Jamaica’s foreign ministry on Wednesday acknowledged that there had been a spate of cases in which Jamaicans travelling to Trinidad & Tobago had been denied entry and sought to assure its nationals that it was addressing the matter with its counterparts in Port of Spain.
In a press release, the Jamaican Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Foreign Trade said it was aware that “over the past several weeks, a significant number of Jamaicans have been denied entry into Trinidad and Tobago and returned to Jamaica within days on the grounds that the Immigration Authorities of Trinidad and Tobago have deemed them ineligible to be landed as bona fide visitors.”
Having dialogue
Expressing concern about this development, the ministry said it was having dialogue with the relevant authorities in Trinidad & Tobago, citing the recent Shanique Myrie ruling by the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ). In that case the CCJ ruled that Jamaican Shanique Myrie’s right of free movement under the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas had been violated by immigration authorities in Barbados when she was unjustifiably denied entry and subjected to a humiliating body cavity search before being sent back home. Myrie was awarded compensatory damages.
The Jamaican foreign ministry said the Jamaican High Commission in Port of Spain has, when these incidents have been brought to their attention, sought to ensure that those to be returned are properly accommodated prior to their removal to Jamaica.
In some instances, where Jamaican nationals have reported the incidents to their government, the intervention of the High Commission has resulted in a reversal of the original decision, according to the ministry’s statement.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade continues to urge Jamaican nationals who believe that their rights under the CSME Regime have not been upheld, or if they have received treatment in another CARICOM Member State that they consider to be not in accordance with the spirit and letter of the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas, to make a report to the nearest Jamaican High Commission or Consulate or to the Ministry of Foreign and Foreign and Foreign Trade” the statement said.
It added that anecdotal reports alone “are not sufficient to allow the Ministry to represent the interests of Jamaicans who believe their rights have been infringed.”
Work permit not automatic
Notwithstanding the free movement provisions of the Treaty, the Government of Jamaica is reminding its citizens that this provision, by itself, does not automatically confer permission to work.
“In order to take up employment of any nature, persons falling outside of the ten agreed categories will require work permits or work permit exemptions. It should also be noted that those who are not in any of the categories of skilled persons, are not temporary service providers or who are not exercising the right to establishment, will require work permit approvals in the respective CARICOM territories, in advance of travel.”
The foreign ministry is additionally advising Jamaicans travelling to CARICOM Countries for business, study, tourism, or personal affairs that they must be in possession of the following:
- A valid passport with at least six (6) months validity;
- A return airline ticket as appropriate to the purpose of the visit;
- An adequate amount of money to meet living expenses during the visit;
- Information (name, complete address and contact details) for their accommodation, whether hotel or private residence;
- The name and full details of their host or sponsor;
- Where possible, documentation confirming the purpose of the visit; and
- The name and telephone number, preferably the mobile number, of anyone meeting them at the airport.
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