Jamaica remittances

The inaugural quarterly intelligence report on Jamaica’s global diaspora for July–September 2021: the Haiti earthquake of 14 August galvanises the Jamaican diaspora’s Caribbean solidarity response, the COVID Delta wave tests healthcare systems across North America and Europe while suppressing diaspora travel to Jamaica, Q3 2021 GDP growth of approximately 5.9 per cent confirms the post-pandemic rebound, remittances continue at record-pace through the third quarter, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs follows up on commitments from the Virtual Jamaica Diaspora Symposium of June 2021.

The quarterly intelligence report on Jamaica’s global diaspora for April–June 2021: the Virtual Jamaica Diaspora Symposium convenes on 18–19 June as a substitute for the delayed in-person 9th Biennial Conference, Jamaica’s economy records exceptional Q2 2021 GDP growth of approximately 14.2 per cent on a low 2020 base, remittances maintain their remarkable pandemic-era pace, the COVID-19 vaccine rollout accelerates in diaspora countries, and diaspora travel to Jamaica remains suppressed though borders remain open.

The quarterly intelligence report on Jamaica’s global diaspora for January–March 2021: Joe Biden’s inauguration on 20 January transforms the US immigration enforcement environment, the American Rescue Plan Act injects $1.9 trillion into the US economy boosting Jamaican-American household liquidity, COVID vaccines begin rolling out in diaspora countries, Jamaica’s economy shows early recovery signs following 2020’s contraction, the Virtual Diaspora Symposium is announced for June 2021, and remittances maintain their extraordinary pandemic-era pace.

The quarterly intelligence report on Jamaica’s global diaspora for October–December 2020: Joe Biden wins the US presidential election on 3 November generating enormous diaspora expectation for immigration policy reform, COVID-19 vaccines receive emergency authorisation in December bringing hope of a 2021 recovery, full-year 2020 remittances post a remarkable outcome despite the pandemic’s economic disruption, Jamaica’s COVID second wave strains the health system through Q4, and the Christmas season sees diaspora remittances surge to support Jamaican families through an unprecedented holiday period.

The Jamaica Diaspora Annual Roundup for 2020: the COVID-19 pandemic reshapes every dimension of diaspora life; Caribbean communities suffer disproportionate COVID mortality in the UK and US due to frontline occupational exposure; the Black Lives Matter movement reaches its global peak after George Floyd’s murder; Joe Biden and Kamala Harris win the US presidential election; and Jamaica remittances reach a record US$2.9 billion despite — and because of — the pandemic.

The quarterly intelligence report on Jamaica’s global diaspora for July–September 2020: the COVID-19 pandemic’s paradoxical effect on remittances continues as diaspora solidarity surges despite economic disruption, Black Lives Matter protests reshape the political landscape for Caribbean diaspora communities across North America and Europe, Jamaica’s economy contracts severely under the weight of tourism’s collapse, the Trump administration’s deportation policy continues at pace, and Jamaica’s open-border approach with health protocols distinguishes its COVID strategy from regional peers.

The quarterly intelligence report on Jamaica’s global diaspora for April–June 2020: global COVID-19 lockdowns reach their peak intensity, Jamaica implements curfews and movement restrictions while keeping its air border open under health protocols, US CARES Act stimulus unexpectedly boosts remittance flows despite the economic shock, George Floyd’s killing on 25 May catalyses a global racial justice moment felt across Caribbean diaspora communities, and the 9th Biennial Jamaica Diaspora Conference is formally postponed.

The quarterly intelligence report on Jamaica’s global diaspora for January–March 2020: the COVID-19 pandemic is declared a global pandemic on 11 March, Jamaica records its first confirmed cases in late March and closes its borders to visitors, the 9th Biennial Jamaica Diaspora Conference faces mounting postponement uncertainty, enormous economic shock hits diaspora communities globally, and remittances end the quarter in deep uncertainty.

The quarterly intelligence report on Jamaica’s global diaspora for October–December 2019: Jamaica’s 2019 remittance total reaches approximately US$2.9 billion — a record high — driven by a buoyant Christmas season, Jamaica’s tourism sector posts a record year for stopover arrivals, the UK’s Brexit saga heads toward a January 2020 deadline affecting British-Jamaican settlement rights, planning for the 9th Biennial Jamaica Diaspora Conference (June 2020) accelerates, and Trump’s immigration enforcement continues to generate anxiety across diaspora communities.

The quarterly intelligence report on Jamaica’s global diaspora for October–December 2019: Jamaica’s 2019 remittance total reaches approximately US$2.9 billion, tourism posts a record year for stopover arrivals, Brexit heads toward a January 2020 deadline, planning for the 9th Biennial Jamaica Diaspora Conference accelerates, and Trump immigration enforcement continues.

The third five-year retrospective of the Jamaica Diaspora & Returnee Update series surveys 2015–2019: the Brexit referendum of June 2016 reshapes the political context for British-Jamaican communities; Donald Trump’s 2016 election transforms the US immigration environment; Usain Bolt wins his third consecutive 100m Olympic gold at Rio and retires; the Windrush scandal erupts in 2018 as the moral nadir of UK immigration policy; the 7th and 8th Biennial conferences maintain the framework; and remittances grow from US$2.2 billion to US$2.6 billion.

The Jamaica Diaspora Annual Roundup for 2019: Boris Johnson becomes UK Prime Minister in July and delivers Brexit; the UK general election produces a Conservative landslide in December; the Windrush Lessons Learned Review is commissioned; Jamaica’s Andrew Holness wins re-election with a strengthened majority; and remittances to Jamaica reach US$2.6 billion as the digital transfer revolution deepens.

The quarterly intelligence report on Jamaica’s global diaspora for July–September 2019: the Reggae Boyz reach the CONCACAF Gold Cup semi-finals for the first time in history before falling to the USA 3-1 on 3 July, Trump announces major ICE enforcement operations in July targeting undocumented immigrants in ten US cities, Jamaica’s tourism continues its record-breaking trajectory, and remittance inflows maintain strong momentum.

The quarterly intelligence report on Jamaica’s global diaspora for April–June 2019: the Reggae Boyz have just made history by reaching the CONCACAF Gold Cup semi-finals for the first time ever — defeating Panama 2-0 on 30 June — with the USA semi-final scheduled for tomorrow, 3 July, Jamaica’s tourism sector posts another strong quarter, remittances sustain their growth trajectory, and Trump’s immigration enforcement and rhetoric continue to shape diaspora community life.

The quarterly intelligence report on Jamaica’s global diaspora for January–March 2019: nine months on from the 8th Biennial Jamaica Diaspora Conference of June 2018, the US government shutdown ends after 35 days and Trump declares a national emergency for his border wall, Jamaica’s economy continues its steady growth trajectory under PM Holness, the National Diaspora Policy enters its second year of implementation, and Jamaica’s remittance inflows remain on a positive growth trajectory.