Franklyn DESPITE THE challenges faced in balancing the budget, the Government has decided to further extend duty-free concessions to returning residents.
This, according to Minister of State in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Delano Franklyn, is part of a programme aimed at fostering better relations with Jamaicans living overseas. The Government, he said, will also be conducting a study to determine the actual number of Jamaicans living abroad, so as to be better able to facilitate their involvement in the affairs of the country.
"There is still speculation as to whether the number of Jamaicans living overseas is more than the population here at home," Mr. Franklyn said. "It is estimated that 1.8 million Jamaicans are living outside the country, as compared to the 2.5 million here at home... the figures are themselves controversial as a lot of persons are of the view that a lot more people are living overseas. At the Council of Ministers meeting today it was agreed that an in-depth study will be done to determine the actual number."
NO FORESEEN PROBLEM
Mr. Franklyn was speaking to journalists at a post-Cabinet press briefing at Jamaica House on Monday. Asked whether the extending of further concessions to returning residents would not be viewed unfavourably by Jamaicans here at home who, themselves, are also pleading for tax breaks, Mr. Franklyn said he did not foresee a problem.
"The creation of a level playing field is something we have thought about," he said. "It's not fair to say though that concessions haven't been given to the private sector also."
Pressed on whether efforts will also be made to cut "the bureaucratic red tape" which returning residents have long argued have slowed their desire to wanting to return home, Mr. Franklyn said, "things are a lot better than they were five to six years ago."
"I am not saying things are where we would like them to be but they are much better," the Minister said. "I spoke with members of one of the returning residents' association recently and they told me themselves that things have improved."
He said that it was very important that information be given to Customs, prior to arrival in the island, so things can be processed quickly and "cut out a lot of the so-called red tape." Customs have a job to do, we can't forget that... it would make things easier if they get the information beforehand."
ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN LOCAL AFFAIRS
The Minister said that since 1998, Customs statistics reveal that 7,212 Jamaican families each with three to four family members, have returned home. "That is roughly 28,000," he said. "They brought with them items valuing $4.3 billion. The statistics also show that Government gave them $1.57 billion in duty concessions."
Mr. Franklyn said while it was a known fact that overseas Jamaicans contribute significantly to the country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by way of remittances, it was important to also get them to be more actively involved in local affairs.
