OPPOSITION spokesman on tourism, Edmund Bartlett, says that it is time for the government to give serious consideration to “diaspora mainstreaming”

Addressing the just-concluded Biennial Jamaica Diaspora Conference in Montego Bay, he explained that under diaspora mainstreaming, Jamaicans based overseas would be given a greater opportunity to shape national policy and participate in decision-making.

“We recognise that more has to be done for our diaspora. We also recognise that the accolades and acknowledgments you receive from time to time, pale in comparison to the significant contribution you make in shaping the society we have today. It is for this reason, especially against a backdrop of constitutional review, that the parliamentary Opposition supports the game change that will bring to fruition, political representation for the Jamaican Diaspora,” Bartlett said.

He said that the relationship should be characterised by deep and meaningful integration of Jamaicans living in the diaspora into the fabric of Jamaica.

Bartlett also said that the Opposition noted, with interest, an undertaking given by the Government to have a draft of the National Policy and Plan of Action on International Migration and Development completed by the end of June 2013.

“Implementation of this policy should be of mutual benefit to Jamaica and the diaspora community, as it will create a more structured mechanism for better understanding and leveraging the links between migration and development, in addition to establishing protocols that will effectively serve to maximize the benefits of migration while mitigating its negative effects,” Bartlett said.

He added that equally significant in harnessing the interplay between Jamaica and the diaspora, was the migration profile that has been developed. With the proposal of a separate diaspora policy, it is anticipated having an avenue through which issues of information, data collection and network building can be addressed.

The Biennial Jamaica Diaspora Conference, convened by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, is the global forum that connects Jamaicans from all over the world with Jamaicans in the home country every two years. The event seeks to strengthen existing linkages and networks, and to build alliances for Jamaica’s development and standing in the world.