Jamaicans across the diaspora are being praised for their contribution in helping the Jamaican economy stay afloat through remittances during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Jamaica’s Minister of Finance and the Public Service, Dr. Nigel Clarke, said that remittances jumped from approximately US$500 million to US$2.9 billion in 2020, which helped to cushion the loss of US$2.5 billion in foreign exchange earnings from tourism.
Remittance inflows further increased in 2021, exceeding US$3.3 billion, Loop News reports.
The Minister was speaking recently at an Adopt-A-Clinic ceremony for the Sunrise Health Centre.
The facility, located in the Minister’s St Andrew North Western constituency, is being supported by Jamaican-born Patrick Lai Fatt, who owns and operates the USAFE Tech Security firm, which is based in the United Kingdom (UK).