The withdrawal of a non-immigrant visa for Mr Wayne Chen is something that happens to many Jamaicans and other ordinary people all over the world everyday. Mr Chen, well known to many including the Americans and from the upper echelons of our socio economic classes, has understandably brought with it national consternation, numerous speculative rumours at home and abroad regarding the reasons for such action. The Americans have all the right in the world to loan you a visa, sell you a visa, and refuse to loan you, call in that visa loan or cancel the sale agreement. I have no problem with that. What I have a problem with is the crass, vulgar and disrespectful manner in which Mr Chen was handled and no doubt many other not so known persons.
It is reasonable to think that it is not outside the capacity of the United States Embassy and the State Department to have notified Mr Chen in a more orderly manner. Instead of waiting for him to turn up at the airport with his family to be informed by Jamaican functionaries that he no longer has a visa to travel to the US, thus magnifying and illuminating the embarrassment is unacceptable. Going forward, our Minister of Foreign Affairs and Government should demand, ask or beg the Americans to show the people a little respect. In the same way they use courier services to deliver visas they could use the same route to advise of withdrawals. The truth is that when the Americans loan you a visa, they have more information on you than the Jamaican Government so contacting the recipient is no problem. Putting in this newspaper periodic ‘Visa Withdrawal’ advertisements would have been more acceptable.
Michael Spence
PO Box 630
Liguanea
Kingston 6
Well..I disagree with some of what M Spence wrote..but he does have one solid point. If a visa is cancelled (which is the sole right of the US Embassy), they couldve done the right thing & sent a letter notifying him of such, they dont even need an explanation. Im sure they have their reasons, and if this will help jamaica clean up their act- more power to the US!
Michael, you must have water on the brain. To suggest that the US place sds in the newspaper to advise applicants of visa status shows how insulated and narrow-minded your thinking is. Visa applications are confidential for one, and the US is under no obligation to courier anything to anyone. Why do you think JAmaicans deserve special treatment? The US does this “service” nowhere else. Plus, demanding and begging for respect means you haven’t EARNED it.
As for embarrassing Wayne Chen, I have nothing against him, but many more of our so-called prominent citizens need to be embarrassed. The dollyhouse and apartheid on this plantation island has to be dismantled, and since we have to plans to dismantle it ourselves, let the US do it. We are all tired of the foolishness!
Michael,
…in a more orderly manner. Instead of waiting for him to turn up at the airport with his family to be informed by Jamaican functionaries that he no longer has a visa to travel to the US.
Putting in this newspaper periodic ‘Visa Withdrawal’ advertisements would have been more acceptable.
other visas gone. Before W Chen and after and more. Mr. Spence with all due respect I do not think you understand what is happening. Luckily for you, you live in Kingston 6. The majority of the country outside Kingston 6,8,10, (19 to some extent) do not have the luxury of lack of understanding.
Mr. Spence, you can not wait on the ‘major’ papers if you want to really know what happens in Jamaica. Nor can you rely on 9-5 er’s especially those couped up in a/c all day.
The papers are always a day late and a dollar short Mr. Spence. You understand?
michael you stupid or what? many more is going to be cancelled. it should be bruce next