Jamaicans in Atlanta Urged to Invest in Homeland

Jamaicans residing in Atlanta, Georgia have been urged to take advantage of the various investment opportunities that are available in their homeland.
The call came from Jamaica’s Ambassador to the United States, Professor Gordon Shirley, when he delivered the keynote address at a town hall meeting attended by just over 200 Jamaicans, at the Hillside Presbyterian Church in Decatur, Georgia on August 25.
Ambassador Shirley pointed to investment opportunities in tourism, real estate, the Jamaica Stock Exchange, and government paper, among others.
“Jamaica offers a superb opportunity for investment, and this is a way that Jamaicans residing overseas could contribute to the country, while helping yourself and doing even better than you are doing with your own investments in the United States,” he said.
“It is important that as Jamaicans residing overseas, we take advantage of these investment opportunities that now avail themselves. Although as a country we welcome overseas investors with open arms, it is also good to welcome our own Jamaicans,” the Ambassador added.
Professor Shirley reminded the audience that among the matters that Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller would place emphasis on were: reduction of poverty, creation of jobs for young people, expanded expenditure on education at the basic school level, and providing homes for low income families and young people.
He further added the Prime Minister has taken measures to address the issue of crime and violence and the statistics suggest that the level of crime was decreasing. “Operation Kingfish has been extraordinarily successful in implementing a number of security programmes, which has led to the downward slide in crime,” the Ambassador pointed out.
Professor Shirley brought the audience up to date on a wide range of improvements that were currently taking place in Jamaica. These included: the telecommunication sector, expansion in the tourism industry, improvements to the ports and various highways, and upgrading of the airports in Montego Bay and Kingston.
In his remarks, Jamaica Diaspora Advisory Board member for the Southern United States, Marlon Hill, urged the Jamaican community in Atlanta to get involved in the Jamaica Diaspora Movement, as it was an opportunity for Jamaicans living overseas to assist their country.
The meeting was organised by Jamaica’s Honorary Consul to Atlanta, Vin Martin and attended by the President of the Atlanta Jamaica Association, Allan Alberga, Janet Madden, Community Relations Attach