Swamped with calls

Swamped with calls

2

Lolita Long

The Weekly Gleaner was deluged with phone calls from the mainstream media and persons who wanted to verify that the Washington, D.C. snipers were Jamaican nationals. One international photography company was willing to pay any money for exclusive pictures from the Gleaner. Meanwhile, concerned Jamaicans were worried that this latest incident would again stir anti-Jamaican sentiments to the level of the Colin Ferguson/Long Island Railroad killings several years ago.

The Weekly Gleaner was deluged with phone calls from the mainstream media and persons who wanted to verify information sweeping like wildfire around the country and the world that the snipers were Jamaican nationals.

Media houses such as MSNBC and ABC wanted reactions from The Gleaner. This could be the opportunity to appear on national television to answer questions and to promote your paper, said an ABC News representative.

One international photography company was willing to pay any money for exclusive pictures from the Gleaner. He persisted in calling several times, in his attempt to get pictures.

Several creditable news sources reported that the alleged snipers had Jamaican connections, but as the day progressed, only one turned out to have had Jamaican connection. The young man, John Lee Malvo was said to be a Jamaican, while his counterpart, John Allen Muhammad, 42, was reportedly from Antigua.

Concerned Jamaicans were worried that this latest incident would again stir anti-Jamaican sentiments to the level of the Colin Ferguson incident several years ago.

Then, Ferguson, a Jamaican national, went berserk during rush hour on the Long Island Railroad, shooting a trainload of passengers. Several persons died in that shooting rampage and others were injured. Ferguson later attempted to represent himself in the courts, and was eventually sentenced to life in prison.

We really dont need this negative thrust in the news just now, not now when we are trying to keep our tourism alive, said one tourism official who requested anonymity.

Only last week, newly appointed Air Jamaica President and Chief Operating Officer, Bruce Nobles, expressed concern about Caribbean/Jamaican tourism, especially in light of recent international events, like the threat of war, creeping U.S. economy, the fluctuating stock market, and increase cost in security.

An appeal went out to the immigrant community in Washington, D.C., to assist in nabbing the snipers, and the assurance given by the Montgomery County Police Chief Charles Moose two days ago that their status would be regularized if they came forward. Now that the situation is under control, sentiments ran high that the immigrant community, especially Jamaicans, would once again be under the spotlight.

I just have a suspicion that the immigration noose is going to be tightened further, said a worried woman, who said she was a student at Brooklyn College, NY.

Immigration and Naturalization Service representative, Mark Thorn, referred the Gleaner to the Sniper Task Force for any immigration queries.

2002-11-06

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English

Weekly Gleaner

edits

Swamped with calls

born-digital

article

The Weekly Gleaner was deluged with phone calls from the mainstream media and persons who wanted to

yes

no

2002-11-06