Aubyn Hill
MANY IMMIGRATION and economic experts agree that persons emigrate from their countries of birth for two primary reasons. The first is to better their economic conditions and the second is to avoid political persecution.
Many Jamaicans in the 1970s, especially those who comprised the relatively small middle class, developed a perception that those two powerful reasons had come together after then Prime Minister of Jamaica Michael Manley, became widely known to have made the statement that there were five flights a day to Miami available to those who did not like his economic, political, foreign or other policies.
The "five-flights-a-day" comment triggered a flight of professional Jamaicans to North American destinations that left the country bereft of enough technically trained people and ushered in a period of economic and sociological changes for which we are still paying a price.
A NEW EXODUS
In today's Jamaica, crime has to be added as a third major motivator why people leave the country to settle elsewhere. One could not argue that there is any political oppression in Jamaica of the kind that really would cause people to consider leaving the country. In a globalised world, some people will always seek better economic opportunities in countries other than their own. That applies to Americans, Irishmen, Indians and Jamaicans.
In the past few weeks, a new reality has been coming home to me. More and more professionals are quietly making the decision to leave Jamaica because of the pervasive and very dangerous crime situation.
A couple I know was so distraught by the killing of one of their friends before the Scotiabank branch in Half-Way Tree a few weeks ago, that they have decided that the personal mortal risk is too close and both have decided to leave Jamaica.
Many of their family members who live outside Jamaica were absolutely insistent on them leaving the country before they also become murder statistics.
OVERRIDDEN BY FEAR
One of the spouses was so patriotic, and is still so patriotic, that the person would travel only on Air Jamaica no matter how inconvenient it may have been to do so, especially in the recent months. That deep personal patriotism was overridden by the uncertainty and fear caused by the widespread and wanton murder of individuals in this country.
I have spoken to directors of large companies, and their spouses and families are expressing more and more concern for their personal security and many are under pressure to look once again at leaving Jamaica for good. For many families, crime has become a very big disincentive to staying in Jamaica.
CONTRACT KILLINGS
The burning of a 10-year old girl in her humble dwelling while she screamed for help without getting any from neighbours (and security forces) who heard her, but were stopped from offering help because of heavily armed and murderous criminal gunmen, the drive-by contract killing on the other side of town and the senseless killing of a man before the branch of a big bank in broad daylight, make the desire to protect one's life a very urgent issue.
People with options, usually the better trained and experienced Jamaicans, are being motivated by the high crime rate and the high risk of losing their lives to move to other countries that are perceived to be safer.
LOSING PEOPLE AND THEIR ASSETS
In this new dash for safety outside Jamaica, the country is not only losing its bright and experienced people who fear senseless and untimely deaths, but we are losing other related important assets. When people migrate in order to study or better their economic condition, they will always harbour a desire to return home. Many will find that their original short-term plan to return after a course of study or the achievement of a particular economic target is hardly ever kept.
FERVENT AMBASSADORS
Nonetheless, they will stay in close touch with the country and return sometime later as much more experienced and economically independent Jamaicans. Many times, they come back as entrepreneurs to start businesses or work with others to start businesses that employ Jamaicans. While they are away they are fervent ambassadors of the country.
When people are driven out by crime, they tend to wash their feet of the country. The particular incident or set of incidents that caused them to leave remain awfully fresh for a very long time in their minds. They take all their assets - education, experience and cash (after selling all tangible non-cash assets) as well as their goodwill - and leave for good. When people leave under this kind of criminal duress, they, at best, remain silent about Jamaica and some become almost anti-Jamaican in their sentiments. Our fellow countrymen who leave because of crime harbour a sadness in their hearts for the country and serious antipathy to those whom they believe should have protected them from criminals.
KINGFISH SUCCESSES - TOO LATE
For the Jamaicans who are making decisions to leave because the crime situation is overbearing, the recent Kingfish successes are too little too late. We all applaud the fact that some major criminals are being taken out by the men and women, the committed professionals, of the Kingfish operation. But the leaving Jamaicans (some of whom are also grieving) who are deathly scared for their lives find little comfort in these new developments.
These new emigrants wonder out aloud why the leaders of our country, particularly the political leaders from both parties, have allowed the criminal networks to develop to the point where they have a seeming stranglehold on the welfare and the death of our citizens.
Those leaving no longer want to deal with or live in a country where the criminal-political nexus is so strong that criminals believe they can get away with anything - including the death of upright and honest citizens.
The power of the state must be used to protect law-abiding Jamaicans in order to keep our most capable countrymen and women safely at home in Jamaica.
Aubyn Hill is the CEO of Corporate Strategies Ltd. a restructuring and financial advisory firm. Respond to: writerhill@gmail.com
