Letter of the Day | Create collaborative digital society to fight poverty

THE EDITOR, Madam:

I was born in Jamaica and have been afforded the luxury of travelling abroad. I’ve witnessed the struggles of our people here, success of those who’ve found prosperity abroad. While many in the diaspora lobby for political voice, we ought to take them to task on finding more grassroots approach to address this disparity.

Too often, we’ve seen our brothers and sisters suffer in silence, disconnected from more affluent relatives living overseas. This isn’t just a family issue; it’s a cultural and social failing that we must rectify.

There needs to be a radical reimagining of our family structures and wealth distribution. In this digital age, we have the tools to bridge geographical gaps and create robust, globally connected family units.

Whether through the government or the market and demand, there could be the development of a family-specific apps to share financial information and set collective goals. Blockchain technology can be used to manage assets across borders securely. AI-powered investment tools could help optimise portfolios, while micro-investing platforms could allow even those with little resources to participate in wealth creation.

But technology alone isn’t the answer. We need a cultural shift, a return to the collective mindset. We must see the success of one as the success of all. Let’s start these conversations and begin planning for our collective future and create support systems.

The resources, connections, and knowledge of the diaspora can pull entire families out of poverty. We can begin small family “pardna” to family trust funds. Surely there are other times and instances we can pool resources other than for crisis, funerals and family burial.

Let us harness the power of artificial intelligence to analyse investment opportunities, use blockchain technology to secure our assets and transfer wealth, create digital platforms that allow even the smallest contributions to grow into mighty oaks of financial security.

Garvey’s rallying cry for racial pride and economic self-determination still echoes through the halls of our history, inspiring us to reclaim our rightful place in the global landscape. The road ahead is long, but the first step is acknowledging the need for change.

In the words of Indian author Arundhati Roy, “Another world is not only possible, she is on her way. On a quiet day, I can hear her breathing.” The time for change is now. Let’s answer the call.

YANNICK PESSOA

Montego Bay