Jamaicans too foreign-minded?

The Editor, Sir:

The Gleaner's 'Letter of the Day' published yesterday speaks volumes about us as a nation and the visa offering jurisdictions. The letter writer speaks of the inconvenience Jamaicans must endure in order to make a visa application, a requirement to travel abroad by these host institutions.

The fact that Jamaican applicants for visas at these embassies are apparently treated with such disrespect and scant regard, and the fact that these institutions' properties continue to be inundated with our Jamaican applicants, tell a big story. First, it depicts that a significant number of us will put up with anything and anyone to leave our beautiful shores for the perceived greener pastures overseas, even if it means spending thousands of dollars to do so, whether 'acquired' by means of corruption, borrowing or stealing.

Not welcoming

Second, it also seems to depict that these embassies are covertly demonstrating that they are not too keen to have many of us in these foreign jurisdictions. It may also be offering a glimpse of the kind of reception that will be awaiting us once we disembark from the airplane and touch these foreign lands.

The real question though is, why is it so important for many Jamaicans to have their visa to travel abroad, especially to the USA and Canada? Is it a class thing? Is it a psychological phenomenon, emanating out of mental brainwashing, probably originating out of our slavery experiences?

Hypocritical

Having lived abroad for 17 years, probably I am being hypocritical in posing these questions. However, I think they need be asked and answers sought for these type of behaviours displayed by us. There are many successful Jamaicans who still believe that if the clothes they wear, or the food they eat, or the person they date are not from abroad, then these products/persons are useless.

I think we need to take stock of our habits and behaviours. We need to question why we think the way we do. We need to ask ourselves why we will, for example, spend hundreds of dollars to purchase a ticket to go abroad to buy the same clothes and other items we have right here in Jamaica.

It's only when we make this change in behaviour and attitude to Jamaica that the nonsense, disrespect and scant regard being meted out to us at these embassies, as is alluded to by The Gleaner's letter writer, will fly away through the window like our hummingbird.

I am, etc.,

JOSHUA SPENCER

Toronto, Canada