Jamaica and Trinidad & Tobago working diplomatically to resolve spat

Jamaica and Trinidad & Tobago have resumed their talks on Tuesday aimed at settling an immigration matter that had threatened to escalate to a trade war between the two largest Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries.

Trinidad & Tobago Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Dookeran, who is leading a delegation to the talks, said that a “trade war’ would not benefit either of the countries and that he had come to Kingston “to open this dialogue, to listen to what these concerns are, to identify the nerve that has been inflamed and to see how we can together work towards remedying or getting the cure for that nerve”.

Dookeran warned that both countries would “suffer in terms of investment, employment and building our own productive capability”.

Media reports had indicated that 13 Jamaicans were denied entry into Port of Spain late last month and deported to their country.

Jamaica’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has since issued a warning to Jamaicans travelling to Trinidad & Tobago saying it was also “concerned at this development and continues to interface with the relevant authorities in Trinidad & Tobago on the matter” particularly in light of the Shanique Myrie ruling by the Caribbean Court of Justice”.

The Caribbean Court of Justice earlier this year ruled that Barbados had breached the right of Myrie when she sought entry into the country in 2011, but stopped short of awarding the BDS$1 million (US$500,000) in compensation she had sought.

Myrie, 25, had been granted leave by the Caribbean Court of Justice to file the action, alleged that when she travelled to Barbados on March 14, 2011 she was discriminated against because of her nationality, subjected to a body cavity search, detained overnight in a cell and deported to Jamaica the following day.

Jamaica said it was urging nationals who believe their rights under the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME) regime have been breached, to make a report to the nearest Jamaican High Commission or the Ministry.-(CMC)