Jamaica’s Prime Minister Andrew Holness has urged compatriots who may be impacted by President Donald Trump’s stern immigration policies in the United States to “come back home.”
According to Loop Jamaica, Holness made the warm gesture to Jamaicans residing in the United States and overseas while addressing the National Security Council (NSC) in the capital, Kingston on February, 6.
“Never forget that Jamaica is your homeland; you are not homeless or stateless, and if you are finding it difficult where you are, come back here,” Holness stated.
Holness also urged Jamaicans residing in other countries to abide by their laws, adding that they have no issues with any foreign government exercising its sovereignty. “We respect the sovereign rights of any country to pursue their public order, citizen security and social policies,” Holness noted.
Holness, however, urged the United States and other countries to clamp down on the smuggling of illegal firearms into Jamaica. He said that issue is one of the main reasons behind criminal activities in the Caribbean nation.
“It would be very useful, however, if the intention is to find criminals who are also illegal migrants, to put some effort on those who are trying to send back guns to Jamaica,” said Holness.
“The remittance coming back to Jamaica is helping grandma in some remote community to survive an extra day. So, too, is the barrel with rice, but it is unfortunate when the gun is in that rice,” he added.
Holness in his address also re-emphasized that Jamaica would welcome compatriots living overseas with open arms and encouraged them “to come back home” and contribute their quota toward building the nation, Loop Jamaica reported.
“Let us work together to build the prosperous nation that Jamaica is destined to be,” he stated.
But Holness stated that the law will deal with any Jamaican who wants to return home with the aim of partaking in criminal activities.
“Don’t come back here to destroy your homeland and what we have been working very hard to create so that you wouldn’t have had to leave in the first place… So expect to be dealt with a firm hand if your intent is criminal,” he warned.
