A jubilant, boonoonoonoos morning to you all. Happy INDEPENDENCE! Happy Gold and Bronze Hansle Parchment and Ronald Levy Day, Happy belated 1-2-3 Elaine Shelly and Shericka Day, Happy Elaine for the Double Gold First time Day, Happy Belated Megan Tapper Day! Happy Personal Best days for Candice, Christopher, Rasheed, Janeive, Yona; Happy we love you for your First time qualifiers Danucia and Ebony Day, AND Happy We love whatever tomorrow throws up for us tomorrow day because it is our Independence and our athletes are out there putting everything on the line for their country and we send them our love and blessings!
As we celebrate, it’s important that we pause to reflect on what independence means. Generally, a country is considered independent when it declares, and other countries recognise that it is in control of its own political destiny. Independence means the ability to act as a sovereign nation and to make choices that reflect the collective will and aspirations of our citizens.
We are celebrating fifty-nine years since Jamaica gained independence from Britain; fifty-nine years since we took charge of our own destiny on 6th August 1962.
We all have read about experiences of that great year 1962 – one bursting with excitement. Of course, as Jamaica’s first Foreign Minister to be born after Independence, I wasn’t around, yet. So I’m grateful to musical giants, like Derrick Morgan, for preserving and immortalising the excitement. Morgan gave us one of Jamaica’s first independence songs, “Forward March”, which says:
Brothers and sisters give joy and praises
for Sir Alexander, yeah, yeah
Brothers and sisters give joy and praises
for Mr. Manley, yeah, yeah
In that iconic song, two of national heroes are featured – The Right Excellent Sir Alexander Bustamante and The Right Excellent Norman Washington Manley. Their role as nation-builders was also felt in the beginnings of our Ministry.
As a newly independent nation, in addition to having all that fun, one of the first and most important things Jamaica had to do was to start managing our own external affairs. That process began in 1961 after Jamaica decided, by way of Referendum, to forego Federation and pursue national independence. Premier Manley then established a Department of External Affairs in the Office of the Premier.
In our first independence government under the leadership of Sir Alexander Bustamante, in 1962, the Ministry of External Affairs was then established. Recruits were drawn from excellent sources, including the best and brightest civil servants – a label which we continue to strive every day to retain.
Two years into our operation, Sir Alexander reported to Parliament on the work of the Ministry, and among other things, laid out the principles which guided Jamaica’s foreign policy from the outset. These included:
- Jamaica recognises the fact that, as a small nation in a world of power-blocs, it has to make friends internationally and at the same time maintain its national sovereignty and independence;
- Jamaica takes a firm stand on the question of colonialism. Jamaica fervently desires to see all subject peoples move to their independence without delay, according to the will of those people;
- Jamaica believes in the closest possible relationship with the African Countries in their efforts against colonialism, apartheid and any other kind of discrimination and for the achievement for all peoples everywhere of the fullest measure of human rights; and
- Jamaica believes in the rights of smaller nations and other developing countries to full participation in world affairs and world trade; accordingly, Jamaica has called for the establishment of a new pattern of world trade which would recognise the urgent needs and rights of developing countries, and recognition of the view that differences between the economic and social systems of countries should not prevent developing countries from taking advantage of expanding markets for trade.
This was us in 1962!!! Notwithstanding that we now operate in a world even more complex and unpredictable, we are still advancing these causes today. I know no one understands the delicacy of these issues more than you – our team at home and abroad.
And so we are a proud Ministry. Jamaica’s Foreign Ministry, our Foreign Service, was laid on an excellent foundation. We have helped Jamaica navigate many eras, conflicts, ideologies and challenges. We have helped Jamaica achieve many triumphs and as we celebrate, we continue on a daily basis to contemplate current challenges and more to come.
Colleagues,
I’d like to share with you some perspectives on our Independence as highlighted by the Most Honourable Andrew Holness, ON, PC, MP today.
It is not enough to be ‘politically independent’. Over the years, Jamaica has learned that we must also achieve economic independence. For our part, this Government has been steadfast in pursuing the path of economic independence for Jamaica through implementing the right policies to secure the future that we want. We have been clear that our application of foreign policy must be aligned to the achievement of Jamaica’s national development agenda as it is ultimately the people of Jamaica to whom we are employed and who we serve, even as we ensure that we are good global citizens.
What do we Jamaicans all want? How do we view independence at a personal level? In the Prime Minister’s message he shares that for many Jamaicans, independence means income, ownership and the ability to create wealth and pursue happiness.
We are establishing structured, vibrant and sustainable housing projects with thousands of units for everyone, especially for young people. Even as we work through the pandemic, we are also providing Jamaicans with greater employment opportunities because this must be the ultimate benefit of economic growth. At the same time, we are creating an ownership economy, not just through housing but through investment opportunities for Jamaicans to own a piece of important national assets. More than 30,000 Jamaicans now own shares in Wigton Wind Farm and TransJamaican Highway from which they can collect dividends. These are not overnight magical achievements but they are not promises, they are work underway.
Independence means better access to education to allow every Jamaican child to achieve their full potential to compete in the 21st century global marketplace. Expansion of connectivity is a critical work in progress, and we look forward to the recommendations of the Orlando Patterson-led Education Transformation Commission.
Also team, Independence for Jamaica means that violence is not seen as the primary means of conflict resolution and that we all feel free to live in a safe and just environment. We have so much to work on personally, culturally and institutionally to make this a reality.
Colleagues,
Independence also means the ability to provide for the most vulnerable in our society. The Government has spent a record amount in welfare protection and strengthening of our social safety net to protect our most vulnerable citizens. Pre-pandemic poverty was reduced by 40%! A phenomenal achievement. We know the pandemic has hit us hard, but we are confident that we will get back there and beyond.
We have introduced a new Social Pension Programme that will target Jamaican citizens aged 75 years and older. The fact that we have been able to do this in the midst of the pandemic is testament to how far we have come and to the resilience of the Jamaican economy.
Colleagues,
As we did last year, we are celebrating the anniversary of our nation’s Independence in the midst of a pandemic, which has disrupted our lives. However, we have, as a nation, done well together in managing the crisis.
We have been able to do this through the hard work and sacrifice of thousands of front-line workers and the support and co-operation of most, well-thinking Jamaicans. This Ministry has been a major part of Jamaica’s Covid response as well – memories are short, but our Consular team members here and overseas have been called on in unprecedented ways and have risen to the occasion every time – while we have past the worst, the issues continue to arise; our Covid response also benefited from the generosity of good friends and partners fostered and facilitated by this Ministry to the tune of US $12 million. Of course, the majority of the vaccines received thus far have been through bilateral donations – even the commercial relations with the AMSP have been fostered regularly through consistent engagement.
Colleagues, we are now faced with important choices as a nation. Variants are a reality fostered among unvaccinated people. They are causing greater hospitalisations and deaths among that population. We give thanks that access to vaccines is now less of an issue – we are still distributing the donation from the UK, we anticipate shortly receiving the donation from the US as well as the first of several shipments purchased through the AMSP. Not only do we all therefore have to continue to observe the protocols, but we now need to think more scientifically about taking the vaccine. Our choices will affect our ability to rid ourselves from the pandemic and regain our freedom.
Here at our Ministry, I want to use this opportunity to encourage each one of you to get vaccinated and to follow the protocols, even in elevators and lunch rooms and when you stop to chat at someone’s desk or in the hallways. I want to encourage you also to encourage your families vaccinated and encourage our relatives and friends to do the same. There is a blitz on, island-wide availability, the National Arena is open and working seamlessly, and today at Sovereign Centre for example, you don’t need an appointment, just walk in. I think all managers should give staff time to get their vaccines (you would have to bring back your card as proof). You may have heard by now that certain CARICOM countries are now only allowing entry to fully vaccinated people, and that the USA is also working on a similar plan to be announced soon. The world is changing, and we are a Foreign Ministry, we have to think non-politically, and take medical advice if you need it.
We all were vaccinated as children, and we are fine – we give thanks that countries gave billions of dollars to scientists to accelerate the work already underway on the corona virus which allowed the record speed development of new vaccines. The truth is they are our only way back to normalcy. While they don’t prevent catching the disease, they prevent serious illness and death – the people dying overseas are the people who are unvaccinated and it is extremely sad to see the number of young unvaccinated people also succumbing to the disease and asking for the vaccine when it is already too late. I know scepticism is high, and so far we have dodged the delta variant, but the MoHW says we have to presume it could be here, so I have already asked PS to liaise with MoHW to facilitate someone to come and answer questions for those who are not yet convinced – this is a Foreign Ministry and we need to not only consider ourselves and our personal rights, but those of the people around us, so the safety of our colleagues and the people with whom we have to interact, as well as the roles we have to play.
I take this opportunity to thank YOU again, for rising to the occasion to meet the additional demands brought on by the pandemic. I want to especially thank again the members of staff who helped to ensure that Jamaicans abroad, especially those who were stuck due to border closures at the onset of the pandemic, were taken care of and were guaranteed safe re-entry.
I also want to thank again everyone who played a role in our Ministry’s relocation to our new home, and those continuing to address all the nuts and bolts that we still have to tighten. I’m happy to say that we’re independent from rent although not from JPS! So I remind everyone to be vigilant about lights and the A/C, when it is within your control.
Team,
We have come far as a nation; but we have so much further to go. As we celebrate 59 years of independence, and look towards a special milestone next year, let us virtually join hands and hearts to make Jamaica a nation of peace, love and prosperity.
In the words of Tinga Stewart, the 1981 Festival Song Winner:
All nation have dem sensation, and every nation have dem boderation,
Dis is di time for a happy meditation, nuh bodda fuss – enjoy di celebration, yeah!
Momma, Granny, Aunty, Dawta and yute man, enjoy yuself inna ur homeland.
Cause when I check it out, Lawd, noweh nuh betta than yaad,
cause when I check it out, Lawd, no weh nuh betta than yaad, oh no.
Happy Independence! May God bless you and your families, and may God bless Jamaica, land we love.
