based on them having a US,UK and Canadian visa with no way of detecting the forgery. By the way, its a matter of personal opinion when you compare George Town, Grand Cayman to Mobay.
Obviously, I dont understand your point of forged visas. First of all , very few countries allow you to travel to their country based on the fact that you have a visa from the US or the UK. When this news was in the Gleaner, the reactions of most Jamaicans was who really cares? I mean, as a percentage of our population, very few people want to go to Cayman
We are not concerned about as a percentage of your population. We are concerned about as a percentage of ours. Obviously many do want to come here.
People were up in arms when we imposed the visa in the first place. In fact your feathers were so ruffled that out of spite you imposed one on Caymanians. Hardly the sign of people who don't care.
You are affecting disdain for Cayman and it is pitifully obvious.
Huh? A Jamaican would need a U.S. visa to go to Montego Bay?! Boy you are confused.
It doesn't surprise me that you failed to understand the comment.
I think perhaps your comment was poorly expressed. As written it makes no sense.
You know what really irks me? You all did an ethnic cleansing and disguised it as the rollover, and expulled many long-term law-abiding Jamaican residents. Replacements who come must have a police clearance as customary. You also implemented a visa policy for all Jamaicans, all in an effort to reduce crime. And guess what? Crime is now at its highest level. So who you gonna blame for that? Still trying to blame the reduced Jamaican population for that? How about looking in the mirror?
Who is stupid enough to think that other nationalities are'nt involved in crime in Cayman, including Jamaicans! It seems like most people still don't have a clue as to what is happening here!
Thank God the Governor said NO!!! and as ususal Big Mac always blaming someone.
What is REALLY sad is the fact that the reports the Governor used to overturn Big Mac's decision had been presented to the Premier by the Police and Immigration Departments.
So here is what happened, Police and Immigration told Cabinet that the visa policy had been successful in reducing the involvement of opportunisticcriminals from Jamaica in local crimes, and recommended that the visa system remain in place.
Against good advice, Big Mac decides that looking good in the eyes of Jamaican politicians was more important than a few more crimes committed in Cayman.
Now Big Mac wants to change the subject to the new constitution… the same constitution that forced him to hire a housekeeper and to take all kinds of perks. Yeah, right.
Here is Mac trying to pander to his potential "new" caymanians – he is just like a child when caught by a parent saying "it nah me, it wah him.."
Mac, what exactly is the premier responsible for? I ask this so that we can have an idea and criteria for judging the next one in 2013 – COZ IT WON'T BE YOU!!!
Good old Bush – remind me when the next election is please! He has to go.
Thank you Mr. Governor for exercising your power which I thank God is still a part of your job description even though madmac wanted this taken from you too. We still need the UK and at this point I am all in favor of the UK taking the majority of control to try to get this island back on track. For sure our first step though is to get rid of the psycho-babbling freak from the west.
I remember listening to Bush after the elections, at his Ritz Carlton meeting. I listened with anger as this man had nothing good to say about Caymanians and he barked on and on about his lineage in Jamaica. It came as no shock to me when he came up with this sillly idea of amending the visa requirements for holders of Jamaican passports.
But, WHAT A SHOCK HE GOT, NO!!!! say's the Gov. Take that and smoke that. Now listen to him rant and rave about how the UK is preventing the Cayman Islands from improving the economy. You watch, it comming.
Since you can get your cousins to come here, then why don't you do us all a BIG FAT favor and you move up there for good, please!!!! Try help them sort their mess out, since you like Jamaican style politics.
Well the joke is on you! Why would you be so fool to attend any meeting this man puts on in the first instance. I hope you paid a hefty sum that night and learned your lesson in the long run!
May I remind you, it was broadcast live on radio cayman. It was not a private function but a public meeting.
Mac, wake up from that leiserly stroll in Montego Bay in 1983. The governor been updated and taken note.
JA deportees from all over the globe…don't worry we here in Cayman welcome you with open arms…
HE,
Thank you, this decision alone ensures you will not be placed alongside your predecessor!
Now if you can only force them to get this pesky crime thing taken care of before we run out of people.
SOL
Thansks Mr. Governor. Ask the Premier to go and fly a kite !!! Only a lunatic wants to do a wholesale openning of the boarders to all Jamaicans at this time.
Hello 18:31.
Ever heard of data protection or privacy legisaltion. While "so-called first-world Governments" do share certain information in relation to persons who have offended or are seen as a risk to commit serious offences, they DO NOT routinely share inforamtion on law abiding persons – like your grandma and grandpa.
While I agree that the "global connectivity and technology" is readily available, the data is simply not accessible.
Thank you, Governor.
God save the Queen!
It is better to remain silent and be thought of as a fool fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubt. No one in recent history has better personified this saying then the self inflated Premeir of the Cayman islands. so much crap has come out of this mans mouth that anything good will not be listened to. Past time to go. But then again he is still the perfect ambassador to the world for the Caymanian people.
I'd like to congratulate the Governor on remaining steadfast on this particular issue. It is true that Caymanian society has taken a turn for the worst, but, Jamaican society is unfortunately waaaaay pass our point. We acknowledge that there are many hard-working and honest Jamaicans but the truth is many of their nationals have totally let them down. If you are an honest hard-working Jamaican then apply and pay for your Caymanian visa. If you are a criminal, then take your malice somewhere else. May god continue to bless our Cayman Islands. Thanks again Governor Taylor.
XXX We have to have a Visa to vist Jamaica don't we. Cayman need all the income we can get.
So in spite of the fact that our Immigration "does not have the capability to determine whether such a visa isgenuine or not and the respective countries have indicated that they are unable to provide the Cayman Islands with the access to the resources on which they rely to make these determinations", our darling Premier wanted to allow anyone who turned up from Jamaica with anything that LOOKED LIKE a US or Canadaian or UK visa to march right in!!!
Surely he of all people has travelled enough to know that when he hands his passport to an immigration officer in Miami or London, they simply locate his visa in his passport and slide it though the machine to read it. They don't sit down there and stare at it to figure out whether it is genuine or not. And the reason for this is because nowadays, all of the vital imformation is electronically imbedded in the visa. A machine imbeds it and a machine reads it – duh!!!!
Thank God the Governor didn't agree with dodo Mc and his merry followers!!!
So because of these minority low-lifes who commit crimes, my 63-year old mother can't visit me unless she goes through hoops to get a visa even if she already has another visa to the US, UK or Canada? But my 73-year old dad can and he has to travel without his wife? One has to be either under or over a certain age? Who came up with that formula and what's the rationale – they are either too young or too old to commit crimes? This is a subtle form of discrimination against the rest of us. If Cayman is truly serious about attracting more law-abiding and professional Jamaicans to visit here and who already hold U.S., UK and Canadian visas, then maybe they should invest in equipment that can detect forgeries, and/or persist in devising a system with US, UK and Canada consulates to verify quickly whether a visa is genuine or not. I can't believe in this age of global connectivity and technology, that this type of info cannot be shared between so-called first-world Governments. E.g. U.S. can track terrorists who travel all over this planet (and yes, these terrorists sometimes forge passports and visas too), but there is no technology to tell whether a Jamaican visa is genuine or not? Seems laughable to me. Facilties to forge visas and passports are available in most every country, but of course, single out the Jamaicans – their shoulders are broad and they can take the licks even when others don't have to. It sucks that the majority of us law-abiding citizens have to suffer for minority low-lifes who commit the crimes. As my granny use to say "The stone that the builder refuse will be the head corner stone" – Translation: That which we reject, we eventually embrace. It is my hope that one day that law-abiding Jamaican citizens will get fair treatment and we all don't have to suffer for the minority.
FYI – For those who love to blame Jamaicans for crimes in their own countries, hear this. These low-lifes exist in every nation on this planet, including the U.K and yes, even here in Cayman. Each country has its own bad eggs. Most of those Jamaicans who commit crimes are those who were deported from U.S., Canada and the U.K, and whose parents left Jamaica long ago looking for a better life. They have lived most of their lives in these first world countries from infant-hood, growing up in poor neighbourhoods because that's where poor immigrants can afford to live, and for one reason or another feel into criminal activity or were bred / lured into it by your own home-grown gangs, drugs and guns smuggling rings, etc. When you catch them, what do you do? Ship them back to where their parents came from, never mind that they did not grow up in Jamaica or were not bred into criminal life in Jamaica. Never mind that the root of most crimes is drugs and guns, and it is the demand of your "first-world" citizens for these illicit things that fuels much of the crimes today. One can't fight crime without eradicating the root cause. So before you look to pluck the straw out of your brother's eye, pluck out the raft from your own. Resolve your own internal problems first if you really want to make this world a better and safer place, instead of laying the blame at Jamaica's feet.
The jails of UK Toronto and Florida are full of Jamaicans, the yardies and possee gangs are Jamaicans…it's not just an unfortunate coincidence that your countrymen are seen as criminals as opposed to Serbo Croats or Japanese…who also have badd eggs in their community.
And the Northward prison is full of Cayman criminals, more than any other nationality, so what is your point? The point of my article was, in case you did not understand, was that most of these deportees were not taught these criminal activities in Jamaica, they were children of poor Jamaicans who emigrated from Jamaica long ago seeking a better life, who ended up in poor neighbourhoods and ended up in a life of crime, lured into it by the local home-grown gangs over there. These first-world countries bred these criminals because they have a full-blown market over there for illicit drugs and guns. Why do you think there is such a huge smuggling trade between Mexico and the US? If US wasn't buying so much drugs, there would be no market for the Mexican drug lords. I am not making excuses for any criminal and certainly do not condone crime, I am simply stating a fact. Once these children of immigrants are jailed and serve their sentence, they are promptly deported to Jamaica who did not breed these criminals into the life of crime. The point is, again, that each country must look to eradicate their flourishing drug and guns market first if they really want to solve the problem in their own backyards, instead of blaming an entire country for destroying them. If you already evicted most of the Jamaicans here with the rollover, who is doing all this crime now, gang activity, and 5 murders in one week? You gonna blame Jamaicans for that too? Get real. This island is in constant denial over what is happening with its own youth, thanks to their lazy parents and weak communities who neglect these youth. You are so busy copying the American lifestyle that it is now catching up with you and wreaking havoc with your kids who are growing up as gangstas. Go right ahead and blame Jamaicans for that too.
Sadly you are in denial, no matter what you want to say about innocent youth being corrupted by the ghettos of America, go stroll through Tivoli Gardens and Water Town and tell me how safe and non-violent and drug free these communities are.
You are a simpleton. One would naturally expect the prisons of any country to have its citizens as the majority of inmates. That however does not explain why Florida and Toronto prisons would have so many Jamaicans.
Clearly, there are hordes of criminals in Jamaica itself which were homegrown. I am not sure what your point is.
Well before you rush to call anyone a simpleton, check your facts. If your country has a very high percentage of expatriates (The Cayman Islands, Dubai, Qatar, etc) then the answer would be no…Secondly, the cities that you listed have a very high percentage of Jamaican's these are the areas in North Americans where majority of Jamaicans live..I am not sure what you consider a lot (Please provide statistics)..You put your lies out there without facts tehn expect people to defend them. Cheap tactic..
OK Dick. You asked for statistics. I am quoting from the World Bank report located at the link below:
"If the number of prisoners in U.S. federal prisons is examined as a share of the total populations of the home countries of the convicts, then Jamaica contributes the most prisoners per head of population. Not surprisingly, then, Jamaica is the country in the Caribbean with the largest flow of deportees relative to its population, and its lead is growing (see Figure 6.4). An average of 1,200 convicts per year were deported from the U.S. to Jamaica between 1993 and 2004".
In Cayman's prison population you will find a similar story. Among non-Caymanian prisoners Jamaicans far exceed any other nationality on a per capita basis.
You can live in denial or accept the reality that this is the experience of every country with a large Jamaican immigrant population.
At least this Dick was brave enough to sign his letter. Well, why would that be surprising? Jamaicans have the highest percentage of expatriates living there! Are you really that dumb? Where is the link?
i mean Cayman along with the other small countries have very small population. Firstly, Jamaica has a lot of people living in other countries. The USA,Canada and the UK being the more popular ones. Of all the Caribbean countries, The Dominican Republic, Haiti and Cuba are the only countries in the Caribbean that have more people than Jamaica.. If Jamaicans are the most deported, I can assure you it's because they have the most people, from the Caribbean, living in these countries. What you failed to acknowlege in your diatribe, is that most of the people that are deported from these countries are for non violent crimes. I would suggest that you be honest with yourself and your friends on here. Jamaica is no paradise but we accept the problems that we face here. You on the other hand are like a chicken with it's head cut off who still think that you will lay an egg tomorrow. Please do not continue to lame your problems on Jamaicans because of your hatred for us
Any objective person can see that what I have written is factual combined with fair comment. There is no "diatribe".
"If Jamaicans are the most deported, I can assure you it's because they have the most people, from the Caribbean, living in these countries".
I love how you can "assure" me of this without the benefit of the relevant statistics. It serves to expose your lack of objectivity. Of the Caribbean foreign-born U.S. population in 2000 Cuba claimed 29.6% and the Dominican Republic 23.3% as compared to Jamaica's 18.8%.
“And the Northward prison is full of Cayman criminals, more than any other nationality, so what is your point?”
We cannot assume that the composition of the prison population reliably reflects the proportions of nationalities committing crimes for two reasons:
2. There is a fairly low solution rate for crimes here. Some of the crimes now occurring are relatively new to Cayman and there it is clear that some are being committed by amateurs and others by professionals. The amateurs are much more likely to be caught and they tend to be Caymanians. For example, the attempted robbery at Blackbears by two Caymanian teenagers was done by amateurs. They were caught. On the other hand, the Margaritaville heist was clearly a professional job and by all indications the perpetrators were Jamaican. They were not caught. Further, there is some evidence to suggest that crimes are being committed by persons who enter and then leave these Islands illegally, probably by boat. The chances of the perpetrator being caught in those circumstances are slim.
You said: "The point of my article was, in case you did not understand, was that most of these deportees were not taught these criminal activities in Jamaica, they were children of poor Jamaicans who emigrated from Jamaica long ago seeking a better life, who ended up in poor neighbourhoods and ended up in a life of crime, lured into it by the local home-grown gangs over there. These first-world countries bred these criminals because they have a full-blown market over there for illicit drugs and guns".
Here's what the World Bank Report 2007 had to say in response to this claim:
“Of course, the issues are not as clear cut as this. Deportees are not a homogenous group. There are cases of deportees who, in all but their paperwork, were citizens of the developed countries, having been raised there and holding few connections to the countries of their birth. But there are also those who were career offenders in their home countries before venturing out into trans-national organized crime, and those who fall somewhere in the middle, whose criminality may be attributed to experiences in both countries”.
The report goes on to say:
"Some commentators have argued that many deportees left their home countries at a young age and learned criminal behavior while abroad. To examine this hypothesis empirically, Bernard Headley, a Professor of Criminology at the University of the West Indies, examined 5,174 records of criminals deported from the U.S. between 1997 and 2003. He found that the mean age of entry to the United States was 23 years, nearly out of the high risk age demographic of 15-25, and less than 3 percent arrived before the age of five years (Headley et al., 2005). A fifth arrived during the formative period of 16-20, however, during which experiences in both countries could have had some effect on the course their lives would later take. Thus, while there are some cases of deportees who left Jamaica at young ages and were largely raised in the United States, they constitute a minority of total deportees".
"…most of these deportees were not taught these criminal activities in Jamaica, they were children of poor Jamaicans who emigrated from Jamaica long ago seeking a better life, who ended up in poor neighbourhoods and ended up in a life of crime, lured into it by the local home-grown gangs over there. These first-world countries bred these criminals because they have a full-blown market over there for illicit drugs and guns".
How ironic that in a post in which you are chastising Caymanians for blaming Jamicans for Caymanian criminality you are blaming first world countries for Jamaican criminality. Supposedly their home grown gangs "lured" the innocent Jamaicans into a life of crime. LOL.
Back in the days when JAMAICAN drug lords were ferrying drugs into these islands, they were dealt with, with kid gloves. So much so, there was an case of an idividual who was given bail and he absconded. He couldn't live in a ceratin place because it was too close to the beach, but he was housed in a CONDO on the West Bay beach and disappeared. It was public knowledge that he was taken away by a seaplane and no investigation was carried out to track him down. FYI, there are many more cases of those infamous figures on island, who are held in high esteem, are in high positons and country figures, who are living among us. There are many lessons we can/could learn. I hope these few words have made a dent and you will understand what it means to destroy another man's country.
Yeah, and who invited them here to trade with your own home-grown criminals. Did they invite themselves into this country? Drug running criminals don't go anywhere unless there is a market for them and there are obviously plenty of local people here willing to trade with them – so again, look at the RAFTER in your own eye, before you dump on an entire country of people the majority of whom are law-abiding citizens. I have had enough of the Jamaican bashing by you locals – when will you stand up and take responsibility for your own crimes and stop blaming everyone else? You already ran out most of the Jamaicans with the ethnic cleansing i.e. rollover, after Ivan, so pray tell who is to be blamed now for the escalating crime now taking place? Yes, that's right, your own Caymanian gangstas.
Please remember that no one elsegave Jamaicans the negatice image, they have around the world, but themselves.
Of course, you all can't stand when you all are told the truth. Never met a Jamaican yet that can take ownership of that fact. Except the educated ones, which I am afraid to say don't flock here too often.
My 5 year old still needs a visa to visit Jamaica, and there is no history of widespread criminality in Jamaica so you and your mother have little sympathy from me.
Governor Taylor do not put your hand in the fire because we will have to deal with this long after you have gone.
Thank you Governor for being in charge and preventing this government from removing the visa requirement.
Another example why this country still needs oversight from the UK.
Thank you Mr. Governor! Glad to see that we still have a Constitution that that most of us voted for that gives you some oversight.
Thank you, Governor Taylor. This is a point I have made in my posts on CNS a number of times: we have no way of detecting forged U.S., U.K. and Canadian visas. It is a serious security risk. Now try putting the UK Govt. and Governor's position down to "PPM hatred of Jamaicans" as you love to do just to stir them up.
"(Bush) said the country’s new constitution was not much different from the old one which is why he warned people not to vote for it and lambasted all of those he accused of supporting a new constitution that still left all of the power regarding security in the governor’s and ultimately the UK’s hands".
Yes, thank God it did. Those powers should be kept far away from you as it is clear you will misuse them.
Our poor islands would be termed backa yard. Hello! Are you listening? If it was left to the Premier, we would be left looking for the Promise Land and over taken by the status grants another time around.
The Governor didn't get tangled in the spider-web. Thank you again.
Keep it
Even with the Visa requirement the National Airline seem to be doing OK. I tried to get a seat on a flight the other day to Kingston and ended up paying for a Business Class seat because that was the only seat available over a three week period. So Mr. Premier, Why are you so bent on dropping the Visa requirement. We all know what good the 3000 status grants did for us and you seem like the only one who benifitted from it.
Mr. Governor, keep the Visa requirement in place no matter what the Premier has to say about it.
A lot of those "status Grants" ended up on social services payroll.
When you hear that eight thousand "Caymanians" are getting help from social services, question their place of birth.
You see, MaKeeva changed the immigration law after he gave away status to every poor immigrant that was here; that way you couldn't track them in the system. There is no such thing as a "Status Holder", they are now Caymanian.
And now, we all have to pay for his doings.
Unfortunately, too many of the recent Jamaican immigrants and visitors are linked to organized crime and gangs. they need to be well documented and scrutinized before being allowed entry here. Some may not like what I am saying, but we all know it is the truth. Unfortunately the bad are spoiling it for the good. almost every nation in the world is now wary of Jamaican immigrants – why should we be any different? I am aware what Jamaica did for us in the past, but guess what? these young thugs with their pants down to their knees and hairstyles that look like a spider took a dump on their heads had nothing to do with that. I know some older Jamaicans who call the younger thug life yardies useless, worthless and no good. Why should we go out of our way to welcome them? their own people are wary of them. Sorry folks but I tell it like it is. Decent Jamaicans please tell your thug life all stars to straighten up then we will lift the visa requirements.
And you please tell your own home-grown thugs and homeless yardies to straighten up too, because they are the ones who are committing the crimes here. You all have run out most of the Jamaicans through your ethnic cleansing i.e. rollover already, and you already have a visa system in place for several years now, so why are you still blaming Jamaica for the recent upsurge in crime. Good god people, how about blaming yourself for a change and taking responsibility for your own born and bred criminals?
I can understand people who support visa restrictions, but when people like you post these racist diatribes, it makes me wonder. Jamaicans have been using visa to enter Cayman for several years now. You have had the roll over for quite awhile also..Could it be that the criminal activities are a result of desperate Caymanian youths?
I mean, The Brits blame Jamaicans for their recent riots..a small country with 2.7 million ppl almost 3500 miles away…
" Unfortunately, too many of the recent Jamaican immigrants and visitors are linked to organized crime and gangs. "
Where did this tidbit come from??
Those gangs are NOT Jamaican. That's just laughable. Show me your proof of that.
If you or anyone believes that then you are just another big fool looking to blame someone else for your failings. This is Caymans downfall
Oh, i dunno. I guess i thought names of prominent local bad guys indicated a Jamaican connection. You know, names like Burrell and Brown and Montique and Ming. I know they are not traditional local names. Must be Canadians. My bad.
Hush. You are not supposed to say that. Very politically incorrect. We are supposed to pretend that all of the criminals in Cayman are Caymanian born and bred. If you don't say that then you are xenophobic and blaming all of your problems on other people.
Thank you Governor…stick to your principles and don't give in to politicians ambitions at the next elections. Their hunger for power is at our social expense. Why let in more of the people who as you correctly say, and we have experienced…"have the potential to cause problems ".
What a terrible Governor. He is probably also behind that AG who is trying to prevent the government from entering into deals with loansharks who offer "free" rides on their private jets. It wouldn't surprise me if the Governor wasn't behind some plan to prevent the wholesale selling off of assets like the politicians did in Turks and Caicos for the benefit of the people. This talk of "good governance" is just a sham, and he shouldn't be messing with our "Pure Heart" leader whose hands are clean. And that's "What I see Happening…."
""Which is why he warned people not to vote for it "" Did he? If he had, his people would not have voted for it and we would not now be saddled with an system we cannot afford and which the majority of people did not vote for.
So what are you actually responsible for McKeeva? It seems like you are the minister of "Pointing The Finger and Assigning Blame" in which case please go away and give us back all the money.
Bush Blames Everyone..What's new?