By Glenroy Sinclair, Staff Reporter
THE BERMUDAN Government last night imposed visa restrictions for Jamaicans intending to travel to that country.
The announcement came less than a week after the United Kingdom announced that Jamaicans would have to apply for visas to enter Britain.
"Jamaicans will now have to apply for a visa at the British High Commission in Kingston. The High Commission in turn will send the names of the list of applicants to Bermuda and any of the names that are on its 'stop list' will be denied," said Winston Lalor, Jamaica's Honorary Consul to Bermuda.
An applicant whose name appears on the stop list will have to wait at least two years before he/she can qualify again to enter the British overseas territory which has a population of just over 60,000. They will first have to apply in writing to the Home Affairs Ministry.
Mr. Lalor said in 2001 the Bermudan Government had 52 persons on the list among the names were eight Jamaicans. That same year 33 persons were asked to leave the country and in this group, were 10 Jamaicans. Another 10 Jamaicans were denied entry into the island that year.
He also pointed out that there are three penal facilities in the country and of the present prison population only 28 Jamaican nationals are incarcerated.
An emergency press conference was called by the Bermudan Government yesterday to announce the new regime. According to Mr. Lalor, the authorities expressed concerns that too many Jamaicans who arrived in the island as visitors were involved in criminal and immigration offences.
Mr. Lalor said, however, that of the approximately 2,000 Jamaicans living in the country, fewer than 30 were involved in crime. He said he was very disappointed with the manner in which Jamaicans were being treated.
"Crime in this country is minimal. The police here don't even walk with guns,", he said.
Ironically, since last year Bermuda has been advertising for members of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) to be contracted and serve in its police force.
Mr. Lalor charged that several other foreign nationals were involved in crime, even more than Jamaicans and no visa restrictions had been imposed against them.
The honorary consul said the Jamaican community has been stunned by the decision. His office, he said, has been bombarded with telephone calls since yesterday.
