Dominican Republic ruling unmasks the Caribbean’s xenophobia

Santo Domingo.- The recent Constitutional Court ruling that outlines the conditions for citizenship in the Dominican Republic has unmasked the Caribbean’s rampant xenophobia.

Although several leaders from the Caribbean island-nations have railed against the controversial measure enacted in Santo Domingo, those very countries don’t allow the free inflow of undocumented foreigners.

As recent as yesterday the foreign affairs ministers of Jamaica and Trinidad & Tobago met to try to improve relations between the two countries, which according to EFE, “have been strained in recent months by migration issues.”

“As the Government of Jamaica stated, this meeting is part of a two day meeting which will discuss on the implementation of the free movement of persons on agreements signed by both countries in the bosom of the common market of the community of the Caribbean,” the report said.

Tension between the two countries heightened in recent months when Trinidadian Customs officers denied entry to a group of 13 Jamaicans on November 21, arguing that they could become "a burden on the public coffers," EFE said.

And while the Jamaica-Trinidad row smolders, a delegation of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights interviews offspring of undocumented Haitians in Dominican Republic, on alleged violations of their rights.