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Hundreds from Abroad Attend First Diaspora Conference
The inaugural Jamaican Diaspora Conference got underway today at
the Jamaica Conference Centre, downtown Kingston, with over 350
delegates from the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom
in attendance.
The two-day conference, which is being held under the theme -
'Jamaicans in the Diaspora: Unleashing the Potential', is the
first of its kind linking Jamaicans abroad with leaders in government,
business, academia, industry, administration and non-governmental
organizations, to hear concerns and effect changes for Jamaicans
both at home and abroad.
Welcoming the overseas nationals, conference organizer and State
Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Senator Delano Franklyn,
said the event was being held in recognition of the work and contribution
of overseas nationals to the country's development.
In addition, he said the government wanted to hear the concerns
of the overseas community, because "we decided that no way
must the government decide on any programme or policy affecting
the overseas community without the involvement of the overseas community".
Valarie Steele, President of the Jamaican Canadian Association,
lauded the government for organizing the conference, noting that
the staging of the event signalled that, "we have truly matured
and are envisioning the strong potential in the Diaspora that can
enable the expansion that is so critical to Jamaica's success".
She pointed out that nationals abroad continued to look to Jamaica
for leadership on important issues and urged the government to continue
to take principled positions, "stick with them and make no
apologies and maintain our sovereignty".
Mrs. Steele also urged the government to make use of home grown
experts in the Diaspora, noting that they should be given the first
right of refusal to work that benefited Jamaica as long as they
had the credentials and experience to carry out the required tasks.
"As globalization's teeth grow sharper, we must use our citizens
first and also our CARICOM neighbours' talents to benefit our piece
of the world," she stressed
She also called for the creation of a database of Jamaican businesses,
professionals and trades people in the Diaspora.
Meanwhile, Blane Stoddart, Executive Director and Chief Executive
Officer for the Partnership and Community Development organization
in Philadelphia in the United States, pointed to the need for Jamaicans
in the US to get organized so as to effect changes in the American
political system.
"The coalition of Hispanic groups (in the US) is so powerful
that when Republicans and Democrats run for seats, they go to these
groups to get their votes. Right now in national politics, everybody
is trying to get the Hispanic vote and we are just as potent, just
as powerful. We need to organize so that they will come to us to
get the Jamaican and Caribbean votes," he said.
Mr. Stoddart said that internally, the government must address
crime and security issues and put measures in place to reduce poverty.
He also called for a lessening of the bureaucratic red tape to "ensure
that our standards meet world standards".
"We need to get our official documents in a timely matter;
we need to be able to move goods and services through Customs in
a timely manner," he emphasized.
Also bringing greetings at today's opening session were Estelle
Grant, from the Trelawny Returning Residents Association and Bishop
Eric Brown from the New Testament Church of God in England and Wales,
who pointed to the need for the country to train professionals to
meet global standards.
"The reality is that time is short and we need to act now
as the world will not stop and wait until we sort ourselves out,"
Bishop Brown stressed.
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