Jamaica’s dispute with Barbados over the alleged ill-treatment of 20-year-old Shanique Myrie could be headed to the Trinidad and Tobago-based Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ).
Jamaica’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr. Kenneth Baugh has warned that the CCJ could be asked to rule on the case if the two countries cannot work out their differences.
This would be the first time that the Jamaican government would be taking a case to the CCJ since it was established in 2001.
Ironically, the Jamaica Labor Party (JLP), which now forms the government, has been oppossed to the CCJ being the country’s final court of appeal, although in recent months there appeared to be a softening of that position inside the party.
With the Myrie dispute at government to government level and a probe under way in Bridgetown, the Jamaican authorities are demanding that the Barbadian government does all that is necessary to establish the facts.
The dispute stems from claims by Myrie that she was subjected to verbal harassment and a demeaning cavity search on arrival in Bridgetown.
Myrie claimed she was subjected to an invasive cavity search by a female immigration officer when she arrived in Barbados on March 14.
No contraband was found on her during the search and she was denied clearance to enter the country before being held in immigration detention and sent back to Jamaica the following day.
She has been invited by Barbados to identify the officer who conducted the search.
