THE EDITOR, Sir:
WHY SHOULD the Jamaican diaspora be allowed to vote? And what is this Jamaican diaspora? Recent news articles have stated that there are 2.5 million to 2.6 million Jamaicans living abroad.
This is a community of persons who have helped to put Jamaica on the map now considered the global community. They are members of government, heads of security, universities, voluntary organisations, as well as owners of large successful companies. They excel in politics, economics, medicine, sports, crime, and they are Jamaicans. They have needs, especially the need for representation, and they desire to vote.
But what has this community to offer us as Jamaicans living here? And why should someone who doesn't live here influence which political party becomes our government? After all, the argument goes, they left the country; they left us to live under the poverty, the corruption and crime that Jamaica has to offer. They are not patriotic. They did not stay to help build the country. Why should they still have a right to vote?
Well, despite the negatives, one may argue that the Jamaican diaspora has improved the status and welfare of our country with respect to our economic, social and political landscape.
The Jamaican diaspora contributes significantly to our economic development. It is said that remittances form one of the largest single sources of foreign currency to the country (US$1.6 million in a recent newspaper report). It has enabled our people to eat, drink and live, despite abject poverty. The Jamaican diaspora are also owners and heads of large, successful businesses that help to employ our mothers, fathers, brothers and sisters. They help to build the Jamaica brand, a brand which is synonymous with excellence. And, don't forget, when they retire and return to Jamaica, they bring their foreign pensions and wealth home with them and this helps to build our local economy.
POLITICAL POWER
And what about politics? Jamaicans have been able to hold significant political power in their respective communities. They are mayors, MPs, security advisers to government and heads of organisations. They are able to influence decisions and lobby for benefits that affect us as Jamaicans, both at home and abroad. They are able to lobby for increased markets, increased trade, increased and better conditions for our workers and encourage investments and tourism.
It should also be noted that the Jamaican diaspora make and help create opportunities for Jamaicans at home. They create projects that offer employment as well as uplift our educational, social and cultural well-being. They also bring home experiences that have been garnered in the global community. Two prominent examples are Michael Lee Chin and Aubyn Hill.
Now that we have appreciated the benefits of the Jamaican diaspora to local Jamaicans, we can appreciate their desire to vote. I now believe that every Jamaican has a right to vote regardless of where they reside. However, we need first to reorganise our political infrastructure. I believe that we need to create new constituencies that will include the global community. There could be an American constituency, a European constituency, an Asian constituency an African constituency, and, of course, a Caribbean constituency. Each constituency should have a representative from each of the major political parties.
Voting in these constituencies will result in one representative which will form a part of our government and, hopefully, also a part of the governments in their respective zone. This representative should also be affiliated with the embassy in the respective territory over which they should have some form of regulatory control. I do believe that in this way the Jamaican diaspora can have a vote and contribute to the governance of Jamaicans at home and abroad.
I am, etc
Dr. PHILIP WAITE
ohroclinic@hotmail.com
Consultant Orthopaedic
Surgeon
Kingston
