There is good reason a country would want to harness the energies of its diaspora community anywhere in the world.

For one, members of this community have a tremendous amount of expertise they can contribute individually and collectively to the development of the country of their birth. Despite thinking to the contrary, they tend to be very patriotic and willing to lend the skills and monetary expertise they have garnered from their host country in service to the country of their birth.

There are some countries that are better at respecting and harnessing the goodwill of diaspora communities than others. The Israeli Diaspora, especially in the United States, is a case in point. Many citizens maintain relationships with the countries of their birth, often through dual citizenship relationships with the host country.

And I say “host” country because that is what it remains for most dual citizens. They will live in the host country for many years, even their entire life, but many do not lose their love for the country of their birth. They are grateful for the opportunity that living in another country has afforded them — especially in North America and England — but they never forget the rock from which they have been hewn or the ground from which they have been dug. One of the worst things to do is to question the patriotism of a member of the Jamaican Diaspora.

It is against this background that the present stand-off between the Jamaican Government and a faction of the Diaspora in the United States is to be understood. I do not know how big this faction is. Usually, in groups like these there is a tendency to make more noise than belies their size and give the impression that they have more weight than the real feathers they are.

They are often characterised by the outsized egos of individuals who tend to be more self-aggrandising rather than genuinely selfless in the energies they expend. In dealing with Diaspora groups in Florida, I have come to the conclusion that this is not just a bane of the Jamaican Diaspora but a virus that infects other Caribbean groups.

This faction that has emerged in the Jamaican Diaspora in the United States has been quite vociferous in its denunciation of certain perceived actions of the Jamaican Government Diaspora council. What seems apparent is that the group is peeved that the Government has not accommodated them enough in its programmes or taken on board some of the suggestions they have made, especially with respect to fighting crime on the island.

They have now taken advantage of the registration protocols for non-profit organisations in Florida and seemed to have registered a parallel organisation which will put them in direct conflict with the Government. The move seems legitimate as far as the legal registration of the organisation is concerned, but it does not look good. It is becoming clear that this group seems intent on an adversarial relationship with the Government, which is very unfortunate.

The ways in which successive governments have sought to conduct their relationships with the North American Jamaican Diaspora, especially the large number living in the United State, is also very unfortunate. You do not have to look too deeply to see the different approaches of the political directorate to Diaspora matters, depending on which party forms the Government of the day.

One gets the distinct impression, and in some respect, it is more than an impression, that the politicisation of the Diaspora to fit it into the grid of particular political ideologies have stymied the work of this body or at any rate have set back the good work that it could be doing.

Many Jamaicans in the US do not feel the presence of a diasporic community. They hear the term being bandied about, but they have no sense of what it means to their daily existence. They do not feel any special connection to their homeland because of its existence. They do what they do because they love Jamaica. They could not care less if a Diaspora council exists or not. This is the bald truth.

These are some of the realities that the next Jamaica Diaspora Conference, to be held in Montego Bay between June 16 and 19, must consider. To not be a mere lovefest, they must wrestle with what practical benefits, if any, have been achieved by conferences in the past. To what lasting benefits can one point to,r to indicate that there is a robust connection between Jamaica and its citizens who have chosen to live in North America?

One would think that the number one priority would be to harness the talents and entrepreneurial energies of this important group for the benefit of the home country. The theme for this conference is a very impressive one: ‘United for Jamaica’s Transformation; Fostering Peace, Productivity and Youth Employment’. Will the conference deliver on the implications of this lofty theme?

Finally, the Jamaican Diaspora does not have to be lectured about patriotism. It is an insult to them. As stated before, many are already living out the implications of such patriotism by investing in the homeland, loving other Jamaicans through charitable endeavours, and wanting the best for their country.

There are many people in the so-called Diaspora who are more invested in Jamaica than many living on the island. They do so quietly, without fanfare or a desire to be rewarded by Government for their efforts. They do not want to be used as pawns in the political chess games of partisan politics, and they do not wish to be caught up in the gladiatorial political contests of Jamaican tribal politics. They crave respect and will settle for nothing less. Let the next Diaspora conference be thus minded.

Dr Raulston Nembhard is a priest, social commentator, and author of the books Finding Peace in the Midst of Life’s Storms; The Self-esteem Guide to a Better Life; and Beyond Petulance: Republican Politics and the Future of America. Send comments to the Jamaica Observer or stead6655@aol.com.