I was reading an article on the wedsite just the other day which really got me thinking,Its about many of the fishermen who are lost at sea that many of them are really got lost in Quban waters and are held prisoners by Quban authorities and what realy puzzled me is that the jamaican government pass and present are doing nothing to earn there release.These men have wives,children,mothers,fathers,grandchildren and many family members who dont even have a grave to look at and will never find closer yet some of them are still alive. My hope at this time that anyone who see this article both in jamaica and in foreing countries will come together and let us start something somehow to get those prisoner realeased if that article that I have read is true. lets join hands and head heart and do something about this suitation.If its even prayer. Thanks

Please post the link to the article. I think we need to be very careful here not to give false hope to those who have a loved one missing at sea. A few years ago I spoke with an official at (I believe it was) the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He and I had a very long discussion regarding this topic and he assured me Cuba and Jamaica continue to work closely together when it comes to citizens of Jamaica in Cuban jails. He said there were some Jamaicans in Cuban jails but each family of that Jamaican was aware they were there and were even able to communicate with them.

I have lost many relatives to the sea. I do not believe any of them is languishing in a Cuban jail. Painfully, I am convinced that they are all dead.

One of the worst things about losing your relatives to the sea is that the body is usually not recovered, so there is always that lingering question: Is he really dead, or is he in difficulties in a neighbouring country?

When I was younger I went through that kind of emotional struggle as well. Now I am convinced, however, that such thoughts were mere fantasies.

Relations between countries in the hemisphere are far too sophisticated and inter-dependent these days for any of them to be holding nationals of another without informing the home country.

I know the finger of suspicion is regularly pointed at Cuba because of its communist system, which causes it to be shrouded in mystery to some people. In reality, however, Cuba is far less intimidating than many of us grew up believing, and today relations between us and the Cubans are better than ever. We cooperate on many issues and Jamaica has even gone up against the United States in support of Cuba's right to membership of the hemispheric body - the OAS.

So, my advice is that we should reconcile ourselves to the painful loss of our loved ones and move on. Moving on, I suggest, includes doing what we can to counsel those relatives who are still fishing to exercise as much care as possible when putting out to sea, making sure they equip themselves with available security and safety devices and knowledge.

In doing so they will help to ensure that no new name is added to this "Page of Sorrow" and that nobody is left wondering whether a loved one is dead or alive.