Reprinted from Caribbean Net News
caribbeannetnews.com
GEORGE TOWN, Cayman Islands: Newly appointed Commissioner of Police, Stuart Kernohan, speaking recently at a Royal Cayman Islands Police Service (RCIPS) Community Meeting, said that it is not his intention to target any particular nationality as his department carries out its job in combating crime in the territory.
When quizzed in reference to the steps the police here are taking with regards to the Jamaicans, especially those who have over stayed the time granted to them upon their original entry, Kernohan said his department is "not in the business of racial profiling. We are in the business of arresting criminals no matter where they are from.”
Authorities in the Cayman Islands have been accused of racially profiling Jamaicans, especially with the recently introduced visa requirement system.
However, the territory's top cop pointed out that, “I would not want to be drawn into the visa issue in relation to Jamaicans. There are many Jamaicans working in this Island that have never even thought of committing a crime. We will assist Immigration in trapping any overstayers no matter where they are from.”
When asked if he knew how many overstayers are in the territory who are not Jamaicans, Kernohan said he did not have those figures, adding that that's a matter for the Immigration Department.
Last July, crime fighters here pointed to immigration lines, suggesting that there lies the source of crime and linked the presence of illegal immigrants to the rise in crime in the Cayman Islands.
Speaking at an earlier media briefing on crime, stiff action including stop-and-search and roadblocks were outlined for implementation.
Meanwhile, many Jamaicans here are angry with the police for stating that, “the vast majority of residents in the expatriate (ex-pat) community are law abiding citizens", adding that, "but there are always elements that come with illegal intentions.”
This, the Jamaicans contend, suggests that the ex-pats are law breakers and argues that the statement smacks of racism.
Caribbean Net News has learnt that officials in Jamaica intend to raise the issue at the next Caribbean Community (Caricom) Conference of the Heads of Government slated for July next year.
The Cayman Islands has associate member status while Jamaica has full membership.
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