News Americas Now, NEW YORK, NY, Friday, February 20, 2015-The 6th Biennial Jamaica Diaspora Conference, set to unfold from June 13-18 at the Montego Bay Convention Centre, under the theme: Jamaica and the Diaspora: Linking for Growth and Prosperity, will be launched today Friday (February 20) by the Prime Minister, Most Hon. Portia Simpson Miller, ON, MP at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel.
Senator the Honourable, Arnold J. Nicholson, QC, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade (MFAFT) and the Honourable Arnaldo Brown, MP, Minister of State, MFAFT will also speak on the purpose, projected outcomes of the Conference and the importance of the Jamaica/Diaspora partnership in driving development.
Other launch presenters will include: Professor Neville Ying, CD, Chair of the Programme Sub Committee; Ambassador Paul Robotham, CD, Permanent Secretary, MFAFT, Mr. Robert Scott, Chair of the Marketing Sub Committee, and Ms. Lisa-Ann OGilvie, Project Manager. Chairman of the Diaspora Conference Preparatory Committee. Mr. Richard Powell will guide the proceedings.
In addition to an expanded MarketPlace and Diaspora Day of Service, the Preparatory Committee has sought to increase the Conference’s attendance through deliberate targeting of Diaspora outside of the traditional areas of the United Kingdom (UK), the United States of America (USA) and Canada.
“In addition to engaging with our Diaspora on important developmental areas such as education, trade and investment, health and the creative industries, whilst keeping the popular Government-at-your-Service feature, this year’s Conference seeks to further expand its scope through the deliberate targeting of our Diaspora further afield than the UK, the US and Canada,” says Minister Nicholson.
With Diaspora engagement seen as an important developmental tool worldwide, and with Jamaica’s Diaspora figures said to be over three (3) million, it is expected that this year’s Conference, with the addition of the Market Place Live, will indeed position the Conference as the global forum for Jamaica and its Diaspora to further shape and concretize its development agenda.
