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<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=1 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD><SPAN class=TopStory>There's hope yet for Jamaica</SPAN>
<SPAN class=Subheadline></SPAN></TD></TR><TR><TD>Tara Abrahams-Clivio
Saturday, October 28, 2006
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<P class=StoryText align=justify>Young men kill a bus conductor who dared to stop a "cat fight"; pre-teen boys sexually molest a seven-year-old girl at school; the failure rate in our standardised tests is appalling: all this is enough to make anyone fear for the next generation.<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=5 width=80 align=left border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>
</TD></TR><TR><TD><SPAN class=Description>Tara Abrahams-Clivio </SPAN></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><P class=StoryText align=justify>In light of this, you can imagine my relief to come across a group of youngsters who were nothing short of impressive. It was a group of four or five young Jamaicans; they were good-looking, eloquent and exhibited a level of decorum that was exemplary. As they joked they expressed a great sense of humour, but as they waited in line for their X-rays they also showed a remarkable discipline. These young Jamaicans gave me hope. This was our future and as one politely offered to let my daughter go ahead of him in the line because she was in pain, this generation actually seemed to be an improvement on the last. There is hope for Jamaica!<P class=StoryText align=justify>It was a sweet relief, and as I studied them in admiration I began to wonder why in particular this "strapping" lad needed an X-ray. My hope was heightened as I tried to imagine the industry that was clearly requiring medicals before these youngsters embarked on their careers. These were the kind of youngsters I would love to hire. Curious to know what industry got lucky, I casually asked one what she was doing the medical for. The young lady looked at me smiled and said, "My green card application."
Ouch!<P class=StoryText align=justify>So while we as a country console ourselves with statistics that suggest we are surviving on the immense tide of remittances that flow into our country every year, we pay little attention to the equally impressive tide of emigrants that flow out. According to the US Department of Homeland Security Year Book statistics there were 158,962 Jamaicans who became permanent residents of the United States between 1996 and 2005.<P class=StoryText align=justify>One only has to drive past the Canadian High Commission to guess they must be rivalling these numbers. Unfortunately, the numbers would not be so alarming were it only for the quantity; it is the quality that is so frightening. Our brightest, our most ambitious and our most resourceful are most likely to get the highly sought-after residency.<P class=StoryText align=justify>In addition to those who get residency there are the 2,194,660 Non-Immigrant Admissions (1996-2005), many of whom disappear into the system, not likely to return unless they break a law, and then they are, unfortunately, almost certain to be deported. America was built on immigrants who by their nature are resourceful and resilient; complacency does not drive a person to leave what they know for an unknown opportunity, and America has long been known as the land of opportunity.<P class=StoryText align=justify>Jamaica on the other hand evidently has less to offer, and if the truth be told, for the greater part those who can go, do. The rest of us are certainly very grateful for the remittances, but what is the social cost as we increasingly become a nation of dependants who lack the impetus to make changes, and just sit around and wait for our next Western Union remittance or barrel?<P class=StoryText align=justify>While we all know and love the comforts of our rock, and realise the grass is not always greener with a green card, the delights of a Sunday lunch like nowhere els
<SPAN class=Subheadline></SPAN></TD></TR><TR><TD>Tara Abrahams-Clivio
Saturday, October 28, 2006
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<P class=StoryText align=justify>Young men kill a bus conductor who dared to stop a "cat fight"; pre-teen boys sexually molest a seven-year-old girl at school; the failure rate in our standardised tests is appalling: all this is enough to make anyone fear for the next generation.<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=5 width=80 align=left border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>
</TD></TR><TR><TD><SPAN class=Description>Tara Abrahams-Clivio </SPAN></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><P class=StoryText align=justify>In light of this, you can imagine my relief to come across a group of youngsters who were nothing short of impressive. It was a group of four or five young Jamaicans; they were good-looking, eloquent and exhibited a level of decorum that was exemplary. As they joked they expressed a great sense of humour, but as they waited in line for their X-rays they also showed a remarkable discipline. These young Jamaicans gave me hope. This was our future and as one politely offered to let my daughter go ahead of him in the line because she was in pain, this generation actually seemed to be an improvement on the last. There is hope for Jamaica!<P class=StoryText align=justify>It was a sweet relief, and as I studied them in admiration I began to wonder why in particular this "strapping" lad needed an X-ray. My hope was heightened as I tried to imagine the industry that was clearly requiring medicals before these youngsters embarked on their careers. These were the kind of youngsters I would love to hire. Curious to know what industry got lucky, I casually asked one what she was doing the medical for. The young lady looked at me smiled and said, "My green card application." Ouch!<P class=StoryText align=justify>So while we as a country console ourselves with statistics that suggest we are surviving on the immense tide of remittances that flow into our country every year, we pay little attention to the equally impressive tide of emigrants that flow out. According to the US Department of Homeland Security Year Book statistics there were 158,962 Jamaicans who became permanent residents of the United States between 1996 and 2005.<P class=StoryText align=justify>One only has to drive past the Canadian High Commission to guess they must be rivalling these numbers. Unfortunately, the numbers would not be so alarming were it only for the quantity; it is the quality that is so frightening. Our brightest, our most ambitious and our most resourceful are most likely to get the highly sought-after residency.<P class=StoryText align=justify>In addition to those who get residency there are the 2,194,660 Non-Immigrant Admissions (1996-2005), many of whom disappear into the system, not likely to return unless they break a law, and then they are, unfortunately, almost certain to be deported. America was built on immigrants who by their nature are resourceful and resilient; complacency does not drive a person to leave what they know for an unknown opportunity, and America has long been known as the land of opportunity.<P class=StoryText align=justify>Jamaica on the other hand evidently has less to offer, and if the truth be told, for the greater part those who can go, do. The rest of us are certainly very grateful for the remittances, but what is the social cost as we increasingly become a nation of dependants who lack the impetus to make changes, and just sit around and wait for our next Western Union remittance or barrel?<P class=StoryText align=justify>While we all know and love the comforts of our rock, and realise the grass is not always greener with a green card, the delights of a Sunday lunch like nowhere els
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