SAUNDERS... decision unfortunate

BERMUDA, the tiny British dependent in the mid Atlantic, yesterday demanded visas by Jamaicans travelling to the island, following hard on the UK's decision to impose similar restrictions.

Bermuda's action came into effect at midnight, except for persons who may have purchased their tickets yesterday, or before, and will arrive in Bermuda before midnight on January 21.

Up to yesterday Jamaica's foreign ministry had not been formally advised of the decision, although officials knew that the move was in train.

The ministry's top civil servant, Douglas Saunders, until recently Jamaica's ambassador in Brussels, described the decision by the administration in Hamilton as "unfortunate" but said it may be the Bermudans' way of sifting Jamaican criminals.

"There is a significant number of Jamaicans in Bermuda and while I understand that the vast majority behave honourably, there is a small minority that is creating problems," the permanent secretary told the Observer.

With the visa requirement, Jamaicans join citizens of a handful of Commonwealth states who require permits to enter the island, which is one of the world's major offshore business and tax havens.

A week ago Britain imposed its visa requirements on Jamaicans ostensibly to deal with a problem of immigration laws.

But it is widely held that the action by Home Secretary David Blunkett had more to do with an attempt to keep out Jamaican criminals who the British substantially blame -- even if quietly -- for the rise of the crack cocaine trade and gun violence in the country.

Another British colony, Anguilla, in the Eastern Caribbean, imposed visa restrictions on Jamaicans and Guyanese, causing an outcry that its action was not in the spirit of "free movement" in the Caribbean Community (Caricom) to which it has associate status.

It was not immediately clear whether other British colonies in the region, such as the Cayman Islands and the Turks and Caicos Islands, which used to be dependencies of Jamaica, and Tortola would impose similar visa regimes on Jamaicans.

Yesterday the foreign ministry's Douglas said he was not certain how Bermuda's new visa system would affect Jamaicans now residing in the island. "... but I am sure like any other country they (Jamaicans) would need special documents," he said.

Many of the skilled and semi-skilled workers in the 20 square-mile territory of 63,000 people are Jamaicans, but their numbers could not be ascertained yesterday.

But it is estimated that about 30 per cent of Bermuda's population are foreign-born workers and their children, with a substantial portion of them being from Commonwealth countries.

For decades, Jamaicans -- like other Caribbean nationals -- have gravitated to the tiny island which lies 600 nautical miles off the coast of North Carolina. In fact, several Jamaicans hold senior position in the island's public and private sectors.

Among the recent recruits is former prison boss, Col John Prescod, who was hired to run the island's prison.

Only recently, the Bermuda government placed advertisement in Jamaican newspapers to recruit police officers.

The fear factor

Feeding the multitude

DANGEROUS PETS