I know a lot of people who have work permits and never have they been fingerprinted. The online requirements no where states that you need to be fingerprinted. I own my own business in Negril and have since 1995 (Negril.com) and have never been fingerprinted. If a few people are having to do that, then maybe they have some extenuating circumstances that deems this necessary.
One possible situation that comes to mind would be if they want to carry a firearm, where every gun owner is fingerprinted in that case - but that has nothing to do with a business/work permit. A second possible situation may be if they have some criminal history past that causes the Jamaican government to be extra cautious. But in this case I would think the government would simply deny the permit in the first place.
The comment that they have a "way" of getting this done makes me think that their is much more to this than we know. To anyone who knows Jamaica today (not 4 years ago, but today), they know that the days of offering a "tip" to get things done quicker is a thing of the past. I have experience with the past ways of getting things done and the present ways, and the story being relayed regarding the fingerprinting does not ring true based on everything I have known since 1995.
Whatever that case, please believe that from the experience living in Jamaica for over 15 years and knowing many dozens of situations of people getting work permits and starting businesses, there is no need to even think about getting fingerprinted when starting a business or obtaining a work permit.
And yes, those of us living here do laugh about the triple theory "cliche" - but that is generally referring to our knowledge of the hundreds of people we know who came here and failed in their plans, which was usually caused by a major lack of proper research in the first place...
There is a thread on the old board that was running earlier this year about permanent residency that goes into many of the details regarding living in Jamaica under various situations (including the fingerprinting):
http://www.negril.com/discus/message...14/348407.html
