STILL SMARTING from the case with Jamaican Shanique Myrie and the verdict handed down, Barbadians are keeping a wary eye on that involving Jahnoy Cassells.
The 53-year-old Jamaican is suing the Attorney General for unlawful detention after spending nearly two years in jail. He was detained by immigration officials when he went to apply for a work permit.
Cassells had since left the island and returned for the hearing, only to be detained again. His lawyers in Jamaica are eager to send this case before the Caribbean Court of Justice. On Friday he was given a deportation order after appearing in the High Court.
Online readers shared their thoughts.
Andy R. Boyce: What the Government of Barbados needs to do is to present Jamaica with a food bill or a bill for the Jamaican nationals imprisoned here for drugs. We should send them a bill for the crime of their nationals. That should make them address the concern of law enforcers that catch them almost every day at the airport.
Sodi: This is what happens when you “play nice” and give up your sovereignty to a court . . . . Your entire law enforcement and judiciary are now completely toothless. Too late for buyer’s remorse. Ka-ching, Ka-ching, Ka-ching, let the cash register ring!
Alwin Ellis: Why don’t they sue Trinidad, the bullies of the Caribbean, for ill treatment when they go there? If Trinidad is not an ATM machine, don’t allow Barbados to become one.
Tony Wiggins: Barbados seems to be the country where Jamaicans can sue and get easy money. We have been allowing Jamaican women six months’ stay even though they don’t have means to sustain them here for a month. Prostitution and performing at strip clubs is what many of them do while they are in Barbados, including using and selling marijuana for local drugs dealers.
Olutoye Walrond: The story didn’t say he got money, Tony. He’s now suing; and so far there is only one case of a Jamaican receiving damages from the Barbados Government. So the “easy money” claim may be a bit of a stretch.
Donald Yearwood: He is suing because he believes that he has a case. If he was imprisoned against the law, then he has a case regardless of where he resides. These things have been going on for years and we think that we are untouchable.
We use to treat Guyanese awfully at the airport but they never sue us because maybe they thought that they wouldn’t win. We need to look at how we enforce the law and maybe we won’t have these lawsuits.
Amanda Wood: I am against mistreatment of any sort regardless of nationality but . . . doesn’t a government have the right to give or not to give a work permit? My thing is if you are not being given one, then go. As for the imprisonment, I would need to know on what grounds that was issued.
• Sherrylyn Toppin is THE NATION’s Online Editor.