Sen. Malahoo-Forte meets with Diaspora in Canada on Sunday
June 3, 2011The Full Story
TORONTO — Minister of State in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Senator the Hon Marlene Malahoo Forte, will meet with the Jamaican Diaspora in Canada on Sunday June 5.
The meeting will take place at the Faith Open Door Ministries, Caledonia Road, Toronto, starting at 4.30 p.m.
The Minister is expected to discuss plans for the upcoming three-day Jamaica Diaspora Convention, which gets underway on June 15 at the Sunset Jamaica Grande Hotel in Ocho Rios. She will also discuss issues of importance to the community which will be addressed at the convention.
Jamaica’s Consul General to Toronto, Seth George Ramocan, is appealing for as many persons as possible to attend the convention in June.
“As we approach our Fourth Biennial Jamaica Diaspora Conference under the theme, ‘One Nation: Jamaica and its Diaspora in Partnership’, there is an air of great expectation and anticipation among the delegates to explore critical agenda items,” Mr. Ramocan said.
The Consul General pointed out that the items to be discussed include the upcoming 50th anniversary of Jamaica’s Independence in 2012, strategies for continuing to lower the crime rate in Jamaica and the proposal for establishing a Jamaica Diaspora Fund.
“The Minister will have an opportunity to hear from Diaspora members who are unable to attend the conference in Jamaica, and interact with delegates and Diaspora board members who plan to attend,” Mr. Ramocan stated.
Mrs. Malahoo Forte will be the keynote speaker at “Strawberry Social”, the premier fundraising event of PACE Canada, on Sunday, June 4.
Since it was founded, 24 years ago by Dr. Mavis Burke, the Project for the Advancement of Childhood Education (PACE) has sponsored close to 300 Jamaican basic schools, through its Adopt-A-School programme.
At the organization’s recently held Annual General Meeting, the President, Dr. Mary Anne Chambers, said that during the year ending March 31, 2011, PACE Canada sent C$63,187 to its sponsored basic schools in Jamaica.
“PACE has once again made us proud by sponsoring the visit of a Minister of Government from Jamaica, as their guest speaker for their annual Strawberry Social, and this event is expected to be a resounding success,” the Consul General stated.
By CAROLYN GOULBOURNE-WARREN, JIS Reporter