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Columns
The British media's anti-Jamaica campaign
DIANE ABBOTT
Sunday, November 27, 2011
THERE was yet another depressing story about Jamaica in the British media last week. It featured in the evening news bulletin of BBC Radio. The news item began by mentioning that next year is the 50th anniversary of Jamaica's Independence. But it went on to suggest that any Jamaicans foolish enough to return home for Independence in 2012 risked being murder victims.
The news reporter said that over a thousand people returned to Jamaica every year. The source of that exact figure is a mystery. He went on to say that in the past decade 350 returning residents had been murdered and the possibility of being killed was "casting a cloud" over people thinking of returning home in 2012.
The reporter did point out that tourists hardly ever got attacked in Jamaica. But this fact would not have been much consolation to tourists of a nervous disposition who happened to be listening to the programme.
The news report went on to say that most returning residents flew into Norman Manley Airport in Kingston and that there was a network of criminals at the airport who targeted people visiting Jamaica and followed them. The programme implied that these criminals were often working in collusion with policemen and soldiers.
The programme also interviewed victims of crime and Mark Shields, former Scotland Yard detective who was appointed deputy commissioner of police in Jamaica in 2005 on secondment. He left the Jamaica Constabulary Force after a few years and is currently managing director of Shields Crime Security Consultants Limited on the island.
Percival La Touche, a long-time champion of returnees was also interviewed, and claimed that there was no plan to protect returning residents.
Crime is a serious issue in Jamaica, and the death of any Jamaican, returning resident or not, is a tragedy. But I was disappointed that the programme mentioned, only in passing, that violent crime overall has dropped in Jamaica and there has been a 25 per cent drop in the murder rate this year.
It was a programme designed to frighten anyone who was thinking of visiting Jamaica. I have worked for years to try and improve the image of Jamaica in the media. And I was depressed that on the one hand it is such a struggle to get anything positive about Jamaica in the newspapers and on television, but on the other hand these kinds of negative items easily obtain prominence.
We do not know when the next general election will be and we certainly do not know which party will be the victor. But whoever leads Jamaica in the future, the fight against crime will have to be a top priority. Fear of crime does not just have the potential to frighten off returning residents. Crime is also frightening tourists and potential investors.
However, I deplore the tendency of the British media to present only the negative side of Jamaica. I sometimes think that it is a testimony to the loyalty of Jamaicans living overseas and the excellence of Jamaica's tourism product that anyone ever visits Jamaica at all.
Diane Abbott is the British Labour Party's shadow public health minister
www.dianeabbott.org.uk
 
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11/27/2011
Ive been robbed once when I was in Jamaica, but in britain the number of times I got mugged I lost count! My bank account was even cleaned out by a white gang who wears suit and tie in the uk. My mobile phone and computer details been hacked so many times by men who wear suits in the uk Im tired and exhausted. A 79 year old woman was robbed and beaten to death by two 14 yr olds in britain two days ago and it goes on and on, they're only writing that about jamaica to make themself look good.
11/27/2011
Some of us who are taking Ms. Abbott to task conveniently ignore her exhortation for our leaders to intensify the fight against crime. This would suggest that she recognises that the nexus of the problem is crime itself that gives rise to the negative press reports. So what are you critics doing to enable abatement of crime?
11/27/2011
As Jamaicans we need to deal with our crime problem head on and stop asking people to write or talk nice things about us. The politicians need to tackle the crime problem fearlessly and stop making excuses. We are one of the murder capitals of the world and it does not matter if in a given year 1300 people are killed instead of 1600. The figures are still disgraceful. As for returning residents rather than avoiding the country you should use your influences to pressure the politricksters.
11/27/2011
This is an isssue that Jamaicans needs to address and start now. I felt that the british media assertion is what we need to confront our decaying society. How dare we get offended to a problem that is glowing bright from our closet, there's nothing wrong with criticism if the problem is real and correctable. I have lost close friends who after living here in the states for many years and decided to go back home to reside. So we need to treat the sore instead of hiding it from visitors.
11/27/2011
We all know that the western media houses spread propaganda and lies about Jamaica. Thankfully a lot of people know the truth about Jamaica and like any where else in the world if you're in the wrong place at the wrong time bad things can happen.
11/27/2011
We all know the Jamaican adage "if it nuh guh suh it nearly guh suh" We are too obsessed with our image! As a people we need to take a hard look at who we are and what we stand for. If we feel that the UK media is on a "Anti-Jamaican" slant ask ourselves why us and not, Barbados, Trinidad, Antigua, The Bahamas etc. Why are we so uncomfortable with being self reflective?
11/27/2011
STOP focusing on what the press say about us. The fact of the matter is that the British press is not going commend us on our achievements over the last 50 years. Just focus on making Jamaica a better place and forget about the haters!!!
11/27/2011
Wait, I forgot to ask Ms. Abott: You claim the British press is "anti-Jamaican", but what we should consider is the veracity of their claims. New agencies that seek to expose cannot always be accused of adopting an "anti" posture. Somewhere, somehow, the truth needs to be exposed, and of course we can't depend on tha Jamaica press to do that job!
11/27/2011
We need to improve the quality of life in Jamaica instead of merely focusing our energies on improving the IMAGE. Far too many tourists who venture beyond the gated all-inclusives are learning the truth about us when they speak to locals.And face it: How do you make the JTB ad "Come to Jamaica and feel alright" line up with tourist harassment, a runaway murder rate, corruption that has eaten away at decency in the society and a reputation for being pot-smoking gun-toting con artists?
11/27/2011
That you find the truth offensive speaks more about you than the truth.
Why dont you use your office as MP to counter the "tendency of the British media to present only the negative side of Jamaica"?
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