Strengthening the Jamaican Diaspora

ID: INTERACTIVE DIALOGUE

David Mullings

Sunday, June 19, 2011

WITH another Jamaican Diaspora Conference completed, I am hopeful that all parties involved in the movement will take note of the criticisms from internal and external sources; many of which are merely repeats of past criticisms that pop up each time the media mention the Diaspora.

Many Jamaicans abroad are not involved in the movement for a variety of reasons, even though it is open to all. At the same time many Jamaicans on the island do not understand what the movement is trying to accomplish or why Jamaicans who have left the island are so inclined to be involved.

In order to strengthen the movement, there needs to be greater buy-in from people. In order to have more buy-in, the movement must clearly address the most glaring issue: Governance.

Governance

Both the board members and the Government of Jamaica agree that the movement needs to incorporate more people. In order to address an issue such as this it would be sensible to first understand WHY so many people have refused to get involved.

One of the biggest reasons people do not get involved is that they perceive the movement and the Advisory Board to be organs of the Government of Jamaica. I have repeatedly heard this from people, including when I was speaking with some other Jamaicans invited to the Global diaspora Forum in Washington, DC in late May of this year.

If the Government of Jamaica desires a stronger diaspora movement, it will have to ensure that there is no hint of control because that has prevented us from getting people involved.

Closing The Distance: How Governments Strengthen Ties With Their Diasporas published by the Migration Policy Institute explores how 45 countries engage their diaspora movements. Jamaica need not reinvent the wheel, but instead take the best elements most appropriate for us and then improve on them.

The document says that "If the diaspora sees council members as unrepresentative or irrelevant, the councils will at best be ignored and at worst maligned." That is exactly what has been happening to the Jamaican Diaspora Advisory Board because of perceived government control and the current election structure.

Why is there such a distrust of government involvement? Again, Closing The Distance provides the answer: "Among diasporas that emerged for mainly economic reasons, a perception of pervasive corruption and ineffective governance at home can also impede government's ability to build trust."

It goes on to explain how the Indian Diaspora's trust had to be gained by the Government in order for the process to succeed. Like any population abroad, members of a diaspora tend to want positive change in their original countries and seek to play a role.

Mexico's treatment of its Advisory Council and diaspora movement is very instructive because it has one of the strongest diaspora movements in the world. The Government has focused on working with the elected members and allowing them to freely support or criticise government policies. It truly represents the various views of the diaspora.

Many individuals have told me that the Jamaican movement must be able to do the same, otherwise they will not be getting involved. Buy-in will require independence from government control.

Elections

Minister of foreign affairs and foreign trade Dr Ken Baugh has correctly acknowledged the complaints from Jamaicans abroad with regards to improving the way the Jamaican Diaspora Advisory Board is elected. It is true that it is not fair for a board to be elected at a conference in Jamaica every two years when so few people attend the conference.

A truly democratic and representative process would have elections in the various regions to be represented on the board in their own regions with clear rules for who can vote and how you become a delegate.

The few people at the conferences, 2008 had over 700 people and 2011 was expected to have fewer than 350, should not have control over who sits on the board or be able to reject individuals who commanded the respect and votes of the people who they will be representing.

Mexico again serves as a good example. The critical step they identified before setting the agenda of the movement was democratic selection of council members. "The majority are chosen through an election conducted every three years in Mexican consulates in the United States and Canada. Council members can only serve one term to avoid becoming tools for special interests and to encourage the participation of more individuals."

I propose that Jamaica adopt this model, holding elections in each region for the representative from that region and that board members only serve one term.

This will immediately get more support from the past critics, increase the number of people involved in the movement and dramatically reduce the beliefs that the Advisory Board is a mere tool of the Government.

People want representation and expect that all their views, even when they clash with a sitting government, will be heard. They are not asking for government funding, as the movement should, and will be funded by the diaspora.

Once we address the governance issue, the Diaspora movement will finally start taking the shape that most people want to see. Some people in Jamaica are against these ideas for obvious reasons; the status quo has benefitted them well to date.

David Mullings is the Future Leaders Representative for the USA on the Jamaican Diaspora Advisory Board. He is on Twitter at twitter.com/davidmullings and Facebook at facebook.com/InteractiveDialogue

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Strengthening the Jamaican Diaspora