Elizabeth Morgan | Diaspora, citizenship, and the global immigration crisis

Jamaica will be convening its 10th Biennial Diaspora Conference in Montego Bay, June 16-19, under the theme ‘United for Jamaica’s Transformation: Fostering Peace, Productivity and Youth Empowerment’. This is the first in-person diaspora conference since the COVID-19 pandemic. The first diaspora conference was held in 2004.

Jamaica has had a long history of migration. The country was founded on it, voluntary and enforced. Since the 1860s, in difficult economic times, Jamaicans have been emigrating to seek work in other countries. As is known, they went to Cuba, Ecuador, Brazil, Honduras, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Panama, USA, Britain and Canada.

Jamaicans and people of Jamaican ancestry are to be found on every continent.

Today, officially, from recent census information, there are about 1.5 million Jamaicans living outside of Jamaica, with most being in the USA. The effort to engage with them in the development of Jamaica is now marking its 20th anniversary.

ISSUE OF DUAL CITIZENSHIP

Along with all the other issues on the agenda at this Diaspora Conference, should be a presentation on the constitutional reform process now in progress. An issue which would be of specific interest to the members of Jamaica’s diaspora would be dual citizenship, which is now a news maker here. Ordinarily, Jamaica recognises dual citizenship. The current Constitution allows citizens of Commonwealth member countries to serve in Parliament, but not citizens of non-Commonwealth countries, e.g., the USA.

This is not an issue only about what prevails in Jamaica, but also what is policy in other countries. Some countries where Jamaicans live, even in the Caribbean, do not recognise dual citizenship. The USA, to an extent, recognises dual citizenship although there is no reference to it in its Constitution or its immigration laws.

A problem identified through the years has been that many Jamaicans who have emigrated, have not become citizens of the countries in which they live. This is a problem. In the USA, for example, Jamaicans who are holders of US resident permits (green cards) cannot vote in federal and state elections. They, therefore, cannot defend their own interests in the country, e.g., matters related to immigration, and they cannot become effective advocates for Jamaica. They also cannot qualify to hold certain high-level posts in government, because at this point, they not only have to be citizens, but must formally renounce any other citizenship. At retirement, a green card holder can only be out of the USA for a specific period of time.

Therefore, for Jamaicans who have immigrated to other countries and established themselves there, they need to decide whether they are permanent residents, and become citizens.

There are also some in the Jamaican diaspora who are of the view that remittances and charitable contributions to institutions in Jamaica should enable them to be represented in Jamaica’s Parliament. It should not be acceptable to Jamaicans that someone, who is not resident in Jamaica, should be able to sit in the country’s Parliament and participate in the making of laws which will not apply to them. Recalling the political crisis which occurred in Guyana in 2018 triggered by a representative in their parliament with dual citizenship, this matter should be given very serious thought as to whether it is a proposal to be entertained.

Dual citizenship is an issue to be addressed in the constitutional reform process.

GLOBAL IMMIGRATION CRISIS

Immigration is now a global crisis. It is reported that currently about three per cent of the world’s population, 284 million people, are migrants. They are moving within continents and countries, and from one continent to another. They are moving for economic reasons, fleeing poverty, seeking jobs and a better life. They are refugees seeking sanctuary from wars, criminality, corruption, and persecution of various kinds. There is massive movement from Africa into Europe; from the Middle East into Europe; from Asia into the Middle East; and from Latin America and the Caribbean into the USA. People are taking great risks to enter countries, such as the European Union (EU) member states, the UK, USA, and Canada. There is no doubt that there is movement to other developed countries, such as Australia and New Zealand.

In the Caribbean, there is concern about intra-CARICOM migration, including from Haiti. This has affected the implementation of free movement of people within the CARICOM Single Market and Economy. There is also concern about migrants from Venezuela.

It will be noted that immigration has been, and is, a major issue in general elections in Europe, the UK, and USA. It is an increasing issue in Canada. It is helping to strengthen the influence of far-right political parties, who feel that too many immigrants and refugees are entering, changing the demography and culture in their countries. They want immigration restricted. The UK’s BREXIT was influenced by concerns about immigration.

At the same time, the EU countries, the UK, USA, Canada and other developed countries have an ageing population and low birth rates. They also need people to work in areas such as agriculture and healthcare. They are actively luring qualified workers from developing countries. So, there is quite a dilemma here for both developed and developing countries. More has to be done to promote development, resolve conflicts, and to give people in the developing South the confidence to stay home.

Immigration and citizenship are important issues which should be on our development agenda, and our agenda for constitutional reform.

Elizabeth Morgan is a specialist in international trade policy and international politics. Send feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com.