KINGSTON, Jamaica – Jamaica’s Prime Minister, the Hon Bruce Golding, states claims made by a US-based media entity, called ‘Caribbean Voice’, that he currently holds a US Alien registration card, or green card visa is, “rubbish”.
The Prime Minister, the Hon Bruce Golding.
While noting that he had applied for and obtained a green card, as far back as 1978, that visa was surrendered when he deferred his plans to do post graduate studies in the US and to return to Jamaica to support the JLP in its preparations for the elections that were held in 1980.
In bringing clarity to his visa status, Mr Golding explained that in 1977 he had decided to pursue post-graduate studies abroad, and was accepted into Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. At that time, he applied for permanent residence to enable him to work part-time in the United States, in order to meet the cost of living and studying there. The application was approved in August, 1978.
However, he subsequently decided to defer these plans, in order to assist the JLP in its preparations for the elections that were eventually held in 1980.
Before being sworn in as a Minister, in November 1980 (30 years ago), Mr Golding went to the US Embassy and surrendered his alien registration card, and was granted a non-immigrant visa, which has consistently been renewed since then.
