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GROWTH & PROSPERITY Mapping Jamaica’s Diaspora Charting the course to a Borderless Jamaica
ALYSSA M MAHADEO/TORONTO AHAD AH ADEO EO//TO TORO RONT NTO O CARIBBEAN CARI CA RIBB BBEA EAN N “Every movement for positive movement starts in Jamaica.” The Honorable Arnaldo Brown Minister of State addressed the audience, his remarks for a better brighter future for the Jamaican people met with shouts of affirmation and thunderous applause. On April 13th, 2015 the Jamaican Diaspora Canada Foundation (JDFC) marked the official launch of the sixth Biennial Jamaica Diaspora Conference. The theme for 2015’s conference, “Linking for Growth and Prosperity.” The JDFC launched back in 2004, their objective to stimulate growth and improve the Jamaican infrastructure in the interest of Jamaica, and Jamaicans throughout the world. Miss Tika Pinnok, President of the Wolmers Alumni Association, and Master of Ceremonies for the evening, began with a brief explanation of the conference, what it entails, as well as topics dis-
cussed at conferences in the past and how they hope to build on those topics in the future, rebranding and refocusing on vision 2030. Notable features that were brought to attention included the Marketplace, a major exposition of local and Diaspora based products and services, business to business networking, as well as the Diaspora Day of Service allowing Jamaican organizations and individuals overseas to cultivate and complete community projects of their choosing. Mr. Lloyd Wilks, Consul General for Toronto further explained how important it was to ensure that the Jamaican people take to heart the matters at hand. It is important that the Jamaican people are engaged in their own business otherwise someone else will take it upon themself to run it however they see fit. “It is a revamped, refocused program that looks spe-
cifically at what the interests of the Diaspora are.” JDFC strives to keep the conversation going in regards to putting in place mechanisms that looks into the interests of Jamaican’s overseas. The Ministry is devoted to dealing with Diaspora Diplomacy. The Diaspora engagement is a structure in government and is part of the foreign policy, where the most important asset are the Jamaican’s that live abroad. This years conference invites at least 1,000 Canadian’s to be in attendance to assist in improving the quality of life in Jamaica. The JDFC unites with long established organizations such as Jamaica National and JamPro, churches and other special interest groups and individuals who have been working for the advancement of Jamaica and the Jamaicans living in Canada over the years. Continued On Page 10