KINGSTON – Lawyers representing the Jamaica government yesterday served notice at the Shanique Myrie trial that they would present evidence to show that Barbados has engaged in a pattern of discrimination against visiting Jamaicans.
The evidence, according to lead attorney Kathy-Ann Brown, includes statistics compiled over the last five years and first-hand accounts from several people who said they were mistreated by Immigration officers.
“This evidence presents a pattern of behaviour in relation to persons with a particular group characteristic – that being their Jamaican nationality,” Brown said in her opening statement before the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), sitting at the Jamaica Conference Centre in downtown Kingston.
“The statistical evidence submitted by both Jamaica and Barbados demonstrates a persistent and relatively constant disparity over a period of five years from 2007 in the denial of entry of Jamaican nationals compared with nationals of almost all other CARICOM countries.” (Jamaica Gleaner)
