The world is undoubtedly undergoing a revolution. The death of Queen Elizabeth II and the ascension of Prince Charles to the British throne climaxed with the election of a prime minister of Indian heritage.

In the UK the Indians are a formidable political force consisting of Members of Parliament (MPs), mayors, and others, who, together with up to 2 million potential votes, can affect the country’s body politic. In addition to several high-ranking elected officials, people of Indian heritage are prominent in most of the UK’s governing Cabinets.

The political accomplishments of people of East Indian heritage in global affairs are indeed incredible. People of Indian ancestry have proven to be regular busybodies when providing countries with ‘leadership’ personalities. Several countries have boasted people of Indian heritage as the head of Government. These include Malaysia, Singapore, Suriname, Fiji, Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana, Mauritius, Portugal, Seychelles, and Ireland.

The new UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is now the de facto leader of the united kingdoms of England Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. Indians also figure prominently in the USA’s power politics and are well represented at high levels in the Democratic and Republican parties. Overall, this is a fantastic feat by immigrant Indians.

So for those of us worrying that the Chinese are about to take over the world, think again. The descendants of Indian immigrants are casting a wider net of world dominance than the Chinese. But, of course, as a person of East Indian heritage, I am proud of my far-flung ‘half-cousins’ and salute their achievements.

However, as a Jamaican, I can’t help but be envious of the Indians. So I cast about frantically seeking a Jamaican response.

Now, considering all we have done for the British and what they have done to us, Jamaicans face a torrid visa regime that virtually shuts us out of the UK. So let the Indians pick at the remnants of the British Empire; I will cast my lot with America, the world’s greatest country. The American motto ‘In God we trust’ are more to my liking.

So how have Americans with Jamaican heritage (“Jamericans”) fared in political and leadership roles in the USA?

I know I am reaching when I start with William Penn. Penn was the admiral charged by Oliver Cromwell to carry out his Western Design in the emerging New World. Admiral Penn failed to capture Hispaniola and took Jamaica as a consolation prize to appease Cromwell. However, Cromwell insisted that Penn and his sidekick General Robert Venables spend some prison time in the Tower of London.

After the death of Cromwell, the new king, Charles II, felt terrible about Cromwell’s treatment of Penn and offered his son William Penn extensive tracks of land in the new American colony. The land constituted Pennsylvania and Delaware. Jamaica, therefore, figured prominently in founding the State of Pennsylvania. Consequently, I have always considered Pennsylvania as little Jamaica.

Then there is the case of Dallas, a significant town in Texas. The city got its name from George Dallas. However, George’s father, Alexander, was born in Kingston, Jamaica, in the 1760s. George was, therefore, a person of natural Jamaican heritage. George Dallas has his place in American history as a serving vice-president in the late 1840s.

He became the first person of Jamaican heritage to serve in such a prestigious post.

I desperately reached out to find a link between Jamaica in the Caribbean and Jamaica in New York. I failed miserably. The early natives in New York called the region Jameco (pronounced Jamaica), which meant land of beaver and water. The natives in the Caribbean called their paradise Xaymaca, meaning land of wood and water.’

Well, I tried.

Jamaican immigration patterns gradually switched from England to America in the late 1950s. America was virtually next door to Jamaica and was more prosperous than the UK. Moreover, America offered a bounty of advanced options to the children of immigrants, which lured many Jamericans into political life.

One of the most famous Jamerican politicians was Colin Powell. Powell was a retired army general who ascended to the powerful positions of secretary of state, national security advisor, and ultimately chairman of the US joint chief of staff. Powell was the first African American to achieve lofty positions in the army and politics.

Another recent Jamerican political success story is that of Winsome Sears. Sears recently won the election to the office of lieutenant governor of Virginia. She is the first person of colour and female to hold such a prestigious post. Another prominent Jamerican politician plying his trade in the USA is George Logan. Logan was predicted to win a congressional seat at the last midterm contest (2022) but lost a close race.

One of the most successful Jamerican politicians was David Paterson. Paterson was once the governor of the great state of New York. He was the first person of colour to achieve this feat.

The Jamericans also have two veteran female representatives in Congress. First, Sheila Jackson Lee is a political representative from Texas and has been a fixture in Congress for a quarter of a century. Then there is Yvette Clarke out of New York. Clarke is well groomed in US politics, thanks to her mother, Una Clarke, who was a successful New York politician.

Last, but not least, is the many Jamerican politicians in Florida.

While in high school, three places in the USA stood out in my young mind. Pennsylvania, because of William Penn; Boston, because of the Boston Tea Party; and Maryland, because of Harriet Tubman and the underground railway. The Tubman story stuck with me, and I have always thought of Maryland as the gateway to black freedom.

Social organisations have been the backbone of Maryland’s ability to serve its primarily black residents. Many of these organisations represent immigrant groups that serve their respective communities. The foundation and success of these organisations rest on the shoulders of dedicated social and political leaders. Several Jamericans have committed to providing such service to their Jamaican community.

Senator Shirley Nathan-Pulliam is one of these outstanding Jamericans who have spent an entire lifetime advocating for Maryland’s African American residents. The senator, who recently received the Living Legend Award, is the founder of the long-standing Jamaican Association of Maryland (JAM). JAM’s social outreach organisation celebrates over 40 years of service to the Baltimore region. Senator Pulliam has also made a sterling contribution to the citizens of Maryland in her role as a senator.

Another personality who has contributed immensely to Maryland’s black community and Jamaicans specifically is Ambassador Curtis Ward. The ambassador is an attorney and was the Jamaican ambassador to the United Nations and a member of the United Nations Security Council. Ward has been highly active in the Caribbean communities of Maryland for many years. His contribution to the Caribbean social construct is immeasurable.

An essential ingredient to Maryland’s social outreach is the work done by grass-roots organisations like the JAM, which offers uplifting programmes to members of the Jamaican Diaspora. One such outreach is the provision of annual scholarships for early college studies to qualified applicants. JAM, headed by the experienced Ricardo Nugent, has exhibited its commitment to community service for decades.

In recent times, first- and second-generation Jamericans have taken up the reins of power in Maryland. These young Turks are tasked with improving many of the predominantly African American communities they represent.

The Jamerican charge is to be led by the newly elected governor of the state Wes Moore. Moore won his contest easily to become the first black governor in Maryland and the third in the country. This is an excellent achievement for a young man with much to offer. The Bible quotes a line: “To whom much is given, much is expected.”

So over to Moore. I wish him the best as he faces new challenges. However, Moore’s seemingly Jamaica-centric personality bodes well for the Jamaican community.

Another recent achievement of Jamericans is the election of Anthony Brown as the Attorney General of the State of Maryland. This appointment is another of the many extraordinary firsts by a person of colour in the state. Brown has extensive prior experience in public life. He had been a congressman for three terms. He also completed an eight-year stint as the lieutenant governor of Maryland. As Attorney General, Brown will work with prosecutors and fellow attorneys to provide the public with the best services without fear or favour.

Another major plus for Jamerican politicians was the re-election of Arthur Ellis as a Maryland state senator. This is a very influential position with much expectation. The young senator specialises in education, health, and the environment. This is good news, as the future of Maryland’s citizenry is highly dependent on those life-saving inputs.

Maryland, therefore, has a trio of competent Jamerican political representatives expected to hit the road running. As a result, the state now has the Jamerican equivalent of Harriet Tubman.

Yes. I know that we have a Jamerican that is a heartbeat away from the presidency of the USA. However, the Indians can claim the same person. So, as Jamaicans would say, “Dat quits out.”

So I sit back and relax, satisfied that I have mounted an adequate Jamaican response to the Indians. I then got a text stating that I should give up because the Indians already rule the world. The text says that Indians are the CEOs of the following companies: Google, Microsoft, Adobe, IBM, Twitter, Master Card, SanDisk, and other essential global entities.

Wow!

Now I am going to have to try to respond by finding Jamericans to go head to head with the Indians in the business world.

Rohan M Budhai is a tax consultant, writer, and history enthusiast. Send comments to the Jamaica Observer or mariobudhai@yahoo.com.