Jamaica clarifies US migration transit plan as Holness urges efficiency at diaspora forum

The Government sought on Wednesday, June 17, 2026, to correct reports that Jamaica had agreed to accept 10,000 third-country nationals under a proposed migration arrangement with the United States. Minister of National Security and Peace, Dr Horace Chang, told a post-Cabinet press briefing that the framework relates to the temporary transit of foreign nationals through the island to a third destination, including their home countries.

Dr Chang said the United States Government would pay for the initial stay, with accommodation provided through the International Organization for Migration, a United Nations agency. He added that no quota has been established and that any transfers would be subject to strict controls and oversight.

"And at no time will the number exceed 25 because we have the right to refuse anyone at any time. And both parties can terminate the entire agreement without any long-term notice," Dr Chang said. He noted that operational procedures are still being worked out and that, although Cabinet approved the memorandum of understanding after lengthy negotiations, some terms remain to be finalised.

Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness, delivering the keynote at the opening of the 11th biennial Jamaica Diaspora Conference, called for what he described as a cultural revolution to improve productivity, efficiency, and the ease of doing business. He told delegates that Jamaica must become faster, more efficient, and more competitive to achieve its long-term development goals.

"Efficiency is a resource like oil, like bauxite, like tourism, efficiency. We need the cultural revolution in the way in which we do business so that we can match the speed on the track with the speed on doing business," Dr Holness said. He argued that the shift requires more than economic reforms, including moving away from a consumer mentality toward production and innovation.

Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Minister Senator Kamina Johnson Smith said the four-day conference, held from June 15 to 18 under the theme of diaspora partnerships for rebuilding a more resilient Jamaica, was oversubscribed for the first time. She credited the Global Jamaica Diaspora Council and the Global Jamaica Diaspora Youth Council with broadening engagement across regions including Asia Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean, the Middle East, and Africa.

Senator Johnson Smith said the Government would partner with diaspora members as it enters a rapid construction phase under the National Reconstruction and Resilience Authority. Twenty-one projects were registered for diaspora day of service on June 18, covering medical missions, dental care, psychosocial training, and construction, including a rebuild in the farming community of Parity, which was devastated by Hurricane Melissa.

Minister of Industry, Investment, and Commerce Senator Aubyn Hill launched an online facilitation tool marking the 10th anniversary of the Jamaica Special Economic Zone Authority. The platform allows real-time application submission and tracking from anywhere in the world. JSEZA Chief Executive Officer Caledon Hamilton said the rollout would proceed in three phases, covering the application portal, an operations dashboard, and a payment portal, with training and guidance for stakeholders.