Dear Editor,

I was appalled by the way in which immigration officials in Trinidad treated 13 Jamaicans recently, denying them entry into that country. Though I was not a part of that group I feel humiliated and completely disrespected. Our forefathers must be turning in their graves, after fighting to establish a sense of regional pride and unity among Caribbean nations, that Trinidad would treat members of the Caribbean community this way.

Jamaicans, it is time we take a stand, let us continue to treat Trinidadians that reside in Jamaica with our usual warm friendly hospitality, however we must carry out a large scale ban on Trinidadian goods to Jamaica. Trinidad wants to treat us like we don’t count, well let’s just see. This ban will inevitably have an adverse effect on that country’s GDP and a negative trickle-down effect on its employment rate.

We must support our local goods and products of Trinidad out of our shopping carts.

We must continue to support those who support us as a nation.

Jamaica and TT has built an exemplary relationship over the years it is absolutely disgraceful they would now treat us as such.

I wonder what will happen if we cease all imports from Trinidad, what will happen if that well were to ever run dry. Jamaica is a huge contributor to TT’s GDP, and if there was to be any halt in the import of goods to Jamaica, TT would surely feel the pressure. Jamaica accumulates about US$132 million in goods from the Caribbean nation, excluding fuel. Jamaica is Trinidad and Tobago’s second biggest export market after the United States.

Trinidad cannot and will not sustain itself on oil and natural gas alone. We must come together and stand as one, we live in a country that has so much to offer, let us feed off of that and not buy T&T products in protest over their most unjust actions towards our fellow countrymen.

Roberta Goodwind

Caribbean Estates

St Catherine