2 WHILE THIS newspaper shares Belize’s concern of its territory being used as a staging point for people being smuggled into the United States, the Belizean authorities must be mindful that the sustainable solution is not to walk away from its obligations to its partners in the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). THAT ONLY weakens the regional integration process and further frustrates CARICOM’s effort to transform itself into a single market economy, to which successive Belizean administrations, including the one headed by Prime Minister John Briceno, have said they are committed. Put another way, strong institutions cannot be built on flexible or fairweather rules that are adhered to or broken on individual whim. If that were the case, the idea of a treaty and community law governing CARICOM would mean naught, and regional states would have no cause to pay mind to the Shanique Myrie ruling by the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), acting in its original jurisdiction in interpreting the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas. In that regard, perhaps it is timely that the Shanique Myrie case be revisited to determine its applicability to recent events, and whether Belize can find in it sufficient purchase in support of its actions. Earlier this month, Mr Briceno’s government imposed a rule that Jamaicans travelling to Belize must have fully paid, non-refundable hotel reservations before boarding flights to that country. With respect to Haitians, Belize went further. Haitians require visas to enter the country. Mr Briceno defended the decision on the claim that nationals from the two CARICOM states are, with the help of people smugglers, increasingly using illegal border crossings from his country into Mexico, hoping to make their way to the USA. RIGHT OF ENTRY Over the past 14months, the Belizean authorities say, of the 1,673 Jamaicans who entered their country from points other than the United States, 895 (53 per cent) were unaccounted for. During the same period, 2,095 Haitians were recorded as entering Belize. Only 121, approximately six per cent, were documented as having left. “We have done this reluctantly,” Mr Briceno said in relation to the restrictions on Jamaicans. “We consider Jamaica a close friend and ally. Historically, we have always supported each other, but we had no choice.” His government, the prime minister said, was open to finding other ways to deal with the problem. It is not clear what his views were on the Haitian component. Neither have the Belizean authorities – nor anyone for that matter – said how their actions square with the Myrie ruling. Ms Myrie is Jamaican. In 2011, she travelled to Barbados, was denied entry, and subsequently put on a flight back home. Ms Myrie complained that she was subjected to humiliating body-cavity searches. In 2013, the CCJ ruled that Ms Myrie, as a CARICOM national, had a right of entry under a 2007 decision by the conference of heads of government on the free movement of citizens within the community, without harassment or undue impediments. While the court acknowledged that the 2007 decision afforded member states the right to limit free movement if a person was“undesirable”and would “become a charge on public funds”, the CCJ held that the exercise of these powers should be construed as an exception rather than the rule. It warned against discrimination between citizens of member states, placed the burden of proof of the cause for exclusion on the member state, and said that people who are denied entry should be given the reason promptly in writing. They should have access to consular services. It seems that there might be points to be argued on whether a visa regime for one set of CARICOM nationals, such as Belize has on Haitians, comports with the idea of hassle-free movement of all citizens within the community. Or more importantly, whether it is with the spirit or the letter of community law determined by the CCJ. DISCRIMINATORY Similarly, the economic burden imposed on Jamaicans that they must have “non-refundable reservations” for accommodations is, on the face of it, discriminatory. It locks visitors into specific accommodations, on the pain of losing their money, if, for any reason, their booked accommodations turn out to be unsuitable or not in keeping with what was promised. The argument that early, unreported departures by guests have hurt hotels seems overstated. It is usually the case that accommodation contracts insulate hotels against such behaviour, including freeing booked rooms whose occupants have clearly skipped their obligations. Belize has a genuine problem, which it must fix. But a solution should not start by weakening CARICOM, if the authorities in Belmopan believe it is a community worth having, and of which it wants to be a member. It is one of those matters that should be put to the collective wisdom of the community. Belize and the Myrie case Prime Minister of Belize, John Briceno Deronie Jones (foreground) and Devonte Simpson (background), winners in the greased pig competition, hold aloft the animals they caught as their prizes at the St Mary Association of Branch Societies/JAS Annual Agricultural Show held at the Grays Inn Sports Complex in Annotto Bay, St Mary, on Monday. RICARDO MAKYN/MULTIMEDIA PHOTO EDITOR Erica Virtue/Senior Gleaner Writer JAMAICA’S RELATIONS with the continent of Africa is expected to receive a strong boost with the posting of High Commissioner Joan Thomas Edwards who heads to Pretoria in South Africa in a week’s time, with a promise to strengthen ties between the motherland and Jamaica. Her mission is to build stronger familial, trade, cultural and diplomatic relations. The experienced diplomat with more than 30 years in the foreign service has had postings in the United States and United Kingdom and at the United Nations. She returns to South Africa as the head of mission, 17 years after having pioneered and established Jamaica’s first high commission there, and served as acting high commissioner. Credited with the successful recruitment and training of 10 members of staff in operational standards and protocols for the high commission there, a registry for communication systems was also established. That deployment in 2006 laid the foundation for bilateral engagements in the areas of cultural exchanges and trade relations. It is in these areas that she hopes tomake the greatest impact for the next four years. Speaking with The Gleaner on Thursday, days before she swaps home here for South Africa, she describes the posting as an honour. “Africa is the new frontier and Jamaicans love Africa and Africans love Jamaicans. This is largely due to the historical links. From as far back as the 1930s Jamaicans have been migrating to Africa, the motherland. The Rastafarian movement has sensitised us to Africa, a history we already knew, but other than that, Jamaican professionals have gone to countries in Africa to work,”she told The Gleaner in an exclusive interview. “They helped to build Africa and have been involved in the bureaucratic and administrative functions of a number of government offices of African countries. So it’s not strange that Jamaicans are there. So there is a love for Africa and love for Jamaica,” she stated. NATURAL SYNERGY In announcing her new assignment Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Kamina Johnson Smith describes her as an experienced diplomat, “who has acquired expertise in the areas of foreign trade, multilateral, bilateral, and regional affairs. I am confident that she will use the opportunity of this new assignment to strengthen the bonds of friendship and cooperation between Jamaica and the Republic of South Africa, as well as the rest of the southern and east African regions.” While unable to quantify the size of the diaspora on the continent, she said in southern Africa at least 300 Jamaicans are there and in the eastern parts of Africa, another 300. She strongly believes, however, that the numbers combined is closer to 1000 people. She will man countries of southern and east Africa, including South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Lesotho, Eswatini (formerly Swaziland) Zambia, Zimbabwe, Ethiopia, Eritrea and Rwanda, An at torney-at - l aw, High Commissioner Thomas Edwards has served as the under secretary in the Foreign Trade Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade and as a senior director, Foreign Trade Department. She previously served as director, international organisations, Top priority High Commissioner Joan Thomas Edwards RUDOLPH BROWN/PHOTOGRAPHER HC Joan Thomas Edwards to strengthen trade, cultural and sporting ties with African continent EDITORIAL PLEASE SEE CULTURE, 3 PHOTO OF THE WEEK THE MONTHLY GLEANER | APRIL 17 - MAY 23, 2023 | www.jamaica-gleaner.com | FEATURE
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