THE MINISTRY of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, in an effort to strengthen linkages among Jamaicans overseas, kicks off the 'Jamaican Diaspora: Unleashing the Potential' conference in downtown Kingston this morning.
Some 250 delegates from the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom are expected to attend the two-day conference, which will be opened by Prime Minister P.J. Patterson.
CHALLENGES
Another 100 local-based Jamaicans, mainly from government agencies and critical organisations, will participate to explain the challenges they face in assisting the overseas Jamaican and to listen to the challenges of the diaspora.
"This conference will not be a conference of just talk," said Delano Franklyn, the State Minister in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade. "This conference is a conference where we are seeking to resolve practical issues."
According to Senator Franklyn, everything is in place for a smooth and interactive conference. He said 20 per cent of conference time will be dedicated to speakers and 80 per cent for interactive discussions.
The programme will be focusing on three broad areas:
To express appreciation to members of the overseas community for their contribution to Jamaica's development.
To express appreciation for how they have marketed Jamaica and their contribution to the fact that Jamaica is now a brand name.
To find ways and means to integrate Jamaicans living overseas in the cultural, social and political life of Jamaica.
High on the agenda is the resolution of the current challenges faced by overseas Jamaicans to access passports and birth certificates and interaction with customs.
A Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ) study last year reported that in the last 50 years, at least one million Jamaicans migrated to the UK, the U.S. and Canada.
