Leon Mitchell (centre), Assistant Manager The Jamaica National Group, listens as, Senator Kamina Johnson-Smith (left), Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, makes a point at the launch of the Diaspora Conference on Tuesday, April 2. Also participating in the discussion was Professor Neville Ying, Chair of the Jamaica Diaspora Conference Programme and Sub-Committee, Pro Chancellor, The Mico University. The conference, which will be held under theme ‘Jamaica and the Diaspora: Building Pathways for Sustainable Development’, is scheduled for the Jamaica Conference Centre, downtown Kingston, from June 16 to 20.
Professor Neville Ying, Chair of the Jamaica Diaspora Conference Programme and Content Sub-Committee and Pro Chancellor of The Mico University, said the theme of this year’s conference is in keeping with Jamaica Vision 2030 goals and will also focus on: People, Partnership and Prosperity.
Professor Ying made this disclosure while giving an overview at the launch of
the Jamaica Diaspora Conference, held at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel on April 2.
The conference will be held under the theme “Jamaica and the Diaspora: Building Pathways for Sustainable Development,”
and will take place at the Jamaica Conference Centre, downtown Kingston, June
16 to 20, 2019.
“The theme of the conference is an invitation to Jamaica and its Diaspora to
work together for the world of the future. The focus of this partnership is to
help Jamaica to achieve the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals 2030,
which are embedded in the four core goals of our Vision 2030,” stated Professor
Ying.
“Conference 2019 will focus on three clusters of these goals: “People,
Partnerships and Prosperity.” The purpose of the conference is to re-ignite and
re-energise our Diaspora partnership, to support our country’s quest for
sustainable economic and social development,” he added.
He explained that that the focus was selected in keeping with the conference’s
objective to examine global trends and events, especially in Diaspora host
countries, while paying attention to inherent issues, challenges and
opportunities, as well as, the partnerships which the Diaspora were keen to
establish.
“A main part of our objective is to develop specific actionable outcomes at the
conference that Jamaica and the Diaspora will commit to implementing,” he said.
Professor Ying said the conference would take into consideration new and
emerging technologies, the global call to action for human development, the
shift in economic powerbase of major world economies, and geopolitical events
which affected members of the Diaspora.
“Globally, there are new and emerging technologies which have disrupted the
lives of every country. Artificial intelligence, big data, and other
technologies will have significant impact on jobs in the work place. Many of
our current jobs will be obsolete; and, there will be new and higher paying
jobs. The message, therefore, is that Jamaica and its Diaspora must begin to
work urgently in areas of human resources, to develop skills which are going to
be needed for this new economy he maintained.
In her remarks, Senator
Kamina Johnson-Smith, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, said that
the theme of the conference reflected the
Government’s commitment to pursue enabling initiatives and mechanisms to
encourage, support, create and empower Jamaicans to achieve and sustain their
full potential.
“This conference will call for holistic thinking, strategy and policy
coherence, as we purposefully approach sustainable development; and, we
fundamentally define it, not only in the context of agenda 2030, but with a
particular focus on a completely secure and just society,” she stated.
The 2017 Conference Chair, Hon. Earl Jarrett, endorsed the conference, through his representative, Mr Leon Mitchell, Assistant General Manager of The Jamaica National Group, who welcomed Senator Don Wehby, Chief Executive Officer of GraceKennedy, who will take on the responsibility as Chairman of this year’s conference.
Mr Mitchell noted that the Legacy Partners have worked with successive Jamaican governments and have embraced the aims and objectives of the Diaspora Movement. “They have all worked hard to enhance the Movement’s structure and strengthened the links with our country, as well as, the initiatives of our people in the Diaspora.”
