JDC Accused of Silencing Deaf Community by Blacklisting Veteran Interpreter
Jamaica Live News Desk– | Aug 26, 2025
Kingston, Jamaica – Jamaica’s leading sign language interpreter, Antoinette Aiken, is raising alarm after claiming she has been blacklisted by the Jamaica Debates Commission (JDC), leaving the deaf community without access to interpretation during Saturday night’s first of three political debates.
In a series of videos posted to her Instagram page, Aiken expressed frustration and disbelief.
“The JDC told both the Jamaica Association for the Deaf and Ready to Sign that they are not under any circumstances going to work with Toni Aikens,” she revealed.
Experience and Exclusion
Aiken, who has been interpreting for more than 20 years, insisted that her exclusion is not due to a lack of skill or availability but rather a deliberate choice.
“The reality is when it comes to political debates, I am the only one qualified. There is nobody in Jamaica that can manage. When it comes to policies and programmes, you have to be able to explain that in a split second,” she said.
Aiken shared that growing up in the 1990s with deaf parents deeply shaped her advocacy. She recalled how her parents suffered simply because they could not speak, often being humiliated, excluded from society, and unfairly labeled as “dumb.”
According to her, the JDC suggested that she should only “feed signs” to another interpreter in the background—a proposal she rejected after legal advice.
“It would be an insult to the work that I have done over the years. This has to do with a choice and personal decision the JDC made. They decided that they don’t want to work with me for reasons they can’t say,” she argued.
“My Community”
Despite acknowledging that some people have criticized her approach, Aiken stood firm, stressing her commitment to advocacy.
“The only thing you can say is that I have stood and advocated for the deaf community. A my community dat. Unnuh a nuh my community. Deaf people a my people,” she declared.
Debate Accessibility at Stake
The interpreter emphasized that political debates are among the most complex assignments for sign language professionals, requiring deep subject knowledge and instant translation skills.
“When it comes to policies, you need someone who can interpret in a split second. That’s why it is difficult to find people to sign on this scale,” she noted.
Aiken said she is branded as “rude” by people who do not understand the expressive nature and honesty of the deaf community. In truth, people could not understand her perspective. They do not understand the nature of sign language.
Out of respect for her community, she has always stood firmly for the rights of the deaf, while carefully avoiding political entanglements to ensure her advocacy remains neutral. Aiken stressed that decisions affecting the deaf community must never be made by outsiders, but by those who live and understand the experience firsthand.
Her absence from Saturday’s debate meant the deaf community was excluded from fully participating in the democratic process.
The second debate is set for Tuesday night, focusing on the economy, but it remains unclear whether adequate sign language access will be provided.