Government policy is an important set of dictates which aid in the development of a country. In the absence of an active set of government policies, countries simply drift along without direction akin to a ship lost at sea.

Jamaica, as a nation, cannot be accused of not having an active set of policies. Historically, Jamaica has always been active on the policy front. Even with the active nature of policymaking there are some areas that need to be considered as policy positions with a view to moving the needle with development matters.

Two such areas for consideration by this and future governments are:

(1) The training of enough nurses and teachers to allow for the exportation of labour without any negative effect on local availability of such professionals; and

(2) Positioning Jamaica to fill senior positions across various global entities.

It is not a secret that a large number of Jamaican teachers and nurses seek to be employed in North America and/or in England. The casual debate around this ranges from disloyalty of those who seek to leave Jamaica to the idea that since teachers and nurses are drawn to what seems to be greener pastures we should be proactive and train enough individuals to meet the local and international need.

Many who contribute to this debate refer to Cuba and India as examples of how the policy of the exportation of labour can benefit a country. Additionally, there are those who make the point that, in addition to benefits to the country from remittances, the exportation of nurses and teachers could provide exposure to a large number of Jamaicans who eventually will return to the health and education sectors of the country.

There is never a time when capacity development is negative. As it stands, the country exports labour for hotels and farms and on visiting communities across the island one can immediately see the benefits to families of our workers who travel abroad to work on temporary programmes arranged through the Ministry of Labour and Social Security.

There are benefits to training and exporting labour and Jamaica should consider implementing this at the policy level.

The recent effort by Kamina Johnson Smith in her bid for secretary general of the Commonwealth led to heated arguments, a sense of pride, and divisions in some quarters. More than anything else, what is not being discussed are factors outside of partisanship which led to some of the local debate on the candidature.

Occasionally, Jamaica puts forward candidates for positions within Caricom, within the United Nations, and other such entities. Rarely, though, are these candidates for top jobs. Using the Jamaican parlance, candidates are put up for “big work”, but not for jobs to run the entities in question.

It is in this vacuum where many Jamaicans found fodder for the negativity which arose with the efforts of Jamaica and Senator Kamina Johnson Smith, who is also minister of foreign affairs and foreign trade, to challenge Baroness Patricia Scotland.

There are countries such as Rwanda that make it a habit to ensure that they put forward candidates for top international jobs as a way of ensuring that their country has a voice on the international stage. There can be no question that there are benefits gained from such a strategy.

Johnson Smith, for those who know her personally and for many who do not, represents dignity, assiduousness, professionalism, dependability, and all that is good about Jamaica. On reflection, it is a pity that many among us do not understand that partisanship and personal feelings must never take precedence over Jamaica and her representatives.

Loyalty to one’s country must never be clouded by negativity or a need for one-upmanship. Due to the manner in which Minister Johnson Smith ran her race there is no doubt that Jamaica, though not victorious in this instance, is poised and should consider the placement of her people in top jobs as a policy position. Once this becomes the norm, and expressed as such, the people of this proud land will understand that the race by the minister is not unusual for countries with a certain agenda and with a view to gain prominence for the country and her people.

Natalie Campbell-Rodriques is a senator and development consultant with a focus on political inclusion, governance, gender, and Diaspora affairs. Send comments to the Jamaica Observer or senatornataliecr@gmail.com.