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Dress Code at the Registration Department Should Be Consistent (“Massa Day Nah Done”)

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Submitted by Concerned Registry User

RegistrationI am a frequent user of the Registration Department.  Often, I have to stand in long lines for several minutes as the Government Guards search, harass and ridicule my black brothers and sisters before they can enter the said Department.

They are made to push in shirt tails, take out ear-rings, if the skirts are too short or my brothers are wearing shorts they are sent away business and or transactions not completed or done.

But I was most shocked and surprised when today I was in Registration Department there was this white boy sitting in a shorts, I was shocked to say the least that this white boy was allowed to enter the prestigious building and further to venture up the elevator to meet with the powers that be. When my brothers dressed the same way are ALWAYS turned back.

I took the picture (see attachment). I went down stairs to the first floor and showed the Government  Guard and I informed him that my brothers are turned away when dressed the same way. The guard informed me ” that the shorts is below the knees and not considered shorts”. I just told him thanks for the explanation  and walked away.

I just find this situation a perfect example how in our eyes the “white people” in this island can do no wrong

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105 responses to “Dress Code at the Registration Department Should Be Consistent (“Massa Day Nah Done”)”

  1. ac Avatar
    ac

    and compounding that complex is the fear of the” blackman” losing his /her job. .The security guard had a right to protect self interest especially having to accept a double standard as a way of life fully knowledgeable of the fact that if he had said No and abide by the rules most likely a complaint would have been lodged against him by the white guy resulting in him losing his job. Dam if you do ! damn if you don’t..

  2. PLANTATION DEEDS FROM 1926-2013 AND SEE MASSIVE FRAUD ,LAND TAX BILLS AND NO DEEDS Avatar
    PLANTATION DEEDS FROM 1926-2013 AND SEE MASSIVE FRAUD ,LAND TAX BILLS AND NO DEEDS

    ac | June 28, 2013 at 9:47 AM |

    Now if that was me a few days later i would have re- enact the same sceanario using a black person ormyself to find out what the guard response would be. then i would use it as evedience for discrimination if the guard had not allowed me entry given the same circumstances he had allowed the white boy.@

    ac@ Well in Life things happen on both sides , all we have to do is wait
    We were there and saw a Black boy came in dressed the same way. They let him in ,and he had to have a seat by himself , for he was not allowed to go up stairs past the other guard at the desk.
    His mother had to go alone up, for the way he was dresses the guard did not allow him pass ..
    We told her about BU and the picture that is posted,The guard said , I saw the picture and read the words.
    So there see to be 2 zones , so that was 1st floor dress
    2nd floor is full dressed?
    .

  3. angie perry Avatar
    angie perry

    I am white i think my dress was too short
    Turned away maybe itis getting ‘better’?

  4. are-we-there-yet Avatar
    are-we-there-yet

    This is a good opportunity to report an incident in which I was involved about 2 months ago at the Registry. I went there to collect a Birth Certificate about a week or so after I had left the relevant documents there for processing.

    My normal wear is a long pants and a shirt-jac type shirt (without shirt-tails but minus three of the usual 4 pockets of the classic Shirt-Jac design) worn on the outside and closed sandals. On the first occasion I had no problem entering that hallowed ground in the wear described above. I did not even recognize that there was a possibility that I had possibly breached the dress code for that hallowed ground.

    On the second occasion when I only went to collect the Birth certificate, I was taken aback when the Guard told me I couldn’t enter unless I tucked the shirt, that was not designed to be tucked in, inside my pants. I pointed out to him that there were a number of persons inside doing business dressed in similar wear (shirts outside) but he insisted that I would only be allowed to go pass the security checking station if I tucked my shirt -that was designed to to be worn outside- inside my pants.

    Those are the kinds of asinine rules that still exist in that Institution after almost 50 years of Independence. Sad!

    If anyone could give a rational rationale for that rule I’d like to see it.

  5. Sylvia Avatar
    Sylvia

    In my opinion, the dress code’s random enforcement smacks of the usual arbitrary wielding of power by those who hold it. Doesn’t matter if it’s an airline check-in agent or a government official or a doctor’s office receptionist, if they hold power to admit/turn away, and have no counterbalancing motivation to do their job with some modicum of courtesy and human kindness, then you end up with people who get very officious, and who start to go a little off-piste when it comes to rule enforcement.

    For the record, I am a friendly, polite white Canadian chick, and I was turned away for not having sleeves on my knee-length dress. When I came back with the dress code requirements met, five out of the six government employees who interacted with me were surly and unhelpful. I’ve dealt with folks like this before, and they are always people who wield just that little bit of power, and somehow let it turn them into people who are unpleasant to deal with.

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