Special treatment for Chinese in Jamaica?

I feel compelled to write to you regarding the massive influx of persons coming into Jamaica from China.

There are good points to this new trend, and, of course, there are points that are not so good. Let me now start with the negative ones.

I am told that right now, there are literally thousands of persons from China residing in Jamaica. Some of these people are involved in businesses, while some are just enjoying the good life of Jamaica. Is a proper record being kept by the Jamaican Government on the number of these persons?

Life in China is such that 99 per cent of citizens are always trying to find a new place to reside. Jamaica, I must say, is like heaven to these people.

My concern is this: Why are there so many Chinese people in Jamaica?

I would like to know the real reason for this situation.

a) Are these people going through the normal channels in the immigration process?

b) What are the benefits to Jamaica and Jamaicans for these people being in our country? I would venture to say that indeed they live like royalty , in comparison to the lives they left behind. I know of this personally.

c) For those who import items into Jamaica, are these people paying the correct amount of duty? Are the proper inspections being done by senior customs officers? (I have been told of customs officers who have become very friendly with these people?

d) Why would our immigration department issue work permits to household helpers from China when there are so many thousands of unemployed (and qualified) ladies available? Why would we want to import drivers and gardeners from China? We could export thousands of these.

e) I have spoken to a few supermarket operators who told me that once a Chinese has moved into town, those persons who have been involved in the food business have to close down their business, as they simply cannot compete. I am told that the Chinese people, so as to be super competitive, would join forces with friends and family in the same business and buy vast quantities of supplies that has the effect of cutting their buying cost by 60 per cent. Chinese people are the smartest race on this planet.

f) It is alarming, to say the least, that our new residents are buying up any available United States (US) dollars that are available, for export to the US. I am told that there are foreign-exchange couriers for our new residents who fly into Miami regularly with hundreds of thousands of US dollars, for deposit to their various US accounts. How can we control this?

W.R.

Kingston