I love to travel. My list is long of the nations I'm dying to see. At the moment Jamaica is not one of them. Though I have long heard of its beautiful beaches, good food and pleasure-filled resorts its reputation as one of the most crime-ridden countries of the world supersedes my desire for fun in the sun. When I go somewhere, I can't help venturing beyond the walls of the tourism industry and into the daily lives of natives. Yes, there is crime everywhere but Jamaica's murder rate is 10 times higher than the U.S., relative to each country's population.

I was disheartened to read that America is helping that rate climb.

As politicians, pundits and the press focus on the Mexican drug wars, more American guns are getting onto the island of Jamaica than Mexico. The Associated Press cites 80 percent of firearms in Jamaica come from the U.S.. Why all along have there been strict policies on checking for contraband upon entering the states but less restriction when leaving? What happened to being better world citizens? Conservatives are up in arms over Guantanamo prisoners coming to America and current immigration laws allowing any and everyone to cross the border onto good 'ol American soil. But should we then not be equally as loud about exporting our criminal trash and firearms so easily to our neighbors of the Americas? Of course not. Let's put the burden on smaller, less-equipped nations who can't handle it.

It appears the Obama administration is aware of the problem and trying to help with a $95 million outbound inspection program, which stops suspicious vehicles, and with U.S. prosecutions of Jamaican gun smugglers. Is this too little too late? It would be foolish to think that what's happening in Jamaica won't come back to haunt us. Take a look at the numbers.

Jamaicans make up the largest group of U.S. immigrants from Anglophone Caribbean. The last census places their population here at a little under half a million people but many believe that number is closer to one million when you factor in illegal immigration and lack of participation in the census survey. That's almost half of the current population on the island itself! About 2.8 million people live in Jamaica.

I'm all for the legal right to bear arms but we have to have better gun control laws and penalties here in the U.S. It amazes me how easy it is to buy a gun on the street. I'd like to hear politicians and pundits alike talk solutions on how to attack this global problem. It's not just "their" problem because international crime is cyclical in nature. My prayers are with the people of Jamaica. And hopefully you'll see me at Hedonism or visiting Maroon communities in the mountains one day.

Shanida Smith Carter is a television producer and writer in New York City. She also teaches college courses on the Latin American and Caribbean Diaspora. She lives in New Jersey with her husband. BBN looks forward to her coverage and perspective.

this column with friends

Join BBN for free to post a comment on this page.
If you already have an account, please login here to post a comment on this page.