Gov’t Pleased with Stakeholder Support for Upcoming Diaspora Conference

State Minister in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Hon. Alando Terrelonge, says the Government is pleased with the support from private-sector entities for the upcoming 10th Biennial Jamaica Diaspora Conference.

“The Government certainly is satisfied with the level of support that we continue to receive from our Legacy Partners – the VM Group, Jamaica National Group and, of course, GraceKennedy and all the private-sector entities that have come on board,” Mr. Terrelonge said.

He was speaking during a Jamaica Information Service (JIS) ‘Think Tank’ at the Agency’s head office in Kingston on Thursday (April 25).

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

Mr. Terrelonge said the private sector understands “the sense of renewed hope that the Government has brought to the growth and development of Jamaica”.

“This is the hope that is permeating within the diaspora. This is the same hope that the private sector says, ‘We want to invest in… we want to be a part of, because our goods and services are growing in Jamaica and we want to extend them to new markets’,” he said.

Addressing the significance of the Conference’s theme, Mr. Terrelonge said it underscores the importance of unity in transforming Jamaica while addressing the pressing goals of fostering peace, productivity and youth empowerment.

“The theme is intended to affirm the importance we place on coming together to craft our future and focus on critical pillars of transformation, while overcoming the most pressing challenges of our time together,” he added.

Mr. Terrelonge said Jamaica must intentionally strive for unity in “working towards greater and more inclusive growth and development”.

Conference Chair and VM Group President and Chief Executive Officer, Courtney Campbell, who also spoke during the Think Tank, said he was delighted with the support for the upcoming event.

“We have as many as five Platinum sponsors, most of them private-sector entities. There are other sponsors, but we are very pleased with the responses.” he said.

The Platinum Partners are Continental (National Bakery), Digicel, Island Car Rentals, Jamaica Tourist Board, and the Diaspora-based Blue Mahoe Capital.

Persons registering online for the Conference can visit the Ministry’s Eventbrite registration website at www.diasporaconferenceja.evenbrite.com, which also provides additional information on the four-day event.