THE EDITOR, Sir:
YOUR ARTICLE under the caption "Hamilton supports visa policy" of the edition dated February 18, 2003, does not accurately reflect my views expressed on the occasion of the launch of the 39th annual convention of the Jamaica Dental Association held in Ocho Rios recently.
The new British visa policy is to be regretted, but what I have striven to do is to extract such positives as can be identified therein, such as:-
It is far better if a prospective visitor to the United Kingdom discovers that he will not be accepted, prior to leaving home, than after arriving in the United Kingdom to be put on the next available flight out and
More importantly, the new visa restriction should bring it forcibly home to Jamaicans how we are viewed by the rest of the world; namely, as one nationality, and not with the various artificial distinctions that we make of ourselves, for example, uptown downtown, PNP JLP, brown-skin or not, professional non-professional. If they can see us as one people, so should we see ourselves, and realise and accept that once we are all born here, we have a common bond. We have much of which we should be very proud, and not ashamed or withdrawn when the aberrant behaviour of our fringe elements causes us embarrassment.
It is my view that the positive contributions we, as a little nation, have made in, and to the world, far outweighs any negative impact derived from our posses or a Steve Malvo (if convicted).
There have been many occasions when this fierce nationalism that I seek for my fellow countrymen is ignited, take the moment of our qualification for the World Cup by the Reggae Boyz, the achievements of a Veronica Campbell or Usain Bolt or the aftermath of Gilbert; but only briefly do these moments flicker only to be snuffed out by the return to the daily grind for survival.
It is therefore in this context that I see the visa restrictions as providing an opportunity for self-examination, by each and everyone of us, to recognise that if we can have achieved so much in our fragmented state, how much the more will we achieve when we become one cohesive force?
I am etc.,
HOWARD HAMILTON, Q.C.
Public Defender
