I have long abhorred the way in which Jamaicans have been treated by the US Embassy in Kingston and this feeling has returned during my recent interaction with them.

Not only have they raised the cost for a visitor's visa, but they are now charging US$10 and US$13 for us to make an appointment via the internet or telephone respectively. This latter charge is supposedly for an eight-minute call - that's US$1.62 per minute. This is typically one call. The e-mail that is sent to you states that you can change your appointment up to two times by a specific date, yet it does not tell you that you have to buy another US$13 phone call to do so. Then they marvel at the number of illegal immigrants in their country and the thriving business of creating false passports and visas.

Jamaicans need to send a strong message to the US Embassy that we demand to be treated with dignity.

There is a popular saying, "Nobody can treat you like a 'nobody' without your consent." Are we going to continue to consent to being treated like nobodies?! Surely, we are better than that.

I am, etc.,

P. BROWN

St James