You know earlier this week when news broke that Pakistan coach Bob Woolmer was found dead in his hotel room at the Jamaica Pegasus, the first thing that popped into my mind was "Jesus, please don't let it be a murder and please don't let it be a case where any Jamaican is involved".

Later on, when it was believed that his death may have been anything but a murder, I was very relieved but a little annoyed that it did not occur after the team got back to Pakistan.

I mean, things are already bad enough with Jamaica being considered the murder capital of the world, and then we go out and live up to the hype when in the very first week of the ICC World Cup, a mind-numbingly evil gunman wiped out two children in Portmore. This was followed up by the murder of a two-year-old in August Town. With that in mind, Woolmer's death could not have come at a worse time.

Worse

But then the news would only get worse when police announced Wednesday that the coach's death is now being considered a homicide, they suspect that he may have been strangled.

The story surrounding Woolmer's passing has been all over the BBC and CNN International and they both have been running extended segments on the developments as they occur and while it is riveting stuff, I would have preferred if the perception was a bit more positive.

What is it with Jamaica that a growing number of people who visit are turning up dead?

Last year, a few tourists turned up dead in their hotel rooms and at least one of them was believed to have been murdered, this Australian guy staying in Negril. Now in the space of a few days, Woolmer and this Irish guy, a former head of Irish cricket, are dead.

Man, I don't like it. It makes me nervous. It is also embarrassing. It feels like there is death in the air in Jamaica and that is not a good feeling. I really hope this Woolmer thing gets cleared up in the next few days and it turns out that if he was really murdered, that it was not a Jamaican who was the perpetrator. I don't believe Jamaica can keep taking hits of this magnitude. We are already being ripped to shreds overseas with regards to the recent attack on a trio of gay guys by an angry mob, we truly don't need this kind of publicity.

One good thing

One good thing that has come out in all this, our Prime Minister the Honourable Portia Simpson Miller has been lauded by members of the Pakistani delegation for being very cooperative. Her penchant for hugging also provided a nice touch especially when they showed her embracing some of the Pakistani players as they bawled at the news of their coach's passing. While I usually find Portia's hugging a bit much sometimes, on this occasion I think it made Jamaica really look good, like we are a caring and compassionate people, which in all honesty we are not. At least, not anymore.

It would really be nice if the police could find a culprit, if there is one, before the Pakistan team leaves because if this case lingers, it will be one more bad thing to say about Jamaica, a country that already has too many bad things being said about it.

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