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Posted - Nov 29 2003 : 10:35:14 PM
Karl
How would this relate to our football?
Saturday, November 29, 2003, 8:32:27 PM
IP:24.188.141.129
Summary and Conclusions for Symposium on the Diaspora
held on November 28, 2003
at the
Mona School of Business,
UWI
Theme: The Jamaican Diaspora – Reciprocal Relations – The Way Forward
CONTEXT
In today’s liberalized economic environment, the free flow of human and capital resources across international borders is increasingly being facilitated by enterprising governments. For the Government of Jamaica this understanding has been applied to the relationship with Jamaica’s Diaspora and exemplified in the approach taken by the administration over the past decade through the establishment of a Returning Residents Programme in 1993, and its development into a broader Jamaicans Overseas Programme since 1998.
In the context of an internationally competitive marketplace, Caribbean countries such as Jamaica need to accelerate efforts to integrate the Diaspora into its strategies for economic and social development.
This first symposium on the “Jamaican Diaspora Reciprocal Relations, the Way Forward”, hosted jointly by the Mona School of Business, U.W.I and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade is an important part of this process.
This symposium provided a forum for key representatives from the Diaspora to share their views on opportunities, issues and challenges related to how Jamaica can maximize the contributions of the Diaspora towards national development. The methodology utilized in this symposium was to listen to the perspectives of the overseas representatives and distill from their presentations, recommendations and options that can guide policies and actions for a sustained and structured involvement of the Diaspora in strategies for national development.
Conclusions
The major conclusions at the end of the Deliberations are as follows:
1. The Jamaican Diaspora has vast potential for contribution to national development far beyond the current significant contributions to the foreign exchange contribution of some US$ 1.2 billion through remittances. Persons in the Diaspora are a source of intellectual capital, entrepreneurial knowledge and experience, potential ambassadors, tourists and investors.
2. The endearment of Jamaicans to their country is a goodwill asset that can influence investment from Jamaicans overseas and very importantly can be used as a tool for attracting investment and contributions by non-Jamaicans especially in the major metro poles and a lobbying and advocacy force to influence centres of power in areas such as New York, Washington and Toronto London and Geneva
3. There is need for a structured an operational approach by government in partnership with the private sector to address on a sustained basis the needs opportunities, issues and challenges of the Diaspora. In particular there should be a special unit devoted to Diaspora affairs.
4. In working with the Diaspora there are two important populations to consider:
a. Jamaican migrants
b. Descendants of Jamaican Migrants
The first group has strong sentimental attachments for the second group effort has to be made to create this type of endearment amongst them.
5. .Policies and strategies for meaningful engagement of the Diaspora and addressing its needs should have two major approaches ;
An approach that deals issues and concerns and opportunities for development that is common to the different geographic locations of the Diaspora
An approach which recognizes diversity of ethnic groups that make up the Diaspora and peculiarities and uniqueness of different geographic locations eg Vancouver vs New York
6. Policies and strategies for the Jamaican Diaspora should take into consideration the needs of the Caribbean Diaspora.
7. Policies and strategies for the Diaspora should utilize replicable features of models tried by other groups and countries eg India, Jewish community
8. Education should be used as a critical part of building alliances and reciprocal relationships
9. Encourage and assist members of the Diaspora to engage in the political process by securing the right to vote
10. There should be a mix of advocacy and lobbying
11. Economic empowerment is as important as political involvement of members in the Diaspora in the geographical locations in which the reside.
12. Opportunities, issues and challenges for more effective engagement in the Diaspora covered three major areas: Reciprocal Relations, Promoting Lobby – use of the Lobby, Business Opportunities.
Recommendations
Reciprocal Relations
1. Legal Services - Fast track processing of documentations such as land titles, probating wills, and civil disputes
2. Returning Resident Support Office - One stop service in processing returning residents personal affects; representation and advocacy; and monitoring progress of resettlement.
3. Housing - Promote the services of the National Housing Trust that is presently available to Jamaicans abroad
4. Education - Extend the education service from school to tertiary levels to
Jamaicans abroad.
5. Recreation - Promote traditional cultural activities among Jamaicans abroad
6. Deepening Democracy - Bring back real local government administration in Jamaica to stem and reduce parliamentary over centralization
7. Proposals for reciprocal engagements should consider opting to facilitate the affinity (factor) among Jamaicans abroad toward an unabashed economic advantage to them and Jamaica.
8. These relations should be developed with overwhelming emphasis on the youth who represents the future
9. Establishment of an organization committed to making it easier for successful entrepreneurs in the Diaspora (Jamaicans and Friends of Jamaica) to establish branches of their business in Jamaica
10. Establishment of centers of excellence for language immersion at the Elementary Secondary, College and University levels to facilitate multilingualism, which will be necessary to effectively function in the FTAA
Business Opportunities
1. The endearment factor underpinned by remittance activities should be capitalized on to create business opportunities especially among the younger Jamaicans or descendants of Jamaican migrants.
2. Considerations of reciprocal engagement should appraise/research the extent to which the immense affinity which Jamaicans have for their country can be used to formulate policies for investment or for use in lobbying.
3. Development of centers of excellence in Medicine and Dentistry eventually leading to the development of Health Tourism
4. Development of golf courses with residential homes meticulously and strategically distributed among the fairways and golf greens - golf tourism
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