Many Jamaicans at home and abroad are beaming with pride that a woman of similar heritage could become the 47th President of the United States of America. 

However, many fear that this Jamaican background will not be enough to influence her focus on policies that could impact the island or the wider Caribbean.

Shanice Gibbs has part five in the series “The U.S. 2024 Presidential Election: The Jamaican Perspective.”

See script below

Her name is Kamala Devi Harris. 

And many have known her as the 49th Vice President of the United States of America since 2021 under its current President Joe Biden.

But with Mr. Biden stepping away from the presidential race and endorsing Harris as the next Democratic Presidential candidate, her Jamaican roots are once again in the spotlight. 

As a child, Ms. Harris spent many holidays in Brown’s Town, St. Ann with her family, including her father economist Donald Harris. 

Still, many Jamaicans are not convinced that her heritage will have any significant impact on Jamaica or the region, if she should best Republican candidate, Donald Trump at the November 5 polls.

According to one Kingston woman, even if Ms. Harris is inclined to push for policies that would benefit the country, it is unlikely they would materialize due to potential backlash from U.S. citizens.

She is urging Jamaican citizens to be measured in their expectations of the potential female President. 

She says Jamaicans should be more focused on working together to address the challenges faced by the nation effectively.

Meanwhile, a woman from Manchester explains that while Harris’ heritage may not influence Jamaican-related policies, she believes it could prove advantageous for a Harris-led US. administration. 

But, Jamaicans are not alone in their assumptions. 

U.S. Political Scientist and Associate Professor at the Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania, Dr. Jeffrey Bosworth made similar assertions at a webinar hosted by the University of the West Indies last week.