While acknowledging the continued love for Jamaica by Jamaicans living abroad, and the connections which currently exist, it is generally agreed by all that much more can be done to move the relationship to even greater and more exciting possibilities.

In doing so however, we must be mindful of the observation which was noted in 1992 by the Report of the West Indian Commission, entitled Time for Action;

“Lest it be thought that our interest in the Diaspora is purely mercenary, we must also find better organised, more systematic ways of involving ourselves in the problems they face in their new homes … We must represent our interest in the well-being of our people at the highest levels and whenever required. We must treat these men and women and children of the Diaspora as West Indians all, far from home but close at heart”. [pp.26-27]

This point must not be underestimated. Many persons in the Jamaican overseas community are of the view that they are remembered only when there is a crisis and the country is in need of assistance. Others are also of the view that the overseas community is now receiving greater attention because of the increase in remittance flow to the island.

I remember well, a number of panelists, including Sir Bill Morris, making the point at a Symposium at the University of the West Indies in October 2003, that Jamaican leaders, be they from the public or private sectors, must not only focus on the opportunities for investments and greater remittances when interfacing with the overseas community, but must also explain how they intend to make the bureaucracy much more ‘overseas friendly’. The panelist pinpointed as examples, access to Jamaican passports, customs regulations, the postal system, access to land titles, as well as access to death and birth certificates. As Bill Morris said, ‘once you recognise that these are some of our main challenges and they are dealt with, investments will flow into Jamaica with greater ease.’

Therefore, if we are not to be perceived as mercenaries, it is incumbent upon us to address some of the daily frustrations experienced by members of the overseas community. It is also important for us to point out not just what the overseas community can do for us but what we are prepared to do for that community.

Efforts to Strengthen Links

While recognising the need to strengthen the links between Jamaicans at home and abroad, it must be pointed out that the Jamaican Government has sought over the years to encourage a systematic and coordinated approach to the relationship with the Jamaicans overseas community. An overview of the Government's efforts in this regard will show:

The issue of the relationship between the overseas community and Jamaicans at home came up formally for discussion in the Upper House of Parliament in November 1998 when Senator Trevor Munroe tabled a motion for debate. The motion called for (a) the recognition of the positive role of overseas Jamaicans in Jamaica's survival and development, (b) to convene a conference or consultation of overseas and resident Jamaicans and (c) for such a conference to consider the appropriateness of a dedicated Minister or Ministry to the issues facing overseas Jamaicans and returning resident communities.

The motion was extensively debated and unanimously adopted by the Senate.

Series of Dialogue

Despite these efforts to forge a greater relationship between Jamaica and the Diaspora, there has never really been a ‘coming together’ of members of the Jamaican Diaspora to discuss how the relationship can be strengthened, except for a series of dialogue which took place throughout the United States, Canada and Europe between January to June 1999.

That ‘series of dialogue,’ conceptualised by Jamaican Glen Gilpin of Gilpin Associates Inc. and sponsored by the Jamaica National Guild and the National Association of Jamaicans and Supportive Organisations (NAJASO) had as its objectives to:

It was further pointed out by the organisers that the ‘Participants in these series of meetings would present their findings in a special session among the representatives of the Diaspora, the Government of Jamaica, private sector and civil society to be held in Jamaica in August 1999’.

While the objectives of the ‘series of dialogue’ were laudable and a number of recommendations were made, there is no record of a 'special session' being held in Jamaica to present these recommendations.

Diaspora Conference

Conscious of the need to pay greater attention to this area of Government’s responsibility, Prime Minister
P.J. Patterson after the October 2002 national elections, assigned a Minister of Government the direct responsibility of advancing the relationship between those at home and abroad.

Since then, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade and the Jamaicans Overseas Department in particular, has taken on the challenge with the full and total involvement of private sector companies and the returned residents’ associations. This process of interaction led to the hosting of the Symposium referred to earlier, in October 2003, at the Mona School of Business. It was specifically designed to solicit the views and opinions of representatives of the overseas community as they relate to the path to be pursued by the Government in developing its work in this area. Their instructions were very clear. They told us that:

As a follow up to this Symposium, a Planning Committee consisting of representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, private sector entities, other public sector agencies, the University of the West Indies, the University of Technology and the returning residents associations decided to organise, for the first time in Jamaica, a conference of overseas Jamaicans under the theme, 'The Jamaican Diaspora: Unleashing the Potential'. The conference will have three broad objectives;