While the number of Jamaican deportees remains high, data on the country's migration pattern is pointing to a change in the destination countries from which most migrant Jamaicans were deported last year.

Findings from the latest Economic and Social Survey have fingered The Bahamas and Dutch Caribbean island Curaçao as two areas from which a significant number of Jamaicans were forced back to their country last year.

However, so far neither the Ministry of National Security, the International Organization for Migration, nor the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade seem to have a clue as to what has accounted for the high number of deportees being shipped from these islands.

According to information from the latest report, while some 73 per cent of persons deported came from the United States, England and Canada, which are the three major destinations for Jamaica, last year more persons were deported from Curaçao than England and Canada.

During the period, Curaçao accounted for some 320 deportees while England and Canada accounted for only 315 and 226, respectively.

The largest proportion of deported persons came from the US and The Bahamas.

The US sent back 1,379 (or 52.5 per cent) persons while the only figure presented for The Bahamas was 12.2 per cent.

With a total of 2,629 persons deported from all countries, the 320 sent back from Curaçao represents 12.1 per cent.

nedburn.thaffe@gleanerjm.com