Jamaica Cannot Hold Diaspora to Their Promises, but Diaspora Should Not Make Them

It’s a fact that the Jamaican Diaspora provides additional foreign currency to Jamaica. Recently again, remittances topped the equivalent of 2.4 billion United States dollars. The amounts remitted are from across the various major Diaspora regions of the USA, Canada, and the UK. To Jamaica, it means the increased gross domestic product (GDP) and additional household income for families of Diaspora living in the various parts of Jamaica. However, an increased GDP is an unintended consequence of remittances. The primary purpose of remittances is to promote development through funding food, clothing, education, and health for families left in Jamaica.

Remittances, however, are only one of the types of support Diaspora offers to Jamaica. The passion for Jamaica by its Diaspora runs deep. Jamaicans globally have a unique interest in their home country, playing their part in many ways to advance the country’s welfare. The support is not an obligation. It is for the love of people and the nation. Just as it is with the countries in Africa, Israel, Indian and Armenian Diasporas, the people know the struggles of their homeland and do what (as much as) they can reduce the financial hardship their families face.

To make things easy, individuals in the Diaspora get together in groups to…