Foreign Missions Respond To The Needs Of Jamaicans

Jamaicans who find themselves in vulnerable situations while travelling abroad can be assured that their rights and interests will be protected.

This is made possible through a growing network of 95 Honorary Consuls, and 19 Jamaican embassies, high commissions and consulates general.

Over the past two years, they have helped Jamaican nationals who faced challenges overseas because of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and Ukraine war, following Russia’s military invasion of the country.

“We had some distressing situations overseas. We had to call on them and they have been most responsive, and I really want to thank them so much for the help they have given us,” Director of the Consular Department of the Ministry, Ariel Bowen, told JIS News.

“They have extended themselves more than we could ever expect of them, and I really want to take this opportunity to acknowledge them and the important role that they play,” she added.

The Ministry recently evacuated more than 25 Jamaicans from Ukraine after Russia’s military invasion.

Mrs. Bowen is advising persons travelling overseas to register their names and contact information at the Ministry, via the Ministry’s website, www.mfaft.gov.jm.

She said that persons can also email their details to consular@mfaft.gov.jm. To ensure that the information is not retained beyond the period of the visit, persons should indicate their departure from the foreign country via the same email.

Undersecretary of the Diaspora, Protocol and Consular Affairs Division in the Ministry, Frantz Hall, told JIS News that the Consular Affairs Department is guided not only by domestic legislation but by the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations in providing assistance to Jamaican nationals and to foreign nationals.

He said that the Ministry, through its embassies, high commissions and honorary consuls can provide limited assistance to persons in the event of a natural disaster, civil unrest or the outbreak of a war.

“If the destination country is affected by a large-scale emergency, the Government of Jamaica will share information and advisories regularly through its mass media, website, social media accounts or by email, and in some cases direct contact with the persons affected,” Mr. Hall noted.

He said that the Government, “as a last resort”, can help Jamaicans with transportation to the nearest safe location given the conditions on the ground and “when other means of commercial and personal transportation options are no longer available”.

However, he pointed out that the constraints of resources can limit the ability of the Government to help during a large-scale emergency abroad, particularly in countries with a high potential for violence

“In some cases, our ability to provide services may also be affected and limited by the laws and regulations that are obtained in other countries,” he added.

Mr. Hall pointed out that in some emergency situations, the Government will seek the assistance of international organisations, non-governmental bodies, and friendly governments.

The Undersecretary said that the Ministry, in partnership with donor entities, had assisted with the repatriation to Jamaica of distressed nationals overseas, some of whom had lost their jobs and faced homelessness due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Additionally, he said the Ministry provided advice on travel restrictions imposed by other countries in response to the introduction of measures to curtail the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

Care packages were also delivered to more than 100 students in Cuba to assist with personal and hygiene supplies and non-perishable food items, he added.

Mr. Hall is advising citizens to have contact details of consulates or embassies in the countries that they are visiting.

“It is also important to know where our Honorary Consuls are in the regions that you are travelling to. The information is available online. It is important to add those numbers and email addresses to your list of contacts when travelling,” he advised.

Apart from looking after the interests of Jamaican citizens, he said that the Ministry fosters the development of commercial, economic, cultural and scientific relations between Jamaica and the receiving state (host country).

Other duties include the issuing of passports and visas to Jamaican nationals and persons wishing to travel to Jamaica.

He noted that consular services are delivered in conjunction with a number of ministries, departments and agencies, including the Ministry of National Security, the Passport, Immigration & Citizenship Agency and the Ministry of Justice.