Let me ask a question, that I think is a basic for every carribean people...Could you recognize these flags? These are some of the carribean flags...di video will come up on the reply an you'll be able to understand the point of this
Last saturday, Mr Vegas did a show here in Montreal an apparently while he wanted to big up di haitian dem inna di building, because of what happen in this country (hurricanes an di fallen school dat did many hurts), he ask for a flag but someone gave him a Barbados one and he didn't seem to notice at all that it wasn'T an haitian flag...Vegas u should know dem carribeans flag better then that
While it should be somthing basic that every Caribbean country should know, NO, the flags of others aren't high on the list of the Jamaican People except for Canada, USA or England....lol
I was there.... And if you ask me, most people who comes directly from Jamaica don't know any other Caribbean flags except their own (Jamaica). This stems from the fact that the Caribbean is still a divided set of countries which shouldn't be... It cost almost as much to call a friend on another island as it is to call Japan even though there is a Caricom agreement between Caribbean Nations. Thanks to Digicel, roaming on most island is now possible even though the cost is still the same.
Second, Most Caribbean People tend to align or try to be Jamaicans, anywhere else in the world that they may travel. It's only by accent that we "Real Jamaicans" would know the difference. So whats the real reason for us (Jamaicans) to know what the flags of other nation really looks like? All to me looks the same except for Trinidad, who is the only other Caribbean island to stand out apart from us. Theirs is the only other Caribbean flag I and most of my friends can recognize "off the bat" (so to speak)
So while I agree he (Mr Vegas) should have known, it was an honest mistake...., so don't get offended if it was your country's flag that got mixup. I didn't remember which country's flag it was either, I just know it wasn't the one he (Mr Vegas) thought it was.....
2O WOMEN SEXUALLY ASSAULTED AT AIRPORT - Jamaicans touched on their private parts after landing in Barbados
More than 20 female passengers who arrived in Barbados on a flight from Jamaica on November 30 are now claiming that they were abused and 'touched' on their private parts by immigration officials.
They also say that after going through the abuse, they were sent back to Jamaica without any explanation.
Immigration requirements are that all persons who wish to enter Barbados are required to hold a valid passport and a valid return ticket. But, despite fulfilling these requirements, they were still denied entry.
One passenger, *Angella Bassy, said she was assaulted and disgraced by a policeman. "I felt so humiliated as we sat there for over three hours waiting on Immigration to address us. When the police approached us, one said to me, mi hear seh you have drugs inna your. I said to him 'excuse me? It's my husband who sent me on a vacation. I have no such thing on me'. He then said 'so how youso fat?"
Bassy said the policeman then walked off and a lady came and addressed the group saying they would not be permitted to enter the country and that they would have to board the next flight back to Jamaica in the morning.
Bona fide visitor
Halle Sprint*, another passenger told THE WEEKEND STAR that when she decided to visit Barbados for a month she did not know that she would be treated like an animal.
"The plane arrived in Barbados some minutes after 7 p.m. When we checked in, we were told that immigration needed to speak with us. One lady told me that I don't look like a bonafide visitor and as a matter of fact she sending us to detention," Sprint said.
She added that her nightmare started when she was locked up in a cell with three other women. "The cell had one little cot, some of us had to sleep on the floor and I was even denied a shower. That was devastating for me as I practice to bathe twice daily and my skin itched me for the entire night. Trust me, it was horrible and all now I don't know why I was treated that way," she said.
In the case of one of the other victims, Lacy, she claims that she was punched in her mouth because she was chewing a gum. "The officer asked me to stop chewing the gum and I didn't, as me look a him come over and give me one 'thump' inna mi mouth, mi shock," she said.
Like dogs
She said that she was also placed in a room for approximately three hours where an immigration officer questioned her. "... I must say that them treat we like dogs, I didn't even get anything to eat."
The women say that no one told them why this treatment was meted out to them and they were not charged for any crimes.
When THE WEEKEND STAR spoke to Herman Lamont, assistant director of the Diaspora and Consular Affairs Department at Jamaica's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, he said that he had no knowledge of this particular incident.
Lamont said that the passengers should however make a formal complaint to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the matter will be investigated. He added that some months ago one passenger had made a complaint that the Bajan immigration department treated him unfairly and that this particular matter is now being investigated.
Efforts to reach the Bajan immigration department proved futile as the numbers were unavailable.
Cashp, I am sorry that you had to go through this ordeal. I for one believe that as general knowledge we should at least be able to identify another Caribbean country's flag(most of them if not all). The main reason for this lack of knowledge (if it is that) would definitely be as a result of vector65's second point.
Most Caribbean People tend to align or try to be Jamaicans, anywhere else in the world that they may travel. It's only by accent that we "Real Jamaicans" would know the difference. So whats the real reason for us (Jamaicans) to know what the flags of other nation really looks like? All to me looks the same except for Trinidad, who is the only other Caribbean island to stand out apart from us. Theirs is the only other Caribbean flag I and most of my friends can recognize "off the bat" (so to speak) One way I believe this can be addressed or improved is if it's taught in schools from primary level. At least the younger generation would be educated about other countries' flags in the region. The only other way is simply for us as individuals to make it our business. It really doesn't hurt to be in the "know."