Irwine Clare, a member of the Jamaica Diaspora Advisory Board, North East, in USA makes a point during a panel discussion at the Jamaica National Building Society, Outlook for the Future public forum at the New York Hilton Midtown Hotel in New York recently. Listening is from left to right: Senator Kamina Johnson Smith, Edmund Bartlett, Opposition Spokesman on Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade; Opposition Leader, Andrew Holness and Director, Advanced Research, Collaborative Graduate Center
City University of New York.
Irwine Clare, a member of the Jamaica Diaspora Advisory Board, North East, in the United States of America (USA), says Jamaica needs to look more carefully at how it can onboard the expertise of Jamaicans in the Diaspora, noting that too often the Diaspora was treated as an “ATM.”
The frank Mr. Clare said, “There is a trust deficit between Jamaicans at home and Jamaicans abroad. We don’t trust each other. We have to find a way to look at our ‘intellectual remittance’; many Jamaicans in the Diaspora are able to offer assistance to Jamaica.”
He was speaking at the “Outlook for the Future” public forum, which was mounted by the Jamaica National Building Society (JNBS) under the theme: “The Jamaican Economy: A Vision for Transformation,” at the Hilton Midtown Hotel in New York, USA, on October 21,
Pointing to the case of the former Federal Bureau of Investigation agent, Wilfred Rattigan, whose application for the post of Police Commissioner was turned down by the Jamaican Police Services Commission in August, he stated that more needs to be done to facilitate the expertise of the Diaspora in the development of Jamaica.
“We are more than an ATM,” he declared and pointed to the current project to map Jamaicans Diaspora as an important initiative to get more Jamaicans involved in the development of the country.
Speaking post the forum, Earl Jarrett, JNBS General Manager noted that the Diaspora was an important resource to the development of the country and was steadily becoming a vital element in its economic framework. He said it was important for them to increase their awareness of the opportunities, which link them to future developments in their homeland.
“These meetings, therefore, play an important role in helping to bring that awareness; and, also ensure that people in the Diaspora can become more attuned to the issues of governance concerning Jamaica and the future of the country,” he said.
The Outlook for the Future series has been held in the USA, Canada and the United Kingdom since 2003. The meetings have successfully brought together representatives of successive administrations and key leaders overseas to engage in frank, open discussions about issues of national importance to Jamaicans locally and in the Diaspora. In addition, the forums provide an environment in which investors can network and explore opportunities for investment in Jamaica.
The main speaker at the New York “Outlook” was Mr. Andrew Holness, MP, Leader of the Opposition and former Prime Minister. In addition, past speakers have included former National Security Minister and current Finance Minister, Dr. Peter Phillips in 2003 and 2013; former Prime Minister Mr. Bruce Golding, who in 2005, as Leader of the Opposition, was keynote speaker at the meetings; former Finance Minister, Mr. Audley Shaw who attended in 2010; and Dr. Omar Davies, Minister of Transport, Works and Housing who headlined the events in 2013.