A tight race draws the diaspora home

By: Editorial

Image caption: The Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston.

As Jamaicans head to the polls on Wednesday to elect a new government, several members of the diaspora have returned to the island to cast their votes, underscoring the significance they place on this election.

Over the past month, social media has been awash with videos capturing a vibrant and emotional migration — not for vacation, but for democracy. Dozens of Jamaicans, draped in the bold greens and oranges of their chosen political parties, have been filmed boarding flights back home, determined not to miss the chance to vote in what many are calling one of the most pivotal elections in recent history.

One now-viral clip shows the inside of a plane transformed into a flying celebration. The cabin echoes with singing and laughter as passengers sway and dance to Marching to Victory, the People’s National Party’s infectious campaign anthem.

In the comments section, the energy is just as electric. Diaspora members of the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and elsewhere post their own travel countdowns, ticket screenshots, and reunion plans.

“Twelve of my family members are flying in,” one woman proudly declared.

Another added that after the death of her parents, all nine of her sibings were heading back home to vote.

The mood is celebratory, but serious. Many say they believe the race is too close to call, and their votes could make the difference.

Sociologist Tamar Newman, who resides in Queens, New York, in the United States, will be voting in a Jamaican election for the first time.

“This election is quite critical for the people in the diaspora, and we who have family ties and business investments in Jamaican should take the time to participate in the electoral process to have a say in the government we want, instead of staying on the sidelines and make demands,” she told The Gleaner.

Newman said that she will be looking to vote for the political party that offers initiatives and policies that will move Jamaica forward.

“I am not voting because of political affilitation, but because of the policies. I know several people who are in Jamaica to vote because of their political ties, but I am not voting that way. I believe that too many Jamaicans are opting out of the electoral system, and my coming to Jamaica to vote may inspire Jamaicans in the country to also exercise their franchise,” she said.

Newman said that she has travelled to several parishes since arriving in Jamaica and she feels that the election is too close to call.

“I believe that the election will be tight and I can’t see a clear winner right now,” she said.

Latoya Linton, who lives in the US state of North Carolina, told The Gleaner that she was motivated to return to Jamaica to vote in this election because she wants the progress that she sees in the country to continue.

“This is the first time that I feel the need to come to Jamaica to vote. I just got a new job, and I have taken time off to come to Jamaica because I believe that it is that important,” she said..

Linton said she is pleased with the developments she sees taking place in Jamaica and want them to continue.

Linton feels that it is the patriotic duty of all Jamaicans who have the ability to vote to do so, and is encoraging electors not to sit out the vote.

Rosealee Cameron, a registered nurse from England, agreed. 

“I am voting for the future of the country, for the future generation, and so it is very important that I cast a vote,” she said.

“We in the diaspora cannot just sit on the fence of wish for better for the country. We must become a part of the process, especially if we still have family members living in Jamaica, as well as investments in the country,” said Linton.

Charmane Harrison, a social worker from the Bronx, is participating in her third Jamaican election. 

“It would be remiss of me not to participate,” she said, noting that by voting, she will be shaping the future of the country not only for the present generation, but for future ones.

Layon Lynch, an educator from Brooklyn, stressed the broader implications of the vote. 

“The outcome of the elections will also have an impact on Jamaicans in the diaspora, so it is important for us in the diaspora who have a vote in Jamaica to exercise that franchise,” he said.

Lynch told The Gleaner that the diaspora has been calling for greater inclusion in the development of Jamaica, and if they want to be taken seriously about contributing to the country’s development, participating in the electoral process is important.

A total of 189 candidates will face voters on Wednesday with both major political parties, the governing Jamaica Labour Party and the opposition People’s National Party, fielding full slates of candidates.

Voters will be selecting legislators to fill the 63 seats in the House of Representatives.

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