Diaspora Conference Attendees Benefit from Engagement And Networking During The Event

Jamaican-born Professor of Law and Education in the United States (US), Dwight Elliott, says he is grateful for the experience and accomplishments gained while attending the recent 10th Biennial Jamaica Diaspora Conference.

He was among the more than 1,000 persons drawn from 17 countries, including the United States (US), United Kingdom (UK) and Canada, who had the opportunity to network and engage with other conference attendees and professionals during the three-day event.

The Conference was held at the Montego Bay Convention Centre in St. James from June 16 to 19 under the theme ‘United for Jamaica’s Transformation: Fostering Peace, Productivity and Youth Empowerment’.

“I think it was very good. I got a lot done. I met a lot of people and I am excited I was able to invest in Jamaica this time. I have expanded my business and real estate footprints in Jamaica,” Professor Elliott tells JIS News.

The seasoned educator, who has more than 20 years’ experience in online teaching at the tertiary level, says he has been visiting Jamaica for the past 10 years and is an active participant in the Jamaican diaspora in the US state of Florida.

Apart from being able to invest in Jamaica’s real estate sector, Professor Elliott says his goal is to contribute to Jamaica’s educational landscape, specifically addressing technological challenges and preparing young people for global standards.

Noting that Jamaica has a good handle on the spectrum of the current world challenges, he says systems should be in place “to get our people ready, in terms of strategies, processes, training and development and getting our young people to do what we call ‘filter’, and to figure out what is real and what information they should prioritise”.

“I see a lot of opportunities where, our kids, they’re bright and talented but they might not be aware of all of the different business laws, business rules and standards on the international scale, as well as legal challenges that they could be faced with,” he notes.

Professor Elliott indicates that during the Conference, he connected with representatives of various local tertiary institutions, including the University of the Commonwealth Caribbean (UCC) and University of Technology (UTECH), about potential collaborations to implement solutions for Jamaican students.

“I’ve met quite a few individuals who are interested in speaking with me. So let’s hope that will grow and that connection that I made at this conference will bear fruit,” he adds.

“My goal is to connect with the Ministry of Education [and Youth] as well as with some of the colleges and universities and partner with them to create some of the solutions that I am [and have been] working on in the United States for many students over many years,” Professor Elliott further states.

Another attendee from the US, Charmaine Trout, tells JIS News that she found the plenary session on Jamaica’s creative industries very enlightening.

The session focused on the topic ‘Harnessing the Power of Jamaica’s Creative Industries and Sport for National Development’.

“My interest was piqued because of my grandniece who wants to go into that industry. So I just wanted to learn more about it so I could help to chart her educational path, because I was an educator in Jamaica for 10 years,” says Mrs. Trout who taught at St. Jago High School in St. Catherine.

The educator, who lauds the organisers of the Conference for a job well done, says she plans to return to Jamaica in the future.

Diaspora member Samuel Trout highlights the value of the Conference’s informative sessions.

“It was good, informative and very entertaining. I realised that there are more of us who visited this Diaspora Conference than the last Conference,” he tells JIS News.

Mr. Trout says he observed the connection, the patriotism and love for one another and country at the Conference, which began with a Thanksgiving worship service at the Burchell Memorial Baptist Church in Montego Bay, St James, on Sunday, June 16.

Former journalist and author, Luther Irving, who hails from Montego Bay, St James, represented Jamaica Domino Tours at the conference.

The entity is a local company established to promote the game of dominoes within the domestic and overseas tourism market.

He recalls being invited to the event by Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Senator the Hon. Kamina Johnson Smith, when he attended the official launch at the Ministry in downtown Kingston on April 4.

“So, I made sure that I went to the Conference and, yes, I was well received. I was able to present myself as a domino representative. I was able to meet and interact with a number of persons and exchange contact information,” Mr. Irving informs.

He says he was able to share his ideas and plans to promote tourism dominoes with the diaspora audience during the Conference.

“About 99.9 per cent of the persons that I spoke to… welcomed the idea and want to come to Jamaica to play dominoes,” Mr. Irving points out.

The Conference served as a platform for networking, collaboration and constructive dialogue among Jamaicans to explore synergistic strategies that address key challenges and harness opportunities for transformative change.