Jamaica’s main opposition party, the People’s National Party (PNP), held its 85th national conference last week. Among the many decisions taken during the business sessions of the conference was one that holds special significance for the Jamaican Diaspora.
Following almost two years of deliberations between representatives of the Diaspora and PNP executives, the recent conference agreed to accept the Jamaican Diaspora as a new region of the party. The party traditionally was divided into six divisions across Jamaica. The Diaspora is now the 7th division.
While details of the structure and functions of the party’s new Diaspora region are yet to be released, it’s understood that the region extends to Jamaicans living across the globe and will be subdivided into zones and subdivisions.
This decision is historic, giving the Diaspora functional representation in the operations of a major Jamaican political party for the first time.
For years, representatives of the Diaspora have been urging officials in the Jamaican government to provide the Diaspora with a formal place in the nation’s public affairs to represent millions of Jamaicans living overseas. Although there have been discussions and grand promises about engaging the Diaspora in Jamaica’s public affairs, nothing has really materialized until now.
Granted, this decision by the PNP is a political one, but with the Diaspora asserted in the official structure of the party, whenever the PNP is returned by voters to form the government of Jamaica, the possibility of the Diaspora being more actively involved in some aspect of the nation’s government will become more realistic.
It must be stated that the decision to accept the Diaspora as a region of the PNP doesn’t mean the Diaspora will have the right to field candidates in Jamaican general elections or give Jamaicans the right to vote in such elections. Those are complex decisions for which solutions remain elusive. But the decision does give the Diaspora a relevant voice in some of the party’s policies and decision-making.
For years, major political parties in Jamaica have been supported by affiliate groups within the Diaspora, mainly in the USA, United Kingdom, and Canada. These affiliates play a major role in representing the relevant parties in the Diaspora and are especially active in fundraising, especially to assist in funding general election campaigns. However, these affiliate groups are not directly involved in the decision-making or policy directives of any of the parties.
In 2004, former Jamaican Prime Minister Percival J. Patterson initiated the formalization of relationships between the Diaspora and Jamaica. An organizing body was established in Jamaica to actively engage with the Diaspora; a board, consisting of representatives of the Diaspora and Jamaican representatives, was established; responsibility was allotted to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade to oversee the operations between the Jamaican government and the Diaspora.
In 2004, a Jamaican Diaspora Conference was also initiated to be held in Jamaica every two years. This conference has attracted large representation from the Diaspora when it is convened. June 16 has also been established as Jamaica Diaspora Day.
Despite these initiatives, it has been somewhat of a struggle to obtain a smooth, structured, functional relationship between Jamaica’s public and private sector and the Diaspora. It’s no secret that the Diaspora wants a stronger relationship with Jamaica, but sometimes it seems that all the Diaspora has received, especially over the past seven years, is lip service.
There are some Jamaicans who tend to see the Diaspora as one sees an ungrateful family member. These Jamaicans maintain the opinion that Jamaicans who migrated have deserted Jamaica but want the best of two worlds, Jamaica and their new country of residence. But they seem to forget that thousands of Jamaicans migrated not only to improve their lives but also to provide financial support to relatives in Jamaica. They also seem to ignore the fact that financial remittances from the Diaspora are a significant source of foreign exchange earnings for Jamaica.
It must be a very small percentage of the Jamaican Diaspora that does not maintain a keen interest in activities in Jamaica on an almost daily basis. Jamaica is still the real home for most of the Diaspora, and a large percentage yearn to return home to live out their senior years. These Jamaicans are concerned about developments in the homeland, irrespective of the ruling political party. They want to be involved in the affairs of Jamaica and should be afforded an opportunity to do so.
The PNP leader must be lauded for his efforts to engage the Diaspora ever since assuming the leadership role. It is hoped that his initiative and the party’s decision to actively engage the Diaspora in its structure and functions will spread throughout Jamaica, ensuring more public and private sector organizations, and, of course, the Jamaican government, establish fundamental synergies and liaisons with the Jamaican Diaspora.
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