Derrick A. Scott, Gleaner Writer
Carmen Bartlett, regional manager of Jamaica National Overseas USA Inc., presents a souvenir to Jamaica's Honorary Consul to Atlanta, Vin Martin, on Thursday, during a courtesy call in his office at Stone Mountain, Georgia. - PHOTO BY DERRICK SCOTT
ATLANTA, Georgia:
JAMAICA NATIONAL Overseas USA Inc. (JNOU), a subsidiary of Jamaica National Building Society, will open for business in Atlanta within the next three months.
According to Regional Manager, Carmen Bartlett, the office, which will be located on Memorial Drive, will be open in early April. Services offered will include money transfer, and transfer to savings accounts, as well as payment of mortgages and utility bills in Jamaica.
COURTESY CALL
Mrs. Bartlett made the disclosure recently when she paid a courtesy call on Jamaica's Honorary Consul to Atlanta, Vin Martin, in his offices in Stone Mountain. "Jamaica National has customers worldwide," Bartlett said. "We see Atlanta as one of the growing Caribbean communities."
Opening an office here is Jamaica National's opportunity to provide services to this large and growing Jamaican community.
The office will be located beside Royal Caribbean Bakery at the corner of Memorial Drive and Rockbridge Road in Stone Mountain, an area referred to as the 'Half-Way Tree'. It will be the first Jamaican financial institution to open offices in the Atlanta area.
In commending Jamaica National Overseas for its forward thinking, Mr. Martin said he sees this as "a significant step in trying to establish for Jamaica a foothold in the economic arena in Atlanta." He said Jamaica's population has grown tremendously in Atlanta in the past several years.
"What's missing is a strong economic tie to the community," he added. "And until we have established that economic tie, our presence as Jamaicans in Atlanta will not be viewed in the same light as the Hispanics and the Asians by the local Georgia hierarchy."
Jamaica National Overseas currently has four agents in the Atlanta area: Family Gallery - Coington; Jamaica World Travel - Decatur; and Captain Mike's and Naje's Hair Salon in Stone Mountain.
