Dorrett Campbell calls for better treatment of Haitians
Published:Friday | August 9, 2024 | 12:06 AM
On Sunday, Dorrett Campbell, interim pastor of Annotto Bay Circuit of Baptist Churches and interim principal of Edna Manley School of the Visual and Performing Arts, in an Independence sermon at Boulevard Baptist Church, challenged the congregation and country to shun the baggage of prejudice and embrace inclusivity.
Expounding on the story of Jesus’ return to His hometown where he was rejected by his own people, she likened that treatment to how Jamaica treats Haitians.
She said, “We often ignore the fact that Haiti, a full CARICOM member with over 11.8 million people in the market, does not enjoy the same freedom of movement as other member states.
“Except for Grenada and Barbados, all other CARICOM countries, including Jamaica, have imposed visa restrictions on Haiti; and if they land on our shores via dangerous and unorthodox routes, we round them up, fingerprint them and send them back within 24 hours, denying them their legal right to apply for asylum. Despite signing the Protocol on Contingent Rights, we don’t trust them; we hold negative stereotypes and poisonous preconceived notions about their cultural practices, because we don’t understand them. We fear they might seize the privileges and benefits intended for us; we see them as a burden on our economy; and we speculate about natural disasters as retribution for their religious practices. Come on, Christian people, this xenophobic mindset undermines the spirit of inclusivity we claim to champion in ‘Out of Many, One People’.
Campbell, who is also the 35th president of the Rotary Club of New Kingston, wondered whether the Church was guilty of its own fair share of prejudgements too?
She asked, “Why do we label service clubs as elitist, although they very often make a greater impact on the poor and marginalised than we do?”
Campbell encouraged the congregation, including the class of 1974 from Westwood High School, to get rid of the excess baggage of prejudice and be committed “to diversity, equity, and inclusivity”.