Kamina aims to use diaspora link for social, economic change in Ja

Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Minister, Senator Kamina Johnson Smith, wants to revamp the relationship between Jamaica and its diaspora to make it a strategic, mutually beneficial and sustainable vehicle for social and economic transformation on the island.

“We want to make it easier for the diaspora to contribute to Jamaica’s sustainable development, while simultaneously assisting members of the diaspora to address social and economic issues that directly affect them, and to prosper in the countries where they reside. This will require the integration of diaspora-related issues into government policies, plans and programmes,” Johnson Smith said last Friday.

The foreign minister, who has responsibility for diaspora affairs, was speaking at the official launch of the diaspora conference to be held June 14-16 in Jamaica. The conference will be held in a hybrid format.

She said that the gathering will be capitalising on the advancements that have been made in the digital space since the pandemic, to connect with more Jamaicans abroad.

“The Government recognises that our nationals overseas are key actors on the international stage and that their spheres of influence in their host countries bring tremendous value to their countries of origin. As investors, philanthropists, bridge-builders, brand ambassadors, lobbyists, marketers and, of course, consumers, the need to deepen the engagement is evident,” Johnson Smith said.

“It is my hope that the conference will provide the necessary forum to widen our discussions on issues such as digital public service delivery, digital skills for the general workforce, digital infrastructure; cybersecurity and reliable, secure data flows, as these are areas in which collaborative efforts are necessary in all sectors. We invite our diaspora members and the public and private sector to consider these issues in their respective deliberations. These discussions will allow Jamaica to position herself more strategically in the global political economy,” she said in her address.

She said that to facilitate greater growth and development, Jamaica will have to encourage more innovation, enable a digital economy, and create the right opportunities for our nationals who reside at home and overseas to participate in this transformation. The Jamaica foreign minister said the conference this year will seek to address these and other key issues, and invited greater input from Jamaicans in the diaspora.

“With your help, we will exceed our target of 5,000 registered participants, setting the stage for wider engagement and harnessing the true potential of us all, both at home and abroad,” she stressed.