source:caribnetnews

Tuesday, March 14, 2006

byAnn-Marie Adams


NEW YORK,USA:
Citing the absence of communication and transparency about the government-led initiative to mobilize Jamaicans abroad, tri-state area Jamaicans convened Saturday at the Jamaican Consulate to craft a “New York position.�

Counsel General Basil Bryan hosted the meeting in response to queries about the initiative, said Consulate information attaché, Aubrey Campbell.

“You see and hear about the Diaspora in Canada and the U.K. People are asking ‘Where’s the U.S. Diaspora’ because there’s no New York involvement,� Campbell said.

The New York area is the epicenter of the Jamaican Diaspora, yet it has no voice on the current U.S. advisory board elected at the 2004 conference.

The aim of Saturday’s meeting was to ensure Jamaicans in Connecticut, New Jersey and New York have a say in the agenda for the 2006 Jamaican Diaspora Conference in Jamaica and have a representative on the next advisory board, he said.

The conference is scheduled for June 16 and 17 at the Jamaica Conference Center.

Close to 100 people attended the meeting and voiced frustrations about the seemingly uncoordinated efforts to build a cohesive advocacy machine or an institutional framework to help philanthropic efforts.

They say the Diaspora in Canada and the U.K. are examples of how the U.S. Diaspora should be working.

For instance, a terrorist bombing in the U.K. occurred recently and a Jamaican-born man raised in the U.K. was implicated. The U.K. Diaspora reacted swiftly and publicly to address an already fragile image of Jamaicans abroad.

“We need a communication arm in place,� one attendee said. “We need the fire of the Diaspora,� another said. Others demanded a say in shaping the upcoming conference.

“We want to ensure groups going down (to volunteer of donate supplies) will have maximum impact,� said Jose Richards of Sons and Daughters of Jamaica.

“The last conference was controlled by government officials and the private sector. We the Diaspora had very little say. We want to get the grassroots people involved, rather than have officials who know nothing about our plight and conditions.�

Other issues discussed were education, healthcare and crime. Few talked about issues that impact Jamaicans living abroad: immigration, ethnic discrimination and issues faced by returning Jamaicans.

Those gathered also expressed concerns about the Air Jamaica package being offered to delegates. They said Air Jamaica should reconsider the $329 round trip fare offered to delegates who would be volunteers taking time off from work.

The New York meeting was the only gathering as such in the United States to formulate an agenda to feed into the June conference’s agenda. Embassy community liaison Janet Madden said the onus is also on Jamaicans in New York to ensure participation in the conference to voice their concerns.

“This whole idea is new to us. It’s a process,� Madden said. “They need to make an effort to do outreach also. The (Saturday) meeting was an outreach to them. So it’s going somewhere.�

The point is there is no point. There is no point starting a new thread on Blacknet every time you read a newspaper article or hear something on television. No point at all.

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both TAHLIBA AND MGL

Why dont you two you should write a suggestion to BNV moderators and Administrators that they should remove NEWS & POLITICS village

so next time you wont be asking questions like :WHATS YOUR POINT?

and if the news above does not have any importance then fine but I am sure it might be to other BN members

I think its a progressive idea that the Jamaican government should seek to strenghten its ties in the emigration centres it has.

How committed they are to the idea is another thing.

Dontfeel no way Coltrane. You saw an article on Jamaica and decided to post in the News section.

Maybe you shouldnt post news in the news section. Maybe footballers shouldnt use their legs to play football. Maybe Arsenal will win the Champions league.



All preposterous notions.