Concerns raised at Biennial Conference about Mapping Jamaica's Diaspora Project

Western Bureau:

With just a mere 2000 applicants signing up for the Mapping Jamaica's Diaspora Project, the matter has come up as an issue of concern at the 6th Biennial Jamaica Diaspora Conference, which is now taking place in Montego Bay, St James.

The initiative, which was launched last June, invites the participation of Jamaicans via two survey instruments.

One instrument is aimed at individuals while the other targets community, alumni and other philanthropic associations.

Head of the Diaspora’s International Organization for Migration, Keisha Livermore says the initiative has not gotten the desired support.

"We had some limitations ... what we had is what we call seed money, whereby, we were hoping to get the support of the Diaspora groups to get the word out ... but there has not been the kind of support that we expected,” said Livermore.

The objective of the initiative is to create a database of Jamaicans in the diaspora as well as their skills so they can be called on to contribute to nation-building.