OPPOSITION LEADER Owen Arthur is today warning that the Shanique Myrie incident must not be allowed to tarnish relations between Barbados and Jamaica.
Arthur believes Bridgetown has more to lose than Kingston, given its heavier dependence on regional exports, and further cautioned the Freundel Stuart administration that it cannot afford to have the matter “spiral out of control”.
In an exclusive SUNDAY SUN interview, the former Prime Minister of Barbados stopped just short of criticizing Government’s handling of the incident last month in which the Jamaican woman claimed she was cavity-searched at Grantley Adams International Airport. However, he did suggest that Minister of Foreign?Affairs Senator Maxine McClean might have rushed to judgement on the matter when she stated publicly that Myrie’s claims were unfounded.
“I do not want this matter pertaining to foreign relations appear as though I am castigating Barbadian officials, but just put it this way, that I feel the Foreign Ministry should understand the role of diplomacy in solving problems and that that is the first thing that you use,” said Arthur.
“Certainly, it is what I became accustomed to . . . . I had one foreign minister [Dame Billie Miller] for 13 years in whom I was greatly pleased.”
The Barbados Labour Party (BLP) leader acknowledged that the matter of immigration had been a hot potato even when he was in Government but said he was careful not to support “bad treatment as an official position”.
“For example, I would never tell people ‘Ever so welcome, wait for a call’. If anything, I got condemned for being too pro-CSME [CARICOM Single Market and Economy],” Arthur said.
He suggested that Barbados should take the lead in finding a resolution to the conflict, insisting that “quiet diplomacy” was now needed on both sides.
When contacted yesterday, McClean did not want to be drawn into a debate with Arthur on the matter.
“The Government of Barbados and the government of Jamaica are continuing to have dialogue on the matter. It is being dealt with,” she said.
