The burdens of Jamaican nationality

While I am in NYC, there are cheap fares to Europe. I mean really cheap. Sub 200 USD to London. I couldn't go even if I wanted to because I have never applied for a British Visa.

Ironic isn't it? The British yanked Jamaica from the Spanish centuries ago and maintained rule until August 6, 1962, and yet we need visas. But we can't blame it all on the British.

The fact is Jamaicans are known to excel at everything we put our hands in. Just look at Usain Bolt, Veronica Campbell, Chief Justice Robinson in the International Court in Hague, etc. But we also excel at crime.

For the most part, Jamaicans are a peace-loving people. Kindness and hospitality even to strangers is part of our culture. But there are a few bad eggs who are spoiling our lot in this life.

Dont ask me who are the immigration officers in the states and the UK who let in people who LOOK like criminals, but they have migrated and have improved upon some of the crimes that they encounter in foreign land.

So that now means that decent people like me must join lines and run aound on musical chairs criss crossing like idiots to get visas to go even to the former "mother country."

It's so sad because Jamaicans, and other West Indians played a SIGNIFICANT role in re-building England after the World War. We even fought in the damn war. And before then, it was the sweat of our enslaved ancestors brows that industrialized Europe.

Ironies abound. Maybe the bad eggs making war now on the streets of London are paying back for all the criminality that their ancestors faced under the whip of the slave manster. I dont condone hatred, or war ever... so dont get me wrong. I wish we could round them all up and leave them on an island all to themselves. But then that would be Australia. World history aside, it just sucks that a decent hard working Jamaican woman like me has to reduce herself to a beggar to be granted access to a country that really owes her so much.

I still love my british readers. And I have no interest in taking up residence. I merely wanted to pass through to say hello to the Queen.