Extradition issue making them afraid to apply

Jamaicans are more fearful and uncertain, now more than ever, about standing in the queue at the United States (US) Embassy in Liguanea, St Andrew, in light of the recent visa cancellation of at least one prominent local and rumours of several others possibly being revoked.

Over the past two weeks, the US visas of SuperPlus boss, Wayne Chen, and a senior police officer in the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) have been cancelled. Reports state that Chen made the discovery while he and his family were about to board a flight at the Norman Manley International Airport last month, while the JCF superintendent received a written notice in February about the status of his visa.

While the US has denied ties between the Jamaican Government's laziness in extraditing west Kingstonstrongman Christopher "Dudus" Coke, as has Washington requested, several persons told THE STAR that they were already 'sweaty palmed' about applying for a visa.

"Bwoy, from dem touch de bigga heads dem a go touch de small fries," said Mundo, a St Thomas man who has since tossed his American visa aspirations aside. "Dis is jus a warning of things to come, is jus a matter of time before everybody affected. All de best to those who applying now, but I keeping my money inna mi pocket."

sending a strong message

Punchinelaa woman from Montego Bay, St James, agreed with Mundo. In her assessment, the odds of successfully applying for a visa, since the recent extradition issue between the US and Jamaica, are severely stacked against locals.

"It doesn't look good for us," she said. "I would advise people to save their money because right now they are sending a strong message."

Another Montego Bay resident lamented that the whole situation was making a potential visa success story as difficult as finding a frozen drink in the Sahara Desert.

There was, however, at least one Corporate Area visa holder who shared a different view with THE STAR.

He said that he did not believe the US embassy would be clamping down on the visas of the normal Jamaicans. "If yuh tek weh poor people visa dat naw affect nobody at all. Dem a fi tek whe de visa fi de bigga heads dem," he said. "Dat a wha mi tink still, mi a go whe next week, hope dem nuh prove mi wrong."

While many Jamaicans will continue to worry regardless, others may find comfort in the response from the embassy when contacted by this newspaper.

In an emailed response to THE STAR, Patricia Attkisson, public affairs officer at the embassy, wrote: "The Consular Section of the US Embassy is interviewing and issuing visas to qualified applicants as usual."

Names changed upon request