Special Tribute To Healthcare Workers On Diaspora Day

Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Senator the Hon. Kamina Johnson Smith, has commended healthcare workers for their selfless service and sacrifice in the fight against the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

“I pay special tribute to our doctors, nurses and other essential front-line workers, who continue to risk their lives each day. I commend and thank you for your selfless service and sacrifice,” she said.

In a message to mark Diaspora Day, today (June 16), the Minister also lauded Jamaicans in the diaspora for their acts of kindness and support for persons stranded abroad during the closure of the borders.

“So many of you are unsung heroes who continue to excel on the international stage and to shine in your communities. We are proud of your many successes, big and small, personal and professional, due in no small part to your strong Jamaican roots,” she said.

Senator Johnson Smith also extended sympathies to persons who have lost family members and loved ones and their livelihoods.

“The pandemic has also affected the way in which we socialise and interact with each other, including with our respective families, making even grieving more challenging than before. Even as we manage our own challenges here, we stand with you during this difficult period,” she said.

Citing the current movements for action to address racism globally, the Minister said that the Government of Jamaica will continue “to promote the unifying ethos of our motto ‘Out of Many one People’.”

“Even as we work on our own challenges nationally, we also call globally for the recognition of human rights of all people and the removal of discrimination of any kind, including racism,” she said.

Diaspora Day is commemorated annually on June 16 and forms an important observance of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade.