Forty-seven men, women and children were presented with official documents identifying them as naturalised Jamaican citizens
on Thursday during a swearing-in ceremony at the Passport, Immigration and Citizenship Agency (PICA) in St Andrew.
National Security Minister Robert Montague welcomed the new naturalised Jamaicans on behalf of the Jamaican Government and outlined the privileges and responsibilities that came with their adoption of the island as their homeland.
“Being a Jamaican citizen is an exceptional honour and while you have been granted that right, nearly 2,000 persons were deported from our island last year, while about 537 were refused entry to this country. So as Jamaicans we expect you take this new status seriously,” Minister Montague said.
He implored them to register to vote, pay their taxes, engage in community activities and use their various skills and talents to help build the country.
Meanwhile, the government will next year declare an amnesty to allow up to 20,000 personsliving on the island illegally to regularise their status.
The amnesty is to last for a year.
