Letter of the day
Letter of Day | Worse off than deportees
Published:Friday | April 17, 2020 | 12:18 AM
THE EDITOR, Madam:
I HAVE worked the majority of my life in the public sector, especially in national security, and attended two universities in Jamaica. I was born in Jamaica, and so I am a citizen of the island.
Now, I see where 62 deportees will be sent back to Jamaica on April 21 while I am still stuck overseas. In the middle of a crisis, the Jamaican Government agreed to accept deportees instead of us, law-abiding citizens.
The minister said that the deportees “will be quarantined for two weeks in a secure government facility …”, but when us law-abiding citizens come, we have to pay for accommodation and meal. Why is it that people who play by the rules are always suffering? No wonder the crime will never end, because even the deportees have first preference, the priority! I really hope they are well behaved and will not cause any trouble after the quarantine because, as far as I see, it is our own indiscipline that is hurting us as a country. It was said that the Government is dedicated to the safety of all Jamaicans, what am I? An alien! Oh, I certainly miss Wilmot ‘Motty’ Perkins, because there is no one brave enough to tell the Government the truth!
NO MONEY
Did you know that after a week or two of staying overseas in one house, our time to be there is up? They have their bills to pay and we have no money to give them!
In any crisis, your home is where you want to be, and that’s the only place we feel safe. As a Jamaican, I am terribly hurt by this treatment from the Government, because, in the same breath, us Jamaicans contributing and playing our rightful role in the society could have been home just the same.
After contributing so much to Jamaica, I am turned away from the airport because I booked my ticket on March 21 instead of March 20. While being turned away from the gate, I watched other Jamaicans as they waited to board their flights and I just stood there; I felt like a criminal, a prisoner who was wrongfully accused. My own country has failed me.
We need to be home!
MM