Kalina Collier should be punished

THE EDITOR, Madam:

THE RECENT false report of kidnapping made by an employee of JetBlue Airlines, Kalina Collier, shouldn’t go unanswered. Kalina Collier’s Instagram video caused much more than just public mischief. She has tarnished the reputation of our country by misleading anyone who wished to sojourn here during these trying times.

She alleged in the video that she was being held against her will by “wicked people at a hotel in Jamaica”. On the contrary, myriads of Jamaican professionals, having done their due diligence, have reported that her comments were false.

I can recall among the numerous comments circulating on social media that one was a proposed boycott of Jamaica and Jamaican hotels because people were being abducted. Her problematic comments failed to indicate that she was in quarantine because she had tested positive for COVID-19 using one of the most reliable COVID-19 tests – the PCR.

TOURISM CONTRIBUTION

According to a Statista.com article published in 2020, tourism contributes 10.56 per cent to our gross domestic product. In 2019, leisure and business tourism in Jamaica generated a total of US$4.43 billion. Over 80 per cent of it was generated by leisure tourism alone. Imagine the repercussions for our economy if people, in flagrant opposition to our country’s rules, whatever they might be, go around spreading fake news, as there are no consequences?

For the United Nations system, the rule of law is a principle of governance in which all persons, institutions and entities, public and private, including the State itself, are accountable to laws that are publicly promulgated, equally enforced and independently adjudicated, and which are consistent with international human rights norms and standards. For our Government to mandate that persons who tested positive for the virus should be quarantined would definitely be understandable to the reasonable man, given that Collier was comfortable and secure. Yes, we have rights. But we also have responsibilities as citizens. On top of that, her positive PCR test would’ve made it dangerous for her to return to her home country.

I believe that the Public Mischief Act should be amended to include social media offences. Social media is the space in which we now operate. A false report to the police shouldn’t be the only grounds for charges.

I also believe that Collier owes Jamaica an apology. I believe that she should be sanctioned by JetBlue and the United States government. Such an action shouldn’t go unpunished. She has tarnished Jamaica’s reputation and her actions were damaging to the rule of law.

WARREN MORLE Former Youth Parliamentarian