Senator Audrey Marks Clears the Air on TCN

 

 

Questions abound this evening regarding Jamaica's agreement to host third country nationals, who are not American citizens, after reports emerged that an arrangement was suggested by Minister of Efficiency Innovation and Digital Transformation Audrey Marks.

 

However, during a corporate consultation at the Institute for Workforce Education and Development, Jamaica's former ambassador to the United States denied those claims.

 

Marks said, “So let me make four points today to connect the dots and clarify the outset.

The recent media reports conflating a request from the USA government to facilitate the transit of Third-Country Nationals (TCNs) from the USA to their country of origin with a proposal I had made to get skilled workers to Jamaica. My proposal was a structured migration program for Jamaica's economic development.”

 

When the then ambassador to the United States first heard the manifesto of the Trump presidency in July 2024, the now Minister of Efficiency, Innovation, and Digital Transformation, Audrey Marks, says she was made aware of factors that suggested a radical shift in America's migration policy, namely the mass deportation of undocumented persons, a development that could have a profound impact on Jamaica if not managed properly.

 

She said “The Third-Country Nationals TCN MOU was leaked before it was finalized. It had it has not been operationalized. So, there are no persons deported to Jamaica apart from Jamaicans. Moreover, importantly, the MOU stipulates that persons with criminal convictions will not be allowed in Jamaica. As soon as the TCN MOU is finalized, as with all other bilateral agreements, there'll be a full press briefing and what is finalized will be shared, but we're not there yet.”

 

The former ambassador to the United States makes it clear that the TCN proposal originated entirely from the Trump administration after 6 months of negotiations.

 

According to the Prime Minister and the Minister of National Security and Peace, she says the MOU is still being finalized. However, she also says bringing criminals into Jamaica who are from the US is not an option being considered by the Jamaican government.

 

“So, there's not any mass migration to Jamaica of criminals. However, while the MOU has been signed, its full operationalisation is not yet complete. So, the full information and how it will work is still being worked out. So, the constant calls for details of what has not been finalized is not making sense. Very clearly with all the noise that is going on, what should be known is that it's non-negotiable that Jamaica would be taking criminals into the country. That is not in the in the MOU.”