Please pity the poor Percival LaTouche because he knows not what he agreed to regarding the proposed immigration rules in the United Kingdom (UK). Mr LaTouche needs to confine himself to being president of the Association for the Resettlement of Returning Residents, rather than giving his support to issues that he does not clearly understand.

A careful look at the UK's proposed intention will negate his support. Every country has a legal right to act in their best interest, and immigration, illegal or legal, has become a problem for many countries. "It is the right of every nation state to decide who can enter and stay in its territory and under what conditions." (United Nations, 2004).

Discrimination

However, there is a humane way of doing things, especially when it comes to dealing with migrants of different culture and ethnic groups who have settled in a host country. It is a fact that some immigrants break the laws or rules in the host country and breaking the laws create problems for other law-abiding people. As a result, the good suffers with the bad. The UK is a country with a diverse group of immigrants. Nevertheless, I believe that the government is hitting out at the wrong set of people. Every immigration change, amendment, or revision in another country seems to affect or target Jamaicans the most. Not all Jamaicans are bad, but we seem to be the most penalised visitors, foreign students, or migrants who reside in other countries. We are being discriminated in a number of ways. And our policymakers should not allow this to happen.

The minister of foreign affairs in Jamaica needs to take a close-up look at this new development in the UK. The United States Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act (IIRIRA of 1996) has done enough damage to Jamaicans who were living in that country. And the end-results are quite clear. We cannot afford another wave of immigrants coming home to Jamaica as a result of drastic and unexpected immigration changes in the UK. Therefore, the situation calls for Government intervention and a careful handling of the present development in an effort to protect the rights of legal Jamaican citizens who are living or studying in that country.

I am, etc:

Charles Brown

charliebrown1004@hotmail.com